In self-service or without a prescription, medicines are not trivial consumer products. Storage, dosage:there are rules to follow at home in order to be able to take medication safely.
The first thing to take into account when taking medication at home is to take care to respect the dosage, that is to say the maximum doses to be taken, as well as the frequency of intake (time, number of days) . This applies all the more to children, who do not have the same build and therefore do not need the same doses as adults. Never exceed the maximum dose per day or the duration of treatment indicated on the leaflet. Have you turned to self-serve medication? Remember to find out about the dosage from the pharmacist, and write it down on the box or in a notebook.
Need a pill reminder?
Do you have a treatment to follow for several days? To remember to take your tablets at a fixed time, there are mobile health applications that help with taking medication in the form of alarms, such as Medi’Rappel. This also works for daily treatment, the pill or insulin shots for example.
We sort
The ideal is to sort and classify the drugs according to their use. Thus, self-service tablets (without prescription) for everyday ailments (aspirin, etc.) can be stored with the first aid box:these are the ones that are used most often. Medicines prescribed with a prescription must be kept with their prescription, in order to be able to follow the correct dosage.
We put away
Even while taking your treatment, do not leave medicine boxes within reach of children in the house (on the kitchen table, for example). Also remember to put them away after use, at the end of your treatment.
Prefer storage at height, in a medicine box or a cupboard not accessible to children. Indeed, the medicine pills could be considered candy by the youngest and put them in danger if swallowed.
Are your medications expired?
Medicines have an expiry date that must be respected. Beyond this date, the drug may not have the desired effects on the body. So regularly sort your medications by checking the expiry dates. If you have medications that are out of date, don't throw them in the trash:take them to a pharmacy, which will sort and recycle them.
Keep in mind that each treatment corresponds to a particular case, a profile and a pathology. Thus, a prescription made for you may not apply to another family member, even if you have the same symptoms. Especially since, unlike you, this person may have contraindications or develop allergies.
Remember to always consult a doctor, even by teleconsultation, or a pharmacist, even for "benign" medications such as aspirin or a tablet for stomach pain. Indeed, there is a risk of side effects or interference between certain treatments, even with molecules such as paracetamol.
The medicines reimbursed by Health Insurance are only those prescribed on prescription by a health practitioner (doctor, dentist, etc.) and appearing on the list of medicines reimbursable by National Health Insurance. Those in self-service as well as homeopathy are, for their part, the responsibility of the buyer.
Among the medicines reimbursed, there are four reimbursement rates, depending on their use and cost:100%, 65%, 30% or 15%. To complete the part covered by the State, your mutual insurance company can also reimburse all or part of the remainder to be paid. Finally, be aware that most pharmacies offer third-party payment, that is to say that you do not have to advance the cost of your medication, if you are insured with Health Insurance.
A migraine? Heartburn? Do not take medicine left over from a previous treatment of a member of your family . Remember to always seek the advice of a pharmacist before self-medicating:they will help you choose the most suitable medication, as well as the dosage.
Source:
https://solidarites-sante.gouv.fr/soins-et-opathies/medicaments/le-bon-usage-des-medicaments/article/quelques-regles-de-bon-usage-des-medicaments
https://www.ameli.fr/assure/remboursements/rembourse/medicaments-vaccins-dispositifs-medicaux/remboursement-medicaments-tiers-payant
