Remember, taking your medication incorrectly can result in serious side effects. To gain the greatest benefit from any medicine, follow these helpful tips:

Find out all you can about the medicine you're taking, its risks and its benefits. Talk to your doctor about the drug and read the package insert that comes with the drug.

Take the right amount: Take only the amount your doctor tells you to take, and take it exactly as prescribed. If you accidentally take too much, contact your doctor or your local poison control center at once. If you vomit shortly after taking a dose or miss a dose for other reasons, check with your doctor to find out when to take another dose.

Have regular checkups: Side effects can occur at any time.. With certain drugs, your doctor will often order regular checkups and blood and urine tests - usually before, during, and for a time after treatment to keep track of possible side effects. Side effects are often a sign that your doctor must change the amount of medicine you're taking. Since many side effects can be detected before they become serious, be sure to keep your scheduled lab test and doctor appointments.

Do not take any prescription or over-the-counter medicines without first checking with your doctor. Other medicines may increase the side effects or decrease the benefits of many drugs.

Keep in close touch with your doctor and contact him or her at the first sign of any problem with any medicine you might be taking.