DANVILLE, Pa. — Maybe you have a glass of wine at the end of the night or take melatonin to sleep. Regardless of what supplements, vitamins, or drugs you take, you need to inform your doctor.
"There can be drug interactions with certain prescription medications, so you just want to be sure your doctor has a full list of all of the medications, even if they are just over-the-counter medications," said Pamela Giarratano, a pharmacist at Geisinger's Kistler Clinic in Wilkes-Barre.
Giarratano says any substance, whether it's legal or not, could interact with the medications you are prescribed.
A common drug that can interact with over-the-counter medications is warfarin, also known as coumadin, which is a blood thinner.
"If you're on that medication, you want to make sure you let the doctor know of any over-the-counters, any vitamins, any supplements. But there are other ones as well, even something as simple as a Vitamin A or a Vitamin D."
Giarratano suggests keeping everything organized with a medication list.
"If you keep a medication list handy on you, it's really easy to show it to your doctor or other medical provider to let them know what you're taking."
Honesty is the best medicine and helps your doctors care for you. If you suspect an interaction, talk to your doctor before changing your medication.
See more Healthwatch 16 stories on YouTube.
