Author: Helpful Pharmacist

Hey! Thanks for coming back to Helpful Pharmacist. Today we are going to tackle what I consider to be a simple topic, but one that many of my customers seem to be confused about: OTC pain meds. OTC, of course, means over-the-counter.  As pharmacists, we sometimes take for granted that everyone knows what Tylenol is, and what it is used for. However, that is definitely not the case. So we will cover all of the OTC pain meds, their uses, and side effects, so you can see how simple this category really is.

Continue reading OTC Pain Meds: Which One Should I Choose?

How many of you think it is a major pain to have to purchase all products containing pseudoephedrine from behind the pharmacy counter? Sometimes the lines are long. Sometimes you have to wait for the staff to figure out someone else’s insurance problem. Sometimes you might be in the store but the pharmacy department is closed! Every time you have to hand over your driver’s license and have your purchase logged on a trackable database. I mean, you just have a stuffy nose. You know how to treat it. It’s not like you are buying some dangerous controlled substance. What’s the deal?

Continue reading What Are the Pseudoephedrine Purchase Limits and Why Do They Exist?

Before we get started discussing your options for sinus congestion treatment, I wanted to let you know that I was able to take my own advice from my very first post and take advantage of a manufacturer coupon. My Doctor prescribed Nexium for me. My copay for 90 capsules was $308. I used the coupon I found online at www.nexium.com and it was reduced to $30! These things really work! If you haven’t read that post yet, go do so now. You will be glad you did. Well, read this first, then read the other post.

How do you know if you have sinus congestion? It is most commonly characterized by a buildup of pressure in your sinuses, under your eyes, or in your ears. Sometimes your ears will feel like they are clogged and your hearing may be affected. There are several reasons why you might be suffering from sinus congestion. Most commonly, it is due to either a sinus infection, a cold, or allergies. I get asked a lot about what is the best sinus congestion treatment. Let’s talk about your options. Continue reading Sinus Congestion Treatment: What Are My Options?

Can I cut my pills in half? I get this question all of the time and the answer isn’t quite as simple as you might think. The first thing I need to do before I answer this question is to find out why you would want to cut a perfectly good pill, that your Doctor prescribed to you, in half. Usually the reason is that the patient feels, for some reason, like the medication is too strong or the dose is too high. So, in this case, they are asking me to give them the ok to reduce the amount of medication they are taking. This kind of recommendation can only be made by the prescriber, not the Pharmacist. Continue reading Can I Cut Pills In Half?

Hi,

Thanks for visiting the site. I am glad you are here. I want to take a minute to let you know what is on the site and how you can benefit from the helpful pharmacy tips here.

I notice at work every day that there is a lot of basic information that a lot of people just don’t understand about medication and healthcare in general. I hope this will be a resource for people to help them learn about medications, how the healthcare system works, and how they can use that knowledge to make improvements to their daily lives. Continue reading Welcome to Helpful Pharmacist

When I pose this question, what I am referring to is the incessant questioning you receive from your pharmacy, your doctor, and heaven forbid you end up in the hospital. You might as well tattoo your allergy history on your forehead you get asked about it so often. With all of this practice, I would expect most of us would be very good at answering the question. However, I have noticed that a lot of people just don’t understand what an allergy is and why we ask. Continue reading What is an Allergy?

So, you read my last post and now you are thinking that you might need to seek out a new pharmacy to serve you better. Maybe they make you wait too long. Maybe they don’t do what they say they will do. Maybe you just don’t connect with them personally. Whatever the reason, let’s talk about how to do this. The two most common reasons why most people don’t switch their pharmacy are 1.) they think it will be a hassle or 2.) they think all pharmacies are a pain so why not just use the one closest to the house even if it is a pain. Continue reading How To Choose a Pharmacy

Ok, that is a weird question. Who’s name are we talking about? You probably already know my name if you are on this site. That is not me in the picture up there, by the way. I opted for a picture of a much better looking Pharmacist than myself. Am I saying you need to know your Pharmacist’s name in order to get better service? That’s pretty arrogant! Well, I am saying that, but not quite in that way. The title of this post is actually a tip of the hat to one of my favorite fictional Pharmacists, Walter White, who famously demanded “Say my name!” So, let’s discuss what I really mean here. Continue reading Do You Know My Name?

I had a great experience at work this week. One of my customers came in and he had just been diagnosed with a blood clot. His Physician wrote him a prescription for Xarelto, a blood thinner, to take for 3 weeks. He brought it to us to fill and we discovered that his insurance does not cover it. His cost was going to be $520!! I heard my technician advise him to look for a coupon online. He clearly did not understand what she was talking about. He wasn’t going to NOT fill a prescription for a blood clot, no matter the price. Continue reading Save Money on Your Prescriptions Using Manufacturer Coupons