What to Say

Acamprosate helps you stay off alcohol now that you’ve stopped drinking, and it works best with counseling or a support group. Take two 333-milligram tablets, 666 milligrams in all, three times a day. Swallow them whole; taking them with meals helps you remember. It won’t treat withdrawal or make you sick if you drink. If you do drink, keep taking it and tell us. If you miss a dose, take it when you remember unless the next one is almost due.

Diarrhea is the most common side effect; nausea, gas or itching can also happen. Call us if diarrhea is severe or you can’t keep fluids down. Call the same day for worsening low mood or thoughts of self-harm, and ask family to tell us about changes they notice. If you might act on those thoughts, call 911. 988 can provide crisis support. If you could become pregnant, tell us, because pregnancy needs a different plan.

For pain, you can take two 500-milligram acetaminophen tablets up to three times a day if needed. Keep doses at least six hours apart, and take no more than six of these tablets in any 24 hours. That’s a total limit of 3,000 milligrams from all products combined.

Check cold medicines, sleep products and prescription pain pills: many already contain acetaminophen, sometimes listed as APAP. Tell us about liver disease or regular heavy drinking before using it. If you take more than the limit, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 immediately, even if you feel fine. Liver injury can be delayed. Stop it and call us immediately for assessment of any new rash. Go to the emergency department for blistering or mouth sores. Contact us if fever lasts more than three days, pain lasts more than ten days, or symptoms worsen sooner.

Acetazolamide helps your body adjust to altitude. Take 125 milligrams every 12 hours, starting the day before you go up. Continue for the first two days at altitude, and longer if you keep ascending. We’ll write down your stop date based on the itinerary. You still need to ascend gradually.

Tingling in your fingers or toes, extra urination, and changes in taste can happen. Stop the medicine and seek care for a rash. Blistering, mouth sores, facial swelling or trouble breathing need emergency care.

If you develop a headache with nausea, dizziness or unusual fatigue, don’t go higher. Descend if symptoms worsen despite rest. Confusion, trouble walking straight or breathlessness at rest mean you need immediate help and descent with assistance. Don’t wait for the medicine to work.

For this first genital herpes episode, take acyclovir 400 milligrams three times a day for ten days. It helps the sores heal but doesn’t remove the virus from the body. Drink adequate fluids unless you have a fluid restriction.

Avoid sexual contact until the sores have healed and symptoms are gone. Herpes can also spread when no sores are visible. Condoms reduce but don’t eliminate that risk. Contact us if healing is incomplete at the end of treatment. Inability to urinate, severe headache with neck stiffness, confusion or eye symptoms needs urgent assessment.

Take acyclovir 400 milligrams twice a day every day to reduce genital herpes outbreaks. Take it even when you feel well. This controls the infection but doesn’t cure it, and transmission is still possible. Avoid sex during warning symptoms or sores and use condoms to lower risk.

We’ll review how well it’s working and whether you want to continue at least yearly. Drink adequate fluids unless restricted. Let’s know about breakthrough outbreaks, new kidney problems or pregnancy. New confusion or markedly reduced urination needs urgent assessment.

Keep this prescription available so you can start at the first tingling or burning, or within a day of sores appearing. Take acyclovir 800 milligrams twice a day for five days. This short course treats an outbreak. It isn’t the daily prevention schedule.

Avoid sex from the first warning symptoms until sores have healed and symptoms are gone. Drink adequate fluids unless restricted. Call if the episode is unusually severe, doesn’t improve or keeps recurring. We can discuss daily suppression. New confusion, very little urine, eye symptoms or difficulty urinating needs urgent assessment.

Take acyclovir 800 milligrams five times a day for seven days for shingles. Space the doses about four hours apart while awake. You don’t need to wake overnight. Start as soon as possible. It helps the rash heal, but pain can persist and may need separate treatment. Drink adequate fluids unless you have a fluid restriction.

Keep the rash covered and avoid contact with susceptible pregnant people, newborns and people with weakened immune systems until every blister has crusted. A rash near the eye, eye pain, vision changes or new facial weakness needs same-day urgent assessment. Call promptly for confusion, much less urine or a spreading rash.

To prevent the exercise-related wheezing we’ve diagnosed, use two puffs of Ventolin HFA 15 to 30 minutes before exercise. Let’s check your technique and spacer use. This is part of your written breathing plan. Keep any prescribed anti-inflammatory inhaler treatment going.

Shakiness or a racing heartbeat can happen. If you need it frequently, symptoms break through, or it’s working less well, contact us so we can reassess control. Follow your rescue plan for symptoms that develop. Severe breathlessness or rescue treatment that isn’t helping means call 911.

This is your quick-relief inhaler. Use two puffs when wheezing or tight breathing occurs, following the timing and limits in your written plan. The routine prescription is every four to six hours as needed. If you need it sooner or it isn’t helping, follow the next steps in your written breathing plan rather than repeatedly adding puffs.

Let me watch you use it. A spacer can help the medicine reach your lungs. Shakiness or a brief faster heartbeat can happen. Keep track of the dose counter so it doesn’t run out unexpectedly. This doesn’t replace the medicine that prevents airway inflammation. If you’re too breathless to speak normally or the rescue treatment isn’t working as the plan says it should, call 911.

Airsupra is a quick-relief inhaler that also contains a low dose of inhaled steroid. Used for symptoms, it lowers the chance of a serious asthma attack compared with albuterol alone. When you have symptoms, take two puffs. You can repeat this if needed, but don’t use more than 12 puffs in 24 hours. It replaces your albuterol inhaler. If you take a daily controller, keep taking it. Shake Airsupra before each puff, and let’s practice priming it.

Shakiness, a fast heartbeat, headache, cough or hoarseness can happen. Rinse your mouth with water and spit after use to help prevent thrush. Call us the same day if you need it more than usual, it isn’t helping as well, or you’re close to 12 puffs in a day. If a puff makes breathing suddenly worse, stop it and get urgent help. Severe breathlessness or trouble speaking means call 911. If the pharmacy says it isn’t covered, tell us; we have other options.

Alendronate helps lower the chance of a fracture over time. Take 70 milligrams once a week on [day], first thing after getting up. Use a full glass, six to eight ounces, of plain water. Swallow it whole.

Wait at least 30 minutes before food, other drinks or other medicines. Stay sitting or standing for at least 30 minutes and until after your first food of the day. If you develop painful swallowing, chest pain when swallowing or new or worsening heartburn, stop it and contact us promptly. Tell me about new thigh or groin pain and tell your dentist you take it. We’ll review your calcium and vitamin D intake and how this routine is working.

After reviewing your bone density and fracture risk, I’m recommending alendronate to help prevent further bone loss after menopause. Take 35 milligrams once weekly on [day], first thing after getting up, with six to eight ounces of plain water. Swallow it whole. This is the prevention dose, not the weekly treatment dose for established osteoporosis.

Wait at least 30 minutes before food, other drinks or other medicines. Stay sitting or standing for at least 30 minutes and until after your first food of the day. If you develop painful swallowing, chest pain when swallowing or new or worsening heartburn, stop it and contact us promptly. Tell me about new thigh or groin pain and tell your dentist you take it. We’ll review your calcium and vitamin D intake and how this routine is working.

Allopurinol lowers uric acid to prevent future gout attacks. Start 100 milligrams once a day after food. This is a daily prevention medicine. It doesn’t treat today’s attack. We’ll use [flare-prevention medicine and schedule] while we gradually adjust it.

Gout attacks can happen more often at first, even though the medicine is doing its job. If an attack happens, follow the flare plan and keep taking allopurinol unless we tell you otherwise. A new rash is different: stop allopurinol immediately and call the same day. Rash with blisters, mouth sores, fever or facial swelling means go to the emergency department. Breathing trouble means call 911. We’ll repeat uric acid and the safety blood tests, then increase gradually until we reach our target.

Alprazolam acts fast but wears off fast, so anxiety can return between doses, and your body adapts quickly. If you’re starting, take 0.25 to 0.5 milligrams 3 times a day, short term, while an antidepressant or therapy takes effect. If you already take it daily, don’t stop on your own; withdrawal can cause seizures. We’ll lower it slowly together.

It can cause sleepiness, unsteadiness and memory gaps; don’t drive until you know its effect. Mixing it with alcohol, opioids or other sedatives can stop your breathing. Ask us before any new medicine, especially antifungals or antibiotics. Keep it locked away. Call us the same day if you run out or feel shaky between doses. Call 911 for a seizure or if someone is hard to wake or breathing slowly. For suicidal thoughts, call or text 988. Tell us if you’re pregnant or planning pregnancy.

Low-dose amitriptyline can calm the gut-brain signals behind IBS pain and bowel symptoms; at this dose it isn’t treating depression. This is an off-label use supported by gastroenterology guidelines. Take 10 milligrams in the evening. If symptoms aren’t controlled and side effects are mild, add 10 milligrams each week, up to 30 milligrams. It can take a few weeks to help. If it does, we’ll plan to continue it for about 6 months, then review.

Drowsiness, dry mouth and constipation are the most common side effects; tell us about constipation, because we can lower the dose or add a laxative. Don’t drive until you know how it affects you, and limit alcohol. Call us for trouble urinating, a racing or irregular heartbeat, fainting or worsening mood. For thoughts of self-harm, call 988; if you might act on them, call 911. We’ll prescribe a month at a time at first, because an overdose is dangerous.

Low-dose amitriptyline, an older antidepressant, can help prevent migraines. This is an off-label use. Take 10 milligrams in the evening, about 2 hours before bed if mornings feel groggy. If you’re tolerating it, raise the dose by 10 milligrams every 1–2 weeks as we plan, often to 25–50 milligrams. It can also help sleep and tension-type headaches. Keep a headache diary; it takes 2–3 months at a steady dose to judge.

Dry mouth, constipation, drowsiness, dizziness and weight gain are common. Don’t drive until you know how it affects you, and limit alcohol. Call us for trouble urinating, a racing or irregular heartbeat, fainting, eye pain with blurred vision, or worsening mood. For thoughts of self-harm, call 988; if you might act on them, call 911. An overdose can be fatal, so we’ll prescribe limited amounts. Don’t add other antidepressants, tramadol or St. John’s wort without checking, and don’t stop suddenly.

Low-dose amitriptyline, an older antidepressant, can ease burning, shooting or tingling nerve pain. This is an off-label use supported by treatment guidelines. Take 10 milligrams in the evening. If you’re tolerating it, we’ll raise the dose every 1–2 weeks, usually to 25–75 milligrams. Sleep may improve first; pain relief builds over 4–6 weeks. It eases pain but doesn’t repair nerves, so keep up foot checks and diabetes care if you have diabetes.

Dry mouth, constipation, drowsiness, dizziness and weight gain are common. Stand up slowly, and don’t drive until you know how it affects you. Limit alcohol. Call us for trouble urinating, a racing or irregular heartbeat, fainting, eye pain with blurred vision, or worsening mood. For thoughts of self-harm, call 988; if you might act on them, call 911. An overdose can be fatal, so we’ll prescribe limited amounts. Check with us before adding other antidepressants or tramadol, and don’t stop suddenly.

I’m starting amlodipine 5 milligrams once a day to lower your blood pressure. Take it with or without food at a time that’s easy to remember. It works gradually, so we’ll judge it from your blood-pressure readings over the next few weeks.

The side effect I particularly want you to notice is ankle swelling. It can also cause flushing, headache or dizziness. Let me know if swelling or lightheadedness is bothersome. We can adjust the dose or choose another medicine. Don’t add a water pill on your own. Bring your home readings to our follow-up in about a month. If you have new chest pressure or severe breathlessness, call 911.

We’re using amlodipine to prevent episodes of the angina we’ve diagnosed. Take 5 milligrams once daily, with or without food. We’ll review chest-pain frequency, activity and blood pressure before adjusting it. It’s a daily preventive medicine, not a rescue treatment for chest pain happening now.

Ankle swelling, flushing or dizziness can occur. Tell us if these are troublesome. New, severe or persistent chest pain, especially at rest or with sweating or breathlessness, means call 911. Keep following your separate chest-pain rescue plan.

Your exam and tests show pneumonia, an infection in the lungs. Take amoxicillin 1 gram, which is two 500-milligram capsules, three times a day, about every 8 hours, with or without food. Take it for at least 5 days; we’ll tell you when it’s safe to stop. Rest, drink fluids, and use acetaminophen for fever if it’s safe for you.

Most people feel better within 2 to 3 days, though cough and tiredness can last weeks. Call us if your fever isn’t improving by then. Get same-day care if you can’t keep fluids or pills down. Go to the emergency department for worsening breathing, chest pain or confusion; call 911 for severe trouble breathing or blue lips. Stop it and call the same day for hives or a new rash; face or tongue swelling means call 911. Call promptly for severe watery or bloody diarrhea.

Your test confirms strep throat. Take amoxicillin 500 milligrams twice a day for ten days. Take it with or without food, and finish the prescribed course unless we change it because of a reaction or new information.

You should start feeling better over the next couple of days. Call if you aren’t improving after two to three days, or sooner for worsening symptoms. For drooling or inability to swallow fluids, go to the emergency department. For trouble breathing, call 911. Nausea, diarrhea or a rash can happen. Stop and call the same day for a new rash. Swelling of your tongue or trouble breathing means stop and call 911. Severe watery or bloody diarrhea needs a same-day call.

Your symptom pattern fits a bacterial sinus infection, and we have decided to use an antibiotic. Take one amoxicillin/clavulanate 875/125-milligram tablet twice a day at the start of a meal for five days. The two numbers describe the two medicines in each tablet.

Loose stools or nausea can happen. Call if you’re getting worse or haven’t started improving after three to five days. Stop and call the same day for a new rash or severe watery or bloody diarrhea. Trouble breathing or swelling of the lips or tongue means stop it and call 911. Eye swelling, vision changes or a severe new headache means go to the emergency department.

Your symptoms fit diverticulitis, inflammation of a small pouch in the colon wall. Many mild cases heal without antibiotics, but in your situation we’re adding one. Amoxicillin/clavulanate is commonly used for this, though it’s an off-label use. Take one 875/125-milligram tablet twice a day at the start of a meal for [4–7] days. Drink clear liquids while the pain is worst, then return to regular food as you feel better. For pain, use acetaminophen rather than ibuprofen or naproxen.

Loose stools or nausea can happen. Call the same day for a new rash, yellow skin or eyes, severe watery or bloody diarrhea, or if you still can’t eat normally after 3–5 days. Go to the emergency department for worsening belly pain, a rising fever, repeated vomiting, or if you can’t keep liquids down. Trouble breathing or swelling of the lips or tongue means stop it and call 911. Once you recover, we’ll check whether you need a colonoscopy.

Because this bite has a higher infection risk, we’re using a short preventive antibiotic course. This is an off-label use supported by bite-wound guidance. Take amoxicillin/clavulanate 875/125 milligrams twice daily at the start of a meal for 3 days. Keep following the cleaning and wound-care plan. We’ll also check tetanus and whether rabies prevention or other exposure care is needed.

Loose stools or nausea can occur. Contact us promptly for increasing redness, swelling, drainage, fever or difficulty moving the area. Rapidly spreading redness, severe pain or feeling very ill needs urgent care. Stop and call for a new rash or severe diarrhea. Breathing trouble or tongue swelling means call 911.

This bite wound appears infected, and we’re treating it with an antibiotic. Take amoxicillin/clavulanate 875/125 milligrams twice daily at the start of a meal for 5 days. Keep following the cleaning and wound-care plan. We’ll also check tetanus and whether rabies prevention or other exposure care is needed.

Loose stools or nausea can occur. Contact us promptly for increasing redness, swelling, drainage, fever or difficulty moving the area. Rapidly spreading redness, severe pain or feeling very ill needs urgent care. Stop and call for a new rash or severe diarrhea. Breathing trouble or tongue swelling means call 911.

I’m starting Adderall XR 20 milligrams once each morning for ADHD. This is the extended-release capsule. Take it with or without food. Swallow it whole, or open the capsule and sprinkle all its contents onto applesauce and swallow it immediately without chewing. Don’t divide the contents or save part for later.

It may reduce appetite, make sleep harder, or raise your pulse. We’ll track whether it improves the daily tasks that matter to you. Don’t take an extra dose when it wears off. If you forget until afternoon, skip it. Chest pain, fainting, or severe shortness of breath means call 911. Hallucinations or a major change in mood needs a same-day call. Keep it locked away and never share it. We’ll review benefit, sleep, blood pressure, pulse, and weight within two weeks and decide together whether the dose needs adjusting.

For your atrial fibrillation, we’re starting apixaban 5 milligrams twice daily to reduce the chance of a stroke. Take a morning and evening dose, with or without food. If you forget one, take it as soon as you remember that day and then resume the usual schedule. Don’t double doses. Don’t stop it for dental work or a procedure without a written plan from the treating team.

Bruising or minor bleeding can happen. Call the same day about repeated nosebleeds or bleeding that concerns you. Go to the emergency department for vomiting blood, black stools or a head injury. Call 911 for uncontrolled bleeding, fainting, a drooping face, arm weakness or trouble speaking. Check before using aspirin, ibuprofen or new prescriptions. We’ll review you in about a month and monitor blood counts and kidney function. This medicine doesn’t need routine INR testing.

For the blood clot we’ve diagnosed, take apixaban 10 milligrams twice daily for seven days, then 5 milligrams twice daily starting on [date]. We’ll write both phases down so the change is clear. This helps keep the clot from growing and reduces new clots while your body clears it. Take it with or without food. If you miss a dose, take it when remembered that day. Don’t double up. Don’t interrupt it for a procedure without our plan.

Bruising or minor bleeding can happen. Call the same day about repeated nosebleeds or bleeding that concerns you. Go to the emergency department for vomiting blood, black stools or a head injury. Call 911 for uncontrolled bleeding, fainting, a drooping face, arm weakness or trouble speaking. Check before using aspirin, ibuprofen or new prescriptions. We’ll review you in about a month and monitor blood counts and kidney function. This medicine doesn’t need routine INR testing.

You’ve completed at least six months of treatment for the clot. We’ve decided that continuing protection makes sense for you, at apixaban 2.5 milligrams twice daily. This lower dose helps prevent another clot. It isn’t the starting treatment for a new one. Take it morning and evening. If you miss a dose, take it when remembered that day without doubling. Don’t stop it or interrupt it for a procedure without a plan.

Bruising or minor bleeding can happen. Call the same day about repeated nosebleeds or bleeding that concerns you. Go to the emergency department for vomiting blood, black stools or a head injury. Call 911 for uncontrolled bleeding, fainting, a drooping face, arm weakness or trouble speaking. Check before using aspirin, ibuprofen or new prescriptions. We’ll review you in about a month and monitor blood counts and kidney function. This medicine doesn’t need routine INR testing.

We’re using aripiprazole to treat the manic symptoms of bipolar disorder, such as racing thoughts, unusually high energy and needing much less sleep. In this plan, take 15 milligrams once daily. We’ll keep close track of your sleep, mood and decisions with [treating team].

Tell us promptly about a feeling that you can’t sit still, new involuntary movements, or hard-to-control urges to gamble, spend, eat or have sex. These need review even if they seem like part of the mood episode. We’ll also monitor weight, blood sugar and cholesterol.

Contact the team urgently for worsening sleeplessness or risky behavior. If you can’t stay safe, seek emergency care. Fever with severe stiffness or confusion also needs emergency care. Follow the written medication plan and check with us before changing it.

We’re adding aripiprazole to help with depression that hasn’t improved enough on your antidepressant. Start 2 milligrams once daily, with or without food, and continue your antidepressant as prescribed. We’ll review your mood, daily functioning and side effects before changing the dose.

Contact us promptly if you feel unable to sit still, develop new uncontrolled movements, or notice urges to gamble, shop, eat or have sex that are hard to control. It can affect sleep, weight and blood sugar. Avoid driving until you know how it affects you.

Get urgent help for new suicidal thoughts. Call 911 if you might act on them or can’t stay safe. Fever with marked muscle stiffness or confusion needs emergency care. Don’t change or stop the medicine on your own. Our first check-in is [date].

Aripiprazole can help reduce symptoms such as hearing voices and feeling threatened, and help you work toward [personal goal]. For this plan, take 10 milligrams once daily. Improvement can take several weeks. We’ll review how you’re feeling and functioning with [mental-health team].

Tell us promptly if you can’t sit still, notice movements you can’t control, or develop strong urges to gamble, shop, eat or have sex. Dizziness or sleepiness can happen. We’ll check your weight and blood tests as well as how the medicine is helping.

If symptoms worsen, contact [team and number]. If voices tell you to hurt yourself or someone else, seek urgent help. Call 911 if you might act on them or can’t stay safe. Fever with severe stiffness or confusion needs emergency care. Discuss medication changes with the team, even when you feel better.

If you haven’t had a heart attack, stroke, stent or blocked leg arteries, daily aspirin isn’t right for most people. The protection is small, and the risk of bleeding in the stomach or brain is real. At ages 40 to 59 with higher heart risk and no bleeding problems, it can be a personal choice; at 60 or older, we don’t start it. Using aspirin this way is off-label. If we decide on it together, take 81 milligrams once a day.

If you’ve had a heart attack, stroke or stent, this advice doesn’t apply; don’t stop aspirin without talking with us. If you take it only for prevention, let’s review it; we usually consider stopping around age 75. Check with us before surgery or adding ibuprofen, naproxen or another blood thinner. Go to the emergency department for black or bloody stools or vomiting blood. Call 911 for a sudden severe headache, bleeding that won’t stop or stroke symptoms.

Because you already have disease in your heart’s arteries, we’re using aspirin 81 milligrams once daily to reduce the chance of a heart attack. Take it at the same time each day. It helps keep platelets from sticking together, so bruising and bleeding can happen.

Go to the emergency department for black, sticky stools or vomiting blood. Call 911 for heavy bleeding that won’t stop, a drooping face, arm weakness, trouble speaking, or severe weakness or fainting with bleeding. Call us the same day for repeated nosebleeds or new blood in the urine. Check with us before adding ibuprofen, naproxen or another blood thinner. Don’t stop aspirin for a procedure on your own, especially if you have a heart stent. We’ll coordinate the plan. We’ll review bleeding and your other medicines at follow-up.

After a minor stroke or TIA, the risk of another stroke is highest in the next few weeks. Taking 2 antiplatelet medicines together for a short time lowers that risk. Stroke guidelines recommend this off-label combination. Take clopidogrel 75 milligrams and aspirin 81 milligrams once a day until [date], 21 days after you started. Then stop [aspirin or clopidogrel] and keep taking [the other] every day. Staying on both longer raises bleeding risk.

Bruising and nosebleeds are more likely. Call us the same day for repeated bleeding or blood in your urine. Go to the emergency department for black or bloody stools or vomiting blood. Call 911 for bleeding that won’t stop, a sudden severe headache, or new face drooping, arm weakness, trouble speaking or vision loss, even if it goes away. Use acetaminophen for pain, not ibuprofen or naproxen. Ask before taking omeprazole or esomeprazole, and don’t stop either medicine early on your own.

Atenolol, a beta-blocker, lowers blood pressure by slowing your heart and easing how hard it pumps. Take it once a day, usually 25 to 50 milligrams, up to 100 milligrams. Your kidneys clear it, so we may use a lower dose if kidney function is reduced. For high blood pressure alone, other medicines are usually preferred first, so we’ll review whether it’s still the best fit for you.

You may feel tired or dizzy, or notice cold hands and feet; get up slowly. Don’t stop it suddenly, which can trigger chest pain, a fast heartbeat or a heart attack; we’ll taper it if needed. Call us for a pulse under 50 with dizziness, new wheezing, or swelling with shortness of breath. Call 911 for fainting or chest pain. If you use insulin or glipizide, it can hide the racing heart of low blood sugar.

Atogepant is a daily tablet to prevent migraines. Take [dose, usually 60 milligrams] once a day, with or without food. Some medicines and severe kidney disease call for a lower dose. It won’t stop an attack that has already started, so keep your plan for attacks. Keep a headache diary; we’ll judge how well it’s working after 8 to 12 weeks.

Nausea, constipation and tiredness are the most common side effects, and some people lose appetite or weight. Check your blood pressure in the first week and tell us if it’s higher than usual. Fingers or toes that turn white or blue and hurt mean stop it and call us. Call 911 for face or throat swelling or trouble breathing, which can start days after a dose. Check with us before starting antibiotic, antifungal, HIV or seizure medicines, and tell us if you could be pregnant.

I’m starting atomoxetine 40 milligrams each morning for ADHD. Take the capsule whole, with or without food. Unlike a stimulant, its benefit builds over several weeks, so take it every day. After one week, we’ll check how you’re tolerating it before moving toward 80 milligrams. Some medicines require us to increase it more slowly.

Nausea, dry mouth, lower appetite, and changes in sleep or sexual function can happen. Go to the emergency department if you can’t pass urine. Call the same day for a major mood change or thoughts of harming yourself. Call 911 if you can’t stay safe. Stop it and call the same day for yellow skin or eyes or dark urine, which can signal liver trouble. Call 911 for chest pain or fainting. We’ll review your blood pressure, pulse, weight, side effects, and progress during titration. Don’t open capsules or take extra doses to speed the benefit.

Based on your cholesterol and overall heart and stroke risk, I recommend atorvastatin 20 milligrams once daily. You can take it with or without food, at a time you’ll remember. This is prevention, so you’ll probably not feel a day-to-day benefit.

Let me know about new muscle aches, especially if they persist. Severe muscle pain or weakness with dark urine means stop the medicine and go to the emergency department. Check with your pharmacist before new medicines or supplements, because some combinations need adjustment. We’ll repeat cholesterol in about six to eight weeks and discuss both the response and how you feel taking it. If you become pregnant, stop atorvastatin and contact us promptly. We would make a different plan in advance if your cardiovascular risk requires an exception.

To prevent malaria, take one adult tablet of atovaquone-proguanil daily, at the same time, with food or a milky drink. Start 1–2 days before you enter the malaria area, take it daily while there, and continue for 7 days after you leave. If you vomit within an hour, take another tablet. If you miss a dose, take it with food as soon as you can; don’t double up. No medicine fully prevents malaria, so also use insect repellent, cover up and sleep under a net where advised.

Nausea, headache, mouth sores or vivid dreams can happen. Stop it and get emergency care for trouble breathing, facial swelling, or a blistering or peeling rash. Get same-day care for yellow skin or eyes. Tell us if you take warfarin, rifampin or metoclopramide, or could be pregnant. Fever during the trip or in the months after needs same-day care and a malaria test, even if you took every dose; say where you traveled.

For the red bumps and pimples of rosacea, apply a thin layer of azelaic acid 15% gel to the affected areas of your face twice a day, morning and evening. Wash first with a mild, soap-free cleanser and pat dry. Wash your hands afterward. Makeup is fine once it dries, but don’t cover it with bandages. It takes several weeks to help, so we’ll review it at 12 weeks.

Burning, stinging, tingling or itching are common in the first few weeks and usually settle. Keep it away from your eyes, mouth and nostrils. If it gets in your eyes, rinse with plenty of water. Stop it and call us if irritation is severe or doesn’t ease. Tell us about lighter patches of skin, especially if you have darker skin, or if your asthma worsens. Daily sunscreen and gentle skin care help control rosacea.

Azelastine is an antihistamine nose spray for sneezing, runny nose and congestion from allergies. The over-the-counter Astepro Allergy dose is 1–2 sprays in each nostril every 12 hours, or 2 sprays in each nostril once a day, with no more than 4 sprays per nostril in 24 hours. Prime it before first use and after 3 or more days unused. Tilt your head down while spraying to avoid a bitter taste, and keep it out of your eyes.

It can cause a bitter taste, drowsiness, and brief nasal discomfort or sneezing. Avoid alcohol and sedatives, and be careful driving until you know how it affects you. Ask us first if you have recent nose ulcers, nose surgery or an unhealed nose injury. Stop it and call us for a rash or severe or frequent nosebleeds. If it isn’t enough, adding a steroid spray such as fluticasone can help.

For the pneumonia we’ve assessed for treatment at home, the azithromycin plan is 500 milligrams on day one, then 250 milligrams once a day on days two through five. Take the tablets with or without food. Check the tablet strength so the first day’s dose is correct. If we have prescribed a second antibiotic, take it on its own written schedule too.

Nausea, loose stools and stomach discomfort can happen. Let’s know if you’re getting worse or haven’t started improving within two to three days. Stop and get same-day advice for yellow eyes or skin, or severe diarrhea. For a new racing or irregular heartbeat, get same-day urgent medical care. Fainting, chest pain or severe breathing trouble means call 911.

We’ve chosen azithromycin to treat chlamydia during pregnancy. Take one gram (1,000 milligrams) by mouth once, with or without food. This is a single treatment dose, not the five-day Z-Pak schedule. If you vomit within an hour, call us before taking more.

Avoid sex for seven days after the dose and until your partners have completed treatment and symptoms have resolved. We’ll repeat testing in about four weeks to confirm the infection cleared, and again in three months. Nausea or diarrhea can happen. Get prompt advice for severe diarrhea, a new rash, yellow skin or eyes, or palpitations. Fainting or breathing trouble needs emergency care.

This is a standby antibiotic for travelers’ diarrhea, an off-label use of azithromycin. Mild diarrhea usually needs only fluids. Take it only if diarrhea is severe, keeps you from your plans, or comes with fever or blood in the stool: 1,000 milligrams, two 500-milligram tablets, once, with or without food. If you’re not better 24 hours later, take 500 milligrams once a day for up to 2 more days. Drink safe fluids, adding oral rehydration salts for heavy losses.

Nausea and stomach upset are common. You can add loperamide, but don’t use it alone with fever or bloody stools. Get medical care the same day for high fever, ongoing bloody stools, signs of dehydration such as dizziness or very little urine, or no improvement within 24–36 hours. Get emergency care for fainting, chest pain, a racing or irregular heartbeat, trouble breathing or facial swelling. Tell us now about any heart rhythm problems or medicines that affect heart rhythm.

We’ve chosen baloxavir to lower your chance of flu after this exposure. Take the prescribed [40 / 80] milligrams once, within 48 hours of contact. The dose depends on your weight. This is for prevention while you don’t have symptoms.

Take it with water. Avoid taking it together with dairy, calcium-fortified drinks, antacids or mineral supplements. If flu symptoms develop, call promptly rather than taking another dose yourself. One dose doesn’t provide ongoing seasonal protection or replace vaccination. Let’s know about further exposure so we can reassess the plan.

We’ve chosen a single dose of baloxavir for your flu. Take the prescribed [40 / 80] milligrams once today. The dose depends on your weight. It should be taken within 48 hours of symptoms starting. It can shorten the illness, but you may still feel unwell for several days.

Take it with water, with or without food. Don’t take the dose together with dairy, calcium-fortified drinks, antacids or supplements containing minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium or zinc. Ask the pharmacist about your other medicines. Call if you’re worsening or improve and then become ill again. Severe breathing trouble, chest pain or confusion needs emergency care.

Bempedoic acid lowers LDL, the bad cholesterol, by reducing how much cholesterol your liver makes. It’s activated mainly in the liver rather than in muscle, one reason it suits people who couldn’t take statins. Take 180 milligrams once a day, with or without food. In a large study of people unable to take statins, it lowered the chance of heart attacks and other heart events. We’ll recheck your cholesterol in 8 to 12 weeks.

It can raise uric acid, so tell us about a gout flare or a hot, swollen joint. Rarely, a tendon can tear. If you feel sudden pain or a snap in your heel, shoulder or upper arm, stop it, rest that area and call us the same day. The risk is higher if you’re over 60, take steroids or antibiotics like ciprofloxacin, or have kidney failure. Higher doses of simvastatin or pravastatin don’t mix well with it. Stop it and tell us if you become pregnant.

Benzonatate numbs the cough reflex in your airways for a few hours. It doesn’t treat the cause or speed recovery. Take one 100-milligram capsule up to three times a day as needed. Swallow each capsule whole. Never chew, suck or break it: the liquid numbs your mouth and throat, which can cause choking or a severe reaction. If your mouth or throat goes numb, don’t eat or drink until it wears off.

Sleepiness, dizziness, nausea or constipation can happen. Stop it and call us for confusion or seeing things that aren’t there. Keep it locked away: children who swallowed capsules have died within an hour. If a child takes any, call 911. Get seen the same day if you’re short of breath or cough up blood, and contact us for a fever of 104°F or higher or lasting more than five days, or a cough beyond three weeks. Throat tightness, swelling or trouble breathing means call 911.

For acne, use a benzoyl peroxide wash, such as PanOxyl, once a day to start. Gently massage it over the whole acne-prone area for 1–2 minutes, then rinse. The first time, test it on 1 or 2 small spots for 3 days. If your skin handles it well, you can use it twice a day. If you also take an antibiotic for acne, keep using benzoyl peroxide with it to help prevent resistance. We’ll check your results in about 12 weeks.

Dryness, peeling and stinging are common. Use a gentle moisturizer, and cut back to every other day if your skin gets irritated. It bleaches hair, towels and colored fabric, so rinse well. Use sunscreen outdoors. Stop it and call us for severe irritation, hives or itching. Call 911 for throat tightness, trouble breathing, fainting, or swelling of your face, lips or tongue.

This is PEP, medicine that lowers your chance of HIV after a possible exposure. Start as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours and no later than 72 hours. No medicine is FDA-approved for PEP, so this is off-label, but CDC recommends it. Take 1 tablet daily, with or without food, for 28 days without missing doses. Take it 2 hours before or 6 hours after aluminum or magnesium antacids; take calcium or iron supplements with it only alongside food.

Nausea, diarrhea or headache can happen. Tell us about all your medicines, especially dofetilide, rifampin, seizure medicines or St. John’s wort. If you have hepatitis B, stopping can trigger a liver flare. Call us for fever, rash, sore throat, swollen glands or flu-like illness; this can be early HIV. We’ll repeat HIV tests at 4 to 6 weeks and 12 weeks; use condoms until then. With ongoing risk, you can switch straight to PrEP.

Biktarvy is a complete HIV treatment in one pill, and starting now helps your immune system recover sooner. Take one tablet once a day, with or without food. Missed doses can let HIV become resistant, so set reminders and refill early. We’ll check your viral load in four to eight weeks. Keeping it below 200 copies prevents passing HIV through sex; until then, and for at least six months, use condoms or partner PrEP.

Nausea, diarrhea and headache are usually mild. Take it at least two hours before or six hours after aluminum or magnesium antacids; take calcium or iron at the same time, with food. Never take it with rifampin or dofetilide, and check before new medicines. If you have hepatitis B, stopping it can cause a serious liver flare. Call the same day for yellow eyes, dark urine or a new rash. A blistering rash, mouth sores, or swelling of the face or throat means call 911.

This treatment clears H. pylori, a stomach infection that can cause ulcers and cancer. You’ll take an acid reducer, bismuth and two antibiotics for 14 days. With Pylera, take 3 capsules after each meal and at bedtime with a full glass of water, plus omeprazole 20 milligrams 30 to 60 minutes before breakfast and dinner. Separate medicines come with a written schedule. Don’t take doses with milk, antacids, or calcium, iron or zinc.

Bismuth harmlessly turns your tongue and stool black, but black, sticky stool with weakness or dizziness can mean bleeding: go to the emergency department. Nausea, diarrhea and a metallic taste are common. Avoid alcohol until 3 days after finishing, and limit sun. Stop and call the same day for a rash, severe diarrhea, numbness or vision changes; confusion or a seizure needs emergency care. Tell us about pregnancy, warfarin or lithium. Use backup birth control. We’ll retest 4 or more weeks after you finish.

For your asthma, use two puffs of the prescribed budesonide/formoterol strength twice daily, morning and evening. The steroid reduces inflammation and the long-acting medicine opens the airways. In this plan it’s your daily maintenance inhaler. Use your separate rescue medicine for sudden symptoms and don’t take extra doses of this inhaler.

Let’s practice using the inhaler. Rinse your mouth and spit after each dose. Hoarseness, white patches in the mouth or shakiness can happen. Call if rescue use increases or relief doesn’t last. Stop this inhaler and follow your urgent plan if a puff immediately worsens breathing. Severe breathlessness or difficulty speaking means call 911.

For the asthma plan we’ve chosen, this inhaler provides both the regular treatment and extra symptom relief. Your scheduled dose is [strength, number of puffs, and times each day]. When symptoms occur, use [rescue puffs and repeat instructions]. The total limit is [maximum puffs in a day], counting the scheduled and extra doses together.

The steroid reduces inflammation and formoterol opens the airways. Let’s check your technique, and rinse your mouth and spit after using it. Hoarseness, thrush (white patches or soreness in the mouth) or shakiness can happen. Call the same day if relief isn’t lasting or you’re needing more than the plan allows, before exceeding the daily limit. Severe breathlessness or inability to speak normally means call 911. I’ll prescribe for this use. Tell us early if the pharmacy or insurance won’t supply enough.

For your COPD, use budesonide/formoterol 160/4.5, two puffs twice daily. Use it every day to help control symptoms and reduce flare-ups. It isn’t your rescue treatment. Keep the separate rescue medicine in your written plan available for sudden symptoms.

Let’s practice using the inhaler. Rinse your mouth and spit after each dose. Hoarseness, white patches in the mouth or shakiness can happen. Call if rescue use increases or relief doesn’t last. Stop this inhaler and follow your urgent plan if a puff immediately worsens breathing. Severe breathlessness or difficulty speaking means call 911.

This medicine eases opioid withdrawal and cravings. Take the first dose only when you’re clearly in withdrawal, with signs like yawning, runny nose, goosebumps, sweating or cramps; starting too early can cause sudden, worse withdrawal. Let a 4-milligram film dissolve completely under your tongue, without eating or drinking. If withdrawal continues after about 2 hours, take another. Many people need 8 to 16 milligrams on day one, then one daily dose as written on your plan.

Constipation, headache and nausea are common. Alcohol, benzodiazepines, sleep medicines or other opioids can slow breathing dangerously; tell us about them so we can plan safely, not to stop your care. Keep naloxone at home, and call 911 if someone is hard to wake or breathing slowly. Lock it away; it can kill a child. After it dissolves, swish water over your teeth, swallow, and wait an hour to brush. Don’t stop suddenly.

Bupropion can reduce nicotine cravings and withdrawal. Start one 150-milligram SR tablet each morning for three days, then one tablet twice a day, at least eight hours apart, if tolerated. Set your quit date about one to two weeks after starting. Swallow tablets whole and avoid taking the second dose near bedtime.

Dry mouth or difficulty sleeping can happen. Skip a missed dose rather than taking extra, and don’t combine this with another bupropion product. Tell us about seizures, eating disorders or regular heavy alcohol or sedative use before starting. Stop and call for major mood or behavior changes. A seizure or immediate danger of self-harm means call 911. We’ll pair the medicine with quit-smoking support.

We’ll start the once-daily XL form of bupropion at 150 milligrams each morning. Swallow it whole. It can be helpful for depression, but the benefit still takes several weeks.

It can cause dry mouth, constipation, anxiety or trouble sleeping. Tell me if you feel unusually wound up, and we’ll check blood pressure because it can rise. If you miss a dose, skip it. Taking extra or doses too close together increases seizure risk. We’ll decide together whether to increase to 300 milligrams after checking how you’re doing on 150 milligrams. I need to know about any seizure history, current or past anorexia or bulimia, and alcohol or sedative use. Don’t abruptly stop heavy drinking or regular sedatives without medical help. New suicidal thoughts or major mood changes need a same-day call. A seizure or immediate danger of self-harm means call 911.

Because your depression tends to return in the fall or winter, we’re starting bupropion XL before your usual symptoms begin. Take 150 milligrams each morning for seven days, then 300 milligrams each morning if tolerated and that remains our plan. Swallow it whole. This is seasonal prevention. Tell us promptly if depression is already developing.

It can cause trouble sleeping, dry mouth or anxiety, and we’ll check blood pressure. Skip a missed dose rather than doubling. We need to review any seizure or eating-disorder history and alcohol or sedative use first. Contact us promptly for major mood changes or self-harm thoughts. Call 911 for a seizure or immediate danger. In early spring, we’ll plan when to reduce 300 milligrams to 150 milligrams before stopping.

Buspirone is a scheduled treatment for anxiety. Start 7.5 milligrams twice a day. Take it consistently either with food or without food. It works gradually over several weeks, so take it regularly rather than only during an anxious moment.

Dizziness, nausea or headache can happen, especially early. See how it affects you before driving. We’ll check how you’re doing in two to four weeks and adjust the dose if needed. Ask the pharmacist what amount of grapefruit is safe with your prescription, and check before adding other mood medicines or supplements. Fever with agitation, confusion, shaking or stiff muscles means go to the emergency department. If you’re also taking a benzodiazepine such as [your medicine] regularly, don’t stop that suddenly. Buspirone doesn’t prevent its withdrawal.

Apretude helps prevent HIV from sex without taking a daily pill. We’ll give a 600-milligram injection into the buttock today, another in one month, then one every two months. HIV testing is needed before each injection.

Soreness or a lump at the injection site is common. Call for a significant rash, yellow skin or eyes, or worsening mood. Tell us promptly about flu-like symptoms after an exposure. Contact us before missing an appointment or stopping: the medicine stays in your body for a long time, but protection eventually falls and you may need another PrEP medicine. It doesn’t prevent other STIs or replace emergency PEP.

Food comes first. Adults need about 1,000–1,200 milligrams of calcium a day from food and supplements together, so we only fill the gap. Take no more than about 500 milligrams at a time. Calcium carbonate works best with a meal. Calcium citrate can be taken any time. For vitamin D, 800–1,000 units a day is typical after age 50, and 4,000 units is the upper limit. If you don’t have osteoporosis or low vitamin D, these supplements haven’t been shown to prevent fractures.

Constipation and gas are common; smaller doses or citrate can help. Too much calcium can cause kidney stones, so call us for severe side or back pain or blood in your urine. Take levothyroxine at least 4 hours apart from calcium. Take alendronate first, then wait 30 minutes before calcium. Ask us before combining with antibiotics like ciprofloxacin.

Carbamide peroxide drops, such as Debrox, soften earwax so it can come out. Tilt your head and place 5–10 drops in the ear, keeping the tip out of your ear canal. Stay tilted for several minutes, or put cotton in the ear. Use them twice a day for up to 4 days. Fizzing or crackling is normal. If wax remains, gently flush the ear with warm water using a soft rubber bulb syringe.

Ask us first if you have ear pain, drainage, dizziness, a hole in the eardrum, ear tubes or recent ear surgery. Don’t use cotton swabs, hairpins or ear candles; they can push wax deeper or injure the ear. Stop and call us if you need the drops for more than 4 days or wax still blocks your hearing. Call the same day for severe ear pain, drainage or dizziness.

I’m starting carvedilol 3.125 milligrams twice a day for your stable heart failure. Take it with breakfast and your evening meal. We begin low and increase gradually as your body adjusts. Over time it helps protect your heart. Keep taking it even if you don’t feel an immediate benefit.

You may feel tired or lightheaded at first. Get up slowly and check your blood pressure, pulse, and daily weight as we discussed. Call the same day for new swelling, worsening breathlessness, or dizziness with a slow pulse. Severe trouble breathing, fainting, or chest pain means call 911. Don’t stop it suddenly or increase it yourself. We’ll review you in two weeks before deciding on the next dose. If you miss a dose, take it unless the next is close. Don’t take two together.

For your blood pressure, start immediate-release carvedilol 6.25 milligrams twice daily with breakfast and your evening meal. Keep a home blood-pressure and pulse record. We’ll review in one to two weeks before adjusting it. This is the twice-daily tablet, not the extended-release capsule.

You may feel tired or lightheaded at first. Get up slowly and check your blood pressure and pulse as we discussed. Call the same day for new swelling, worsening breathlessness, or dizziness with a slow pulse. Severe trouble breathing, fainting, or chest pain means call 911. Don’t stop it suddenly or increase it yourself. If you miss a dose, take it unless the next is close. Don’t take two together.

Your heart’s pumping strength was reduced after the heart attack. Carvedilol is part of the plan to protect your heart and improve survival. Continue the immediate-release dose on your discharge list twice daily with meals. We may increase it gradually after checking your pulse, blood pressure and symptoms. Don’t stop it suddenly.

Tiredness or lightheadedness can happen. Get up slowly and keep the home pulse, blood-pressure and weight record we discussed. Call the same day for increasing swelling, breathlessness or dizziness with a slow pulse. New chest pain, fainting or severe trouble breathing means call 911. We’ll confirm your next review and who will adjust the dose.

We’ll treat gonorrhea with one ceftriaxone injection. The dose depends on your weight. If you also have chlamydia, or we haven’t ruled it out, you may need a separate antibiotic. We’ll choose that based on your results and whether pregnancy is possible.

Avoid sex for seven days after treatment and until your partners have been treated and symptoms have resolved. We can help arrange partner care. We’ll retest in three months. If the infection is in your throat, you also need a clearance test in 7–14 days. The injection can be sore. Get urgent care for fever with pelvic, testicular or joint pain, and call 911 for breathing trouble or swelling after the shot.

This treats epididymitis, an infection of the coiled tube behind the testicle, most likely from chlamydia or gonorrhea. You’ll get one ceftriaxone shot today. Then take doxycycline 100 milligrams twice a day for 10 days with a full glass of water. Don’t take it with antacids, iron or calcium, and use sun protection. Rest, support or raise the scrotum, and use an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen if it’s safe for you.

Avoid sex until you and your partners from the past 60 days are treated and your symptoms are gone. We’ll also test for HIV and syphilis. You should be improving within three days; if not, call us. Soreness can take a few weeks to fully settle. Sudden severe testicle pain means go to the emergency department now. Call the same day for high fever, vomiting or worsening swelling. Trouble breathing or face swelling after the shot means call 911.

Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection of the uterus, tubes or ovaries; prompt treatment helps protect fertility. You’ll get one ceftriaxone shot today. Then take doxycycline 100 milligrams and metronidazole 500 milligrams, each twice a day for 14 days. Take doxycycline with a full glass of water, and use sun protection. Avoid alcohol until three days after your last metronidazole dose. If you have an IUD, it can usually stay in.

We’ll check in within three days. Avoid sex until you finish treatment, your symptoms are gone and your partners from the past 60 days are treated. If tests show chlamydia or gonorrhea, we’ll retest in three months. Call the same day if you aren’t improving, are vomiting, can’t keep pills down, or have a fever over 101 degrees. Go to the emergency department for severe belly pain, fainting, or pain with a positive pregnancy test. Trouble breathing or facial swelling after the shot means call 911.

For your osteoarthritis pain, take celecoxib 200 milligrams once a day, or 100 milligrams twice a day, with or without food. We’ll use the lowest dose that helps, for the shortest time needed. Don’t take it with ibuprofen, naproxen or other anti-inflammatory pain medicines. Don’t take it if sulfa drugs caused an allergic reaction, or aspirin or similar medicines caused asthma or hives.

Indigestion and ankle swelling can happen, and blood pressure can rise. Stomach bleeding can occur without warning. Stop it and go to the emergency department for black or bloody stools or vomiting blood. Stop it and call 911 for chest pain, sudden breathlessness, face drooping, arm weakness, trouble speaking, or swelling of the face or throat. Stop it and call us the same day for a rash, yellow skin, much less urine or new leg swelling. Tell us if you take a blood thinner, aspirin or lithium, or could be pregnant. We’ll review it on [date].

For this skin infection, take cephalexin 500 milligrams four times a day for five days. We’ll write down a schedule you can follow. Food is optional, but it can help if your stomach feels upset.

We should see the redness and tenderness start improving over the next two to three days. Call the same day if redness is spreading, pain is increasing, fever develops, or you aren’t improving. Nausea or loose stools can happen. Stop and call the same day for a new rash. Trouble breathing or tongue swelling means stop and call 911. Severe watery or bloody diarrhea needs a same-day call, even if it starts after the course ends.

After reviewing your penicillin reaction, we’ve chosen cephalexin for your confirmed strep throat. Take 500 milligrams twice a day for ten days. You can take it with food if your stomach is upset. Finish the prescribed course even if your throat feels better.

This choice depends on the kind of allergy you had. Tell us before starting if penicillin caused hives, swelling, breathing trouble, blistering skin, mouth sores or organ problems. Stop and call for a new rash. Trouble breathing or tongue swelling means call 911. Call for severe or bloody diarrhea. Stay home until you’re fever-free and have taken antibiotics for at least 24 hours.

For this bladder infection, take cephalexin 500 milligrams twice a day for 7 days, with or without food. We chose it because the usual first-choice antibiotics aren’t a good fit for you right now. It can work a little less reliably than those, so we’ll check the urine culture and tell you whether to continue or switch.

Symptoms should start easing within about 2 days. Call the same day if you aren’t improving, or if you develop fever, pain in your side or back, or vomiting. Nausea or loose stools can happen. Stop it and call the same day for a new rash. Trouble breathing or swelling of your lips or tongue means stop it and call 911. Severe watery or bloody diarrhea needs a same-day call, even weeks after the last dose. If you take metformin, tell us, because cephalexin can raise its level.

Cetirizine can help with sneezing, itching and a runny nose. Start 5 milligrams once a day. If that isn’t enough, we can discuss whether 10 milligrams is appropriate for you.

It can make you sleepy, even though it’s often sold as an allergy medicine that’s less likely to cause sleepiness. See how you feel before driving, and avoid combining it with alcohol or other sedating medicines. We’ll review whether it’s helping in a couple of weeks. If you use it daily for months or years, stopping can rarely cause severe itching. Contact us if that happens.

Cetirizine can reduce itching and raised welts from hives. For this plan, take 10 milligrams once daily. We may use a lower dose based on your age, kidney or liver function, or side effects. Don’t take extra doses without a separate plan.

It may make you sleepy, so be careful with driving and avoid alcohol or other sedatives. Hives with trouble breathing, throat swelling or faintness may be anaphylaxis: use your prescribed epinephrine and call 911. Cetirizine isn’t a substitute. Contact us if symptoms aren’t improving after three days, or if hives keep returning.

Cevimeline helps your glands make more saliva to ease dry mouth from Sjögren’s disease. Take one 30-milligram capsule 3 times a day, with or without food. Give it a few weeks; we’ll check in on [date]. Keep sipping water, use sugar-free gum or lozenges, and use fluoride as your dentist advises, since dry mouth raises cavity risk.

Sweating is the most common side effect, so drink extra water, especially in hot weather. Nausea and a runny nose can also happen. It can blur vision at night, so take care driving in the dark. Tell us if you have asthma, COPD, glaucoma, heart disease, or gallstones or kidney stones, and check with us before new medicines, since some raise its level. Stop it and call us the same day for wheezing, a slow or irregular heartbeat, or severe belly or side pain. Call 911 for severe trouble breathing, chest pain or fainting.

This shot under the skin prevents migraines by blocking CGRP, a chemical involved in attacks. Your plan is [medicine, dose and schedule]. Let the pen sit out of the fridge for 30 minutes first, and don’t shake it. Inject into your belly, thigh or upper arm. If you miss a dose, give it when you remember, then count the next from that date. Keep your plan for attacks and a headache diary; we’ll judge the effect after about 3 months.

Injection-site soreness is common. Constipation can happen; call us the same day if it comes with belly pain, swelling or vomiting. Check your blood pressure in the first week and tell us if it’s higher than usual. Fingers or toes that turn white or blue and hurt mean call us before the next dose. Call 911 for face or throat swelling or trouble breathing. It stays in your body for months, so tell us before trying to get pregnant.

Chlordiazepoxide eases alcohol withdrawal and helps prevent seizures. Start only after you’ve stopped drinking and no longer feel any alcohol: take 2 capsules (50 milligrams) every 6 hours on day 1, every 8 hours on day 2, every 12 hours on day 3 and at bedtime on day 4. Take up to [number] extra doses for worse shakes; skip a dose if you’re very sleepy. Take thiamine (vitamin B1) 100 milligrams daily. We’ll check in every day.

It can cause sleepiness and unsteadiness, so don’t drive. Mixing it with alcohol, opioids or other sedatives can stop your breathing. Keep it secure. Call us the same day for uncontrolled shaking, vomiting or drinking again. Call 911 for a seizure, confusion, seeing things that aren’t there, fainting, a high fever, or if someone is hard to wake or breathing slowly. For suicidal thoughts, call or text 988. We’ll also offer medicine to help you stay off alcohol.

We’re starting chlorthalidone 12.5 milligrams each morning with food to lower blood pressure. It helps your body get rid of extra salt and water. Morning dosing makes nighttime bathroom trips less likely.

You may pee more or feel dizzy when standing, especially at first. Follow your usual fluid plan. We’ll check sodium, potassium and kidney function in the next few weeks because changes can happen without obvious symptoms. Call the same day for marked weakness, troublesome cramps, a racing heartbeat or an illness that prevents normal drinking. Tell us about a painful red joint, which could be gout. Bring your home pressure readings to our review in about a month.

This antibiotic treats a bacterial infection of the prostate. Take ciprofloxacin 500 milligrams twice a day, about 12 hours apart, for at least two weeks; we may extend it to four weeks depending on your response and culture. Drink plenty of fluids. Take it two hours before or six hours after antacids, calcium, iron, zinc or multivitamins, and not with dairy alone.

Nausea and diarrhea can happen. Stop it and call us the same day for tendon pain or swelling, numbness or tingling, mood changes, or new muscle weakness. Call the same day if you aren’t improving within two days or can’t keep pills down. If you can’t pass urine, or have shaking chills, fainting or confusion, go to the emergency department. Sudden severe chest, belly or back pain means call 911. It can raise or lower blood sugar and interacts with tizanidine and theophylline, so check before new medicines. Limit sun exposure.

You have a kidney infection. We’ve sent a urine culture to confirm this antibiotic fits the germ, and we may change it when results return. Take ciprofloxacin 500 milligrams twice a day, about 12 hours apart, for 7 days. Take it at least 2 hours before or 6 hours after antacids or calcium, iron or zinc products, and not with only milk or yogurt.

You should feel better within 2 to 3 days; call if you don’t. Go to the emergency department if you can’t keep pills or fluids down, feel faint or become confused. Rarely, this medicine harms tendons or nerves or affects mood. Stop it and call for tendon pain, tingling or numbness, or mood changes. Sudden severe chest, belly or back pain needs emergency care. It can cause high or low blood sugar and easier sunburn. Tell us if you take tizanidine, theophylline, warfarin or diabetes medicines, or could be pregnant.

These drops treat the infection and swelling in your ear canal. For this infection, drops work better than antibiotic pills, and they’re safe even if your eardrum has a hole. Shake the bottle and warm it in your hand for 1–2 minutes; cold drops can cause dizziness. Lie with the sore ear up, put in 4 drops, gently pull the outer ear up and back, and stay lying down for 3–5 minutes. Use them twice a day for 7 days.

Keep water out of the ear and don’t swim for about a week. Don’t put swabs, earbuds or anything else in the ear. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can ease the pain. Call us if you’re not better in 2–3 days or not well after 7 days. Get same-day care for severe or worsening pain, fever, spreading redness or swelling around the ear, or facial weakness, especially with diabetes or a weak immune system. Stop the drops and call for a rash.

For depression, start citalopram 20 milligrams once daily, with or without food. Take it every day. If needed, we may increase to 40 milligrams after at least a week, but people over 60 stay at 20 milligrams or less. Sleep or appetite may improve before mood, which can take several weeks.

Nausea, dry mouth, sweating, sleepiness or trouble sleeping can happen early, and sexual side effects can occur; tell us rather than stopping. Higher doses can affect heart rhythm, so check with us before new medicines, and get urgent care for fainting or a pounding, irregular heartbeat. Ask before using NSAIDs like ibuprofen or blood thinners. Call the same day for thoughts of self-harm, severe restlessness, or very high energy with little sleep. If you might act on those thoughts, call 911; you can also call or text 988. Don’t stop suddenly.

We’ve chosen clarithromycin for [bacterial infection]. Take [prescribed dose] every twelve hours for [number of days], through [stop date]. These are the regular-release tablets, which you can take with or without food. Follow the full prescribed course unless we tell you to change it.

Nausea, loose stools or a changed taste can happen. Check with us before adding or changing medicines because this antibiotic has important interactions. Call promptly for severe or bloody diarrhea, even after finishing, or for yellow eyes or dark urine. Stop it and get emergency care for trouble breathing, facial swelling, a blistering rash, or fainting with a racing or irregular heartbeat. Call if you’re worsening or not improving over the next few days.

Because of your serious penicillin allergy, we’re treating this skin infection with clindamycin. Take [300 or 450] milligrams 4 times a day, about every 6 hours, for 5 days. Swallow each dose with a full glass of water and stay upright for at least 30 minutes to protect your throat. Raise the affected arm or leg when you can. We’ll mark the edge of the redness; it should start improving within 2–3 days.

Call the same day if redness spreads, pain worsens or fever starts. Diarrhea is common, but call the same day for watery or bloody diarrhea or cramps, even up to 2 months later; it can be a serious infection called C. diff. Stop it and call us for a new rash. For blistering, peeling or mouth sores, go to the emergency department; for trouble breathing or face swelling, call 911. A later allergy evaluation may show penicillin is safe.

For hidradenitis suppurativa, apply a thin layer of clindamycin 1% solution or gel to the affected areas twice a day. This is an off-label use, meaning it isn’t listed on the package, but it can reduce pus bumps. It doesn’t clear deeper lumps. Wash daily with an antiseptic wash, such as benzoyl peroxide, which also helps prevent resistant bacteria. Quitting smoking can help too. We’ll check progress at 12 weeks.

Burning, dryness or irritation can happen. Keep the solution away from your eyes, mouth and broken skin. Rarely, even skin antibiotics can inflame the bowel. Stop it and call the same day for severe or bloody diarrhea or bad cramps. Call us about a painful swollen lump; some can be injected or drained. Fever with spreading redness needs a same-day visit. If flares continue, a dermatologist can offer stronger treatments, including pills and injections.

Clobetasol is a very strong steroid for thick psoriasis plaques. Twice a day, rub a thin layer into the plaques only: cream or ointment on the body, solution or foam on the scalp. Use it for 2 weeks, then we’ll check; if plaques are better but not clear, we may continue 2 more weeks. Then we’ll step down, such as calcipotriene on weekdays and clobetasol on weekends. Don’t use more than 50 grams a week.

Don’t use it on your face, groin, armpits or skin folds, or cover it with plastic wrap or bandages unless we ask. Keep it out of your eyes, and wash your hands afterward unless treating them. Stinging is common. Longer use can thin the skin and cause stretch marks, and use over large areas can affect your body’s own steroid hormones. The foam is flammable. Call us if plaques spread, look infected or aren’t improving by 2 weeks. Widespread redness with fever needs same-day care.

Clonazepam calms panic quickly. We’re using it for a few weeks while your antidepressant and therapy start working. Take half a 0.5-milligram tablet (0.25 milligrams) in the morning and at bedtime for 3 days, then a whole tablet twice a day. Take it on schedule, not as needed. We’ll lower it slowly and stop by [date].

It can cause sleepiness and unsteadiness, so don’t drive until you know how it affects you. Don’t mix it with alcohol, opioids or other sedatives; together they can stop your breathing. Keep it locked away. Call us the same day if you feel more depressed or agitated. For thoughts of suicide, call or text 988; call 911 if you might act on them, or if someone is hard to wake or breathing slowly. Don’t stop suddenly, because withdrawal can cause seizures. Tell us if you’re pregnant or planning pregnancy.

Take your prescribed clonidine dose every morning and at bedtime, even when you feel well. We’ll write down your blood-pressure and pulse targets and when to call. It can cause sleepiness, dry mouth, constipation or dizziness when standing. Rise slowly and avoid driving until you know how it affects you.

Don’t stop clonidine suddenly: your blood pressure can rise dangerously. Call us promptly if you’re running out or vomiting prevents you from taking it. Don’t double a missed dose. If we need to stop it, we’ll give you a taper. Call 911 for chest pain, fainting, severe breathlessness, or new weakness or trouble speaking.

Continue clopidogrel 75 milligrams once daily as prescribed by your heart team to help prevent another clot, including a clot in the stent if you have one. Your written plan says whether to take aspirin too, at what dose, and when each medicine will be reviewed. Don’t add aspirin or stop either medicine on your own.

Bruising and bleeding can occur. Call 911 for uncontrolled bleeding or new persistent chest pain. Vomiting blood or black, sticky stools needs emergency assessment. Contact the heart team before dental work or surgery so they can coordinate any interruption. Tell us promptly if cost or running out could cause missed doses.

I’m starting clopidogrel 75 milligrams once a day to reduce your chance of another clot after your stroke caused by a blood clot. Take it with or without food. You may bruise more easily and small cuts may take longer to stop bleeding. Don’t add aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or an over-the-counter heartburn medicine without checking with us.

Call 911 for heavy bleeding that won’t stop, vomiting blood with weakness, or a drooping face, arm weakness or trouble speaking. Go to the emergency department for black, sticky stools. Tell your dentist and other clinicians you take this, but don’t stop it for a procedure on your own. If you miss a dose, take it when remembered unless the next is close. Don’t double. We’ll review bleeding and the medication plan in two weeks, including whether you should also take aspirin and for how long.

This cream treats the fungus causing your ringworm. Wash the area, dry it thoroughly, and apply a thin layer of clotrimazole 1% cream morning and evening for four weeks. Keep using it for the planned course even if the itching settles sooner.

Use it only on the skin and keep it out of your eyes and mouth. Call if the rash worsens or the cream causes significant burning or irritation. If it hasn’t improved after four weeks, we need to check the diagnosis. Scalp and nail infections need a different plan.

For this gout attack, take 1.2 milligrams now, then 0.6 milligrams one hour later. With 0.6-milligram tablets, that’s two tablets followed by one. That’s the full starting course for this attack. Taking extra doesn’t improve relief and can be dangerous.

Mild diarrhea, nausea or cramps can happen. For severe or persistent diarrhea, vomiting or significant belly pain, stop colchicine and get same-day medical care. If you can’t keep fluids down or feel very ill, go to the emergency department. Don’t keep repeating that starting course. Contact us if the pain isn’t controlled. Check with us before any new prescription, especially antibiotics or antifungals, because some combinations can cause dangerous side effects. For marked muscle weakness or dark urine, stop colchicine and go to the emergency department. A fever with a hot swollen joint needs same-day assessment because it may be an infection rather than gout. If you feel very ill, go to the emergency department.

While we start or adjust your uric-acid treatment, take colchicine 0.6 milligrams once daily to help prevent gout attacks. This is the prevention schedule, even on days without pain. It doesn’t lower uric acid itself. We’ll review the need after three to six months, and continue longer if attacks are still occurring. If a flare happens, contact us for the treatment plan rather than adding the flare doses yourself.

Diarrhea or nausea can happen. Stop it and get same-day advice for persistent vomiting, diarrhea or significant belly pain. Marked muscle weakness or dark urine needs emergency assessment. Check before starting any antibiotic, antifungal or other new medicine: some combinations can be dangerous. Don’t take extra tablets for a missed dose.

Low vitamin B12 can cause anemia, tiredness, and numbness or tingling. Take 1,000 micrograms of vitamin B12 by mouth once a day, every day; an over-the-counter cyanocobalamin tablet works. If your body can’t absorb B12, as with pernicious anemia or after some stomach or bowel surgery, or if nerve symptoms are severe, we’ll use shots instead: several over the first 2 to 3 weeks, then monthly, often for life.

B12 is very safe; shots rarely cause itching, a rash or mild diarrhea. You may feel better within a few weeks, but nerve symptoms can take months to improve and may not fully recover. Don’t take folic acid instead of B12. If metformin or an acid reducer caused the low level, keep taking B12 while you’re on that medicine. Call us if numbness, weakness, balance or memory get worse. Trouble breathing or face swelling after a shot means call 911.

For this short episode of painful muscle spasm, try cyclobenzaprine 5 milligrams up to three times a day as needed for the next few days. Try the first dose in the evening when you won’t need to drive. Use it alongside gentle movement and the activity plan we discussed. It can ease spasm, but it won’t repair the underlying strain.

Sleepiness, dry mouth, constipation, or dizziness can happen. Don’t drink alcohol or combine it with sleep medicines or other sedatives without checking. Don’t drive while affected. Stop it and go to the emergency department for a new racing or irregular heartbeat. Chest pain or fainting means call 911. Stop and go to the emergency department for fever with confusion, sweating, shaking or stiff muscles, especially with antidepressants. Go to the emergency department if you can’t pass urine. We’ll reassess within a week if you still need it. Don’t continue beyond two to three weeks without a new evaluation.

I’m starting dapagliflozin 10 milligrams once a day to lower your risk of a heart-failure hospital stay and to protect your kidneys. It helps even without diabetes, and a higher dose isn’t needed. Take it with or without food, and don’t double up after a missed dose. You may pee more at first. A small early dip in your kidney blood test is expected.

Genital yeast infections can happen; call us about itching, discharge or burning when you pee. If you’re sick and can’t eat or drink normally, pause it and call us about restarting. Stop it at least 3 days before surgery or a procedure that needs fasting. For vomiting, belly pain, unusual tiredness or fast breathing, stop it and go to the emergency department, even if your sugar is normal. Genital or groin pain or swelling with fever needs emergency care too. If you take insulin, don’t stop it on your own.

Denosumab lowers your chance of breaking a bone. It’s a 60 milligram shot under the skin, given here every 6 months, with the next one on [date]. Take the calcium and vitamin D we recommend every day. Most important: don’t skip or delay a dose. Its effect wears off quickly, and stopping without a plan can cause fast bone loss and several spine fractures. If we ever stop it, we’ll switch you to another bone medicine, usually a bisphosphonate.

Back, joint or muscle pain and skin rashes can happen. Red, hot, swollen skin or a fever needs same-day care. Muscle cramps, twitching, or tingling around your mouth or fingers can mean low calcium: call us the same day, or 911 for a seizure. Tell your dentist you take it, and tell us about jaw pain or a mouth sore that won’t heal. New thigh or groin pain needs a check. Don’t combine it with Xgeva or another denosumab product.

For depression, take desvenlafaxine 50 milligrams once a day, with or without food. That’s both the starting and the usual dose. Swallow it whole; don’t split, crush or chew it. An empty tablet shell may appear in your stool; that’s normal. Benefits build over several weeks.

Nausea, dizziness, sweating, poor sleep or sexual side effects can happen. It can raise blood pressure, so we’ll check yours. Avoid alcohol. Missing doses or stopping suddenly can cause dizziness, irritability or electric-shock feelings, so refill on time. Call the same day for worsening thoughts of self-harm, marked agitation or unusually high energy with very little sleep. If you might act on those thoughts, call 911; 988 can provide crisis support. Go to the emergency department for fever with confusion, shaking or stiff muscles. Check with us before adding mood or migraine medicines, tramadol, blood thinners or daily ibuprofen.

We’re using Auvelity for depression. It combines dextromethorphan, found in some cough medicines, with bupropion (Wellbutrin), which keeps more dextromethorphan in your body. Take 1 tablet each morning for 3 days. From day 4, take 1 tablet twice a day, at least 8 hours apart. Swallow it whole. If you miss a dose, skip it. Benefit builds over several weeks.

Dizziness, headache, diarrhea and sleepiness are common. Don’t drive until you know how it affects you. Bupropion can cause seizures: never take extra. Limit alcohol, but don’t suddenly stop heavy drinking, sedatives or seizure medicines on your own. Don’t add other bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban, Contrave) or dextromethorphan cough medicines, like Delsym or “DM” products. It isn’t recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Call the same day for worsening mood, thoughts of self-harm, or very high energy with little sleep. If you might act on those thoughts or have a seizure, call 911; 988 offers crisis support.

For arthritis pain in this hand, measure 2 grams of diclofenac 1% gel with the dosing card and apply it four times daily to the affected area. Don’t use more than 8 grams on this hand in a day. Wait at least an hour before washing the treated hand. It helps pain but doesn’t reverse arthritis.

Use it only on intact skin and avoid heating pads or tight coverings. Don’t add oral ibuprofen, naproxen or another anti-inflammatory without checking. Stop for significant skin irritation. Black stools, vomiting blood, chest pressure or severe breathing trouble needs urgent or emergency care. We’ll reassess pain and hand function after a short trial.

For the osteoarthritis pain in this knee, apply diclofenac 1% gel four times a day. Measure 4 grams with the dosing card each time, then spread it over the knee. That’s no more than 16 grams on this knee in a day. Use it on intact skin and wash your hands afterward.

Wait at least an hour before bathing, and don’t use a heating pad or tight dressing over it. Skin irritation can happen. Stop and contact us for a rash. Check before combining it with ibuprofen, naproxen or another anti-inflammatory medicine. Less medicine reaches the bloodstream than with tablets, but stomach, kidney and heart risks still matter. Stop and go to the emergency department for black stools or vomiting blood. Chest pain or severe breathing trouble means call 911. We’ll review pain and walking in two weeks before continuing.

Dicyclomine relaxes the bowel muscle to ease IBS cramping. Take [10 or 20] milligrams up to 4 times a day when cramping flares, with or without food. It eases cramps, not diarrhea or constipation. If it isn’t clearly helping within 2 weeks, stop it and tell us. Take antacids at a different time, because they can block its absorption.

Dry mouth, dizziness, blurred vision, sleepiness and constipation are common. Don’t drive until you know how it affects you. It reduces sweating, so avoid overheating in hot weather or hard exercise. Stop it and call us the same day if you can’t pass urine or have a swollen, very painful belly, a racing heartbeat or new confusion. Sudden eye pain with blurred vision means stop it and get emergency eye care. Avoid other drying medicines such as diphenhydramine. Call us for rectal bleeding, weight loss or fever, which aren’t typical of IBS.

For atrial fibrillation, diltiazem keeps your heart from racing. This use of the long-acting capsule is off-label, but heart guidelines support it. Take [dose] once a day, with or without food, and swallow it whole. Avoid alcohol, which can make this capsule release the medicine too fast. If you miss a dose, take it when you remember unless the next one is close; never double up. It controls your heart rate but doesn’t replace a blood thinner.

Ankle swelling, constipation, headache and dizziness can happen. Check your pulse as we showed you, and call us the same day if it’s outside the limits we write down or you feel lightheaded. Fainting, severe shortness of breath or chest pain that doesn’t go away means call 911. Diltiazem raises levels of many medicines, including some statins and blood thinners, so check with us before starting anything new. Don’t stop it on your own, because your heart rate can climb again.

Donepezil can modestly help memory, thinking and daily function in Alzheimer disease for a time, but it doesn’t stop the disease from progressing. Take 5 milligrams once a day at bedtime, with or without food. If it’s well tolerated, we’ll increase to 10 milligrams after four to six weeks. If it causes vivid dreams or poor sleep, take it in the morning instead. If you miss a dose, skip it; if you’ve missed more than a week, call us before restarting.

Nausea, diarrhea, poor appetite, muscle cramps and tiredness are common at first and often settle within a few weeks. Call us for weight loss, ongoing vomiting, dizziness, fainting or a very slow pulse. Black or bloody stools or vomiting blood means go to the emergency department, especially if you take anti-inflammatory pain relievers. Some allergy, bladder and sleep medicines work against it, so check with us first. What family members notice helps us judge whether it’s working.

For waking up during the night, we’re adding low-dose doxepin to your sleep plan, which includes cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. Take [3 or 6] milligrams within 30 minutes of bedtime, only when you can get a full night’s sleep. Don’t take it within 3 hours of a meal; food can delay its effect and leave you groggy the next morning.

Next-day drowsiness and nausea can happen. Don’t drive or do anything risky if you feel sleepy, and don’t drink alcohol with it. Check with us before adding other sedating medicines or cimetidine (Tagamet). If you sleepwalk, drive or do other things without being fully awake, stop it and call us. Call the same day for worsening depression or thoughts of self-harm. If you might act on those thoughts, call 911. Let us know if you’re still not sleeping better after 7 to 10 days.

For your inflamed acne, we’ll use doxycycline 100 milligrams once a day along with your prescribed topical treatment, including benzoyl peroxide. It takes several weeks to see improvement. We’ll review your skin in about three months and aim to stop the antibiotic once it’s no longer needed, while continuing the topical plan.

Take each dose with a full glass of water and stay upright for at least 30 minutes. Food can help nausea. Use sun protection and ask the pharmacist how to separate mineral supplements and antacids. Tell us before starting if pregnancy is possible or you use isotretinoin. Call for painful swallowing or severe diarrhea. A severe headache with vision changes needs immediate assessment.

For this bacterial sinus infection, I’m prescribing doxycycline 100 milligrams twice a day for [five / seven] days. Take each dose with a full glass of water and stay upright for at least 30 minutes. Taking it just before lying down can injure the food pipe.

Nausea and sun sensitivity can happen, so use sun protection. Ask the pharmacist how far to separate your particular iron, calcium, magnesium, antacids or multivitamins. Tell us if pregnancy is possible. For painful swallowing, a new rash or severe diarrhea, call the same day. Get advice before another dose if swallowing hurts. Stop it and go to the emergency department for a blistering or peeling rash, or a rash with mouth sores. Also call if the infection is worsening or not improving after three to five days. Trouble breathing or tongue swelling means stop it and call 911.

Based on your history and our discussion, doxy-PEP is an option to lower your risk of some bacterial STIs. Take doxycycline 200 milligrams as soon as possible after sex, within 72 hours. Don’t take more than 200 milligrams in any 24 hours, even after more than one encounter. This off-label use doesn’t prevent HIV and doesn’t replace testing or treatment of symptoms.

Take it with food and a full glass of water, and stay upright for an hour. Separate it by at least two hours from dairy, antacids and supplements containing calcium, iron or magnesium. Use sun protection. We’ll test for STIs at the relevant sites and review whether to continue every three to six months, alongside your HIV prevention or care plan.

Take doxycycline 100 milligrams twice a day for seven days to treat chlamydia. Take each dose with a full glass of water and stay upright for at least 30 minutes. Use sun protection, and ask the pharmacist how to separate it from antacids, iron and other mineral supplements. Tell us before starting if pregnancy is possible.

Avoid sex until you have finished the course, your symptoms have resolved, and your partners have completed treatment. We can help arrange partner care. We’ll repeat your chlamydia test in about three months because getting it again is common. Contact us promptly for pelvic or testicular pain, fever, painful swallowing, severe diarrhea or a new rash. Breathing trouble or tongue swelling means call 911.

For the early Lyme disease rash we’ve diagnosed, take doxycycline 100 milligrams twice daily for ten days. Complete the prescribed course. This plan is for early skin disease. New neurologic or heart symptoms may require a different assessment and regimen.

Take it with a full glass of water and remain upright for at least an hour. Use sun protection. We’ll review how to separate it from antacids, iron, calcium and other minerals. Contact us for severe headache or vision changes, significant rash or severe diarrhea. Trouble breathing or tongue swelling means call 911. Contact us urgently for facial weakness, a severe headache with neck stiffness or new palpitations. Fainting, chest pain or severe breathlessness needs emergency care.

This tick bite meets the criteria where a preventive dose may reduce Lyme disease risk. Take doxycycline 200 milligrams once, within 72 hours of removing the tick. This is an off-label, guideline-supported prevention plan, not a treatment course for an infection already causing symptoms.

Take it with a full glass of water and remain upright for at least an hour. Use sun protection. We’ll review how to separate it from antacids, iron, calcium and other minerals. Contact us for severe headache or vision changes, significant rash or severe diarrhea. Trouble breathing or tongue swelling means call 911. Prevention isn’t a guarantee and doesn’t prevent every tick-borne infection. Contact us if an expanding rash, fever or unexplained illness develops over the next month.

For the malaria risk on your itinerary, take doxycycline 100 milligrams once daily. Start one to two days before entering the risk area, take it daily while there, and continue for four weeks after leaving. We’ll write the start and stop dates down. Keep using insect repellent, protective clothing and a bed net where appropriate.

Take it with a full glass of water and remain upright for at least an hour. Use sun protection. We’ll review how to separate it from antacids, iron, calcium and other minerals. Contact us for severe headache or vision changes, significant rash or severe diarrhea. Trouble breathing or tongue swelling means call 911. Fever during travel or after returning needs prompt medical assessment even if you took every dose. Tell the clinician where you traveled. This schedule prevents malaria and isn’t a treatment for fever that has already started.

You have pneumonia, an infection in the lungs. Take doxycycline 100 milligrams twice a day for at least 5 days; we’ll tell you when it’s safe to stop. Take each dose with a full glass of water, and stay upright for 30 minutes. Take it at least 2 hours before or 3 hours after antacids, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc or multivitamins.

Most people improve within 2 to 3 days; cough can last weeks. Nausea and easy sunburn can happen, so use sun protection. Call the same day for painful swallowing, severe watery diarrhea, a bad headache with vision changes, or if you aren’t improving after 3 days. Stop it and go to the emergency department for a blistering or peeling rash or mouth sores. Also go for worsening breathing or confusion. Call 911 for severe trouble breathing or face or tongue swelling. Tell us if you could be pregnant.

With the penicillin shot in short supply, we’re treating your syphilis with doxycycline. Take 100 milligrams twice a day for 14 days if the infection is under a year old, or 28 days if it’s older or the timing is unknown. Missed doses can make treatment fail, so set reminders and tell us if you miss any. Take each dose with a full glass of water and stay upright for 30 minutes. Ask your pharmacist how to space it from antacids and minerals like iron. Tell us if you could be pregnant.

Use sun protection. Fever, chills or aches in the first day usually pass. Call the same day for painful swallowing, severe diarrhea, or a headache with blurred vision. Get urgent care for new vision or hearing changes or confusion. Avoid sex until sores or rash have healed and partners are treated. We’ll recheck your syphilis blood test at 6 and 12 months, or longer.

Slynd is a progestin-only birth control pill with no estrogen. Take 1 pill daily at about the same time: 24 white pills, then 4 green inactive pills, then start the next pack. Start on the first day of your period; if you start later, use condoms for 7 days. If you miss 1 white pill, take it when you remember and continue; no backup is needed.

If you miss 2 or more white pills in a row, take the most recent missed pill, continue, and use condoms until you’ve taken white pills 7 days in a row. If that happens in a pack’s first week and you had sex in the past 5 days, call us about emergency contraception. Irregular bleeding is common early. It can raise potassium, so tell us about kidney or adrenal problems or new blood pressure pills. Call 911 for chest pain or trouble breathing. Severe one-sided belly pain needs emergency care.

For your type 2 diabetes, start Trulicity 0.75 milligrams once a week, on the same day, with or without food. If you have heart disease or several risk factors, it also lowers the chance of heart attack and stroke. Inject it under the skin of your belly, thigh or upper arm, holding the pen in place until the second click. After 4 weeks, we’ll review your readings before increasing. Take a missed dose only if your next one is at least 3 days away.

Nausea, fullness, diarrhea or constipation are common early; smaller meals help. Call the same day if you can’t keep fluids down. Severe belly pain that won’t go away, with or without vomiting, means stop it and go to the emergency department. If you use insulin or glipizide-type pills, we’ll lower that dose. Tell us about medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2, an inherited condition, in you or your family, vision changes, pregnancy plans or upcoming anesthesia.

For chronic musculoskeletal pain, start duloxetine 30 milligrams once daily for one week, then 60 milligrams daily if tolerated. The goal is to reduce persistent muscle or joint pain and improve daily function. It works gradually and complements the activity and rehabilitation plan. It isn’t an as-needed painkiller. Swallow the capsule whole.

Nausea, dry mouth, constipation, sweating or sleep changes can happen early. Tell me if they’re troublesome. We’ll check blood pressure and arrange an early review. Stop it and contact us the same day for yellow eyes or skin. Call the same day for worsening thoughts of self-harm, marked agitation or unusually high energy with little sleep. If you can’t stay safe, call 911. For ordinary planned stopping, we’ll reduce the dose gradually to limit symptoms such as dizziness and nausea. Tell me about substantial alcohol use or liver disease.

We’ll start duloxetine at 30 milligrams daily for a week, then increase to 60 milligrams if you’re tolerating it. The goal is improving your mood and ability to manage daily activities. Improvement builds over several weeks. Swallow the delayed-release capsule whole. Don’t open, crush or chew it. Food may help nausea.

Nausea, dry mouth, constipation, sweating or sleep changes can happen early. Tell me if they’re troublesome. We’ll check blood pressure and arrange an early review. Stop it and contact us the same day for yellow eyes or skin. Call the same day for worsening thoughts of self-harm, marked agitation or unusually high energy with little sleep. If you can’t stay safe, call 911. For ordinary planned stopping, we’ll reduce the dose gradually to limit symptoms such as dizziness and nausea. Tell me about substantial alcohol use or liver disease.

We’ll start duloxetine at 30 milligrams daily for a week, then increase to 60 milligrams if you’re tolerating it. The goal is reducing the burning or shooting nerve pain from diabetes and helping you sleep and stay active. Improvement builds over several weeks. Swallow the delayed-release capsule whole. Don’t open, crush or chew it. Food may help nausea.

Nausea, dry mouth, constipation, sweating or sleep changes can happen early. Tell me if they’re troublesome. We’ll check blood pressure and arrange an early review. Stop it and contact us the same day for yellow eyes or skin. Call the same day for worsening thoughts of self-harm, marked agitation or unusually high energy with little sleep. If you can’t stay safe, call 911. For ordinary planned stopping, we’ll reduce the dose gradually to limit symptoms such as dizziness and nausea. Tell me about substantial alcohol use or liver disease.

For fibromyalgia, start duloxetine 30 milligrams once daily for one week, then 60 milligrams daily if tolerated. The goal is to reduce widespread pain and help you stay active. It works gradually and complements the activity and rehabilitation plan. It isn’t an as-needed painkiller. Swallow the capsule whole.

Nausea, dry mouth, constipation, sweating or sleep changes can happen early. Tell me if they’re troublesome. We’ll check blood pressure and arrange an early review. Stop it and contact us the same day for yellow eyes or skin. Call the same day for worsening thoughts of self-harm, marked agitation or unusually high energy with little sleep. If you can’t stay safe, call 911. For ordinary planned stopping, we’ll reduce the dose gradually to limit symptoms such as dizziness and nausea. Tell me about substantial alcohol use or liver disease.

We’ll start duloxetine at 30 milligrams daily for a week, then increase to 60 milligrams if you’re tolerating it. The goal is reducing persistent worry and tension. Improvement builds over several weeks. Swallow the delayed-release capsule whole. Don’t open, crush or chew it. Food may help nausea.

Nausea, dry mouth, constipation, sweating or sleep changes can happen early. Tell me if they’re troublesome. We’ll check blood pressure and arrange an early review. Stop it and contact us the same day for yellow eyes or skin. Call the same day for worsening thoughts of self-harm, marked agitation or unusually high energy with little sleep. If you can’t stay safe, call 911. For ordinary planned stopping, we’ll reduce the dose gradually to limit symptoms such as dizziness and nausea. Tell me about substantial alcohol use or liver disease.

For your enlarged prostate, take dutasteride 0.5 milligrams, 1 capsule once a day, with or without food. Swallow it whole; don’t chew or open it, because the contents can irritate your mouth and throat. It slowly shrinks the prostate, so improvement takes months. Over time it lowers the chance of being unable to urinate or needing surgery. It’s often paired with tamsulosin.

Lower sex drive, erection or ejaculation changes, and breast tenderness or enlargement can occur, and sexual effects sometimes persist after stopping. Report a breast lump, nipple discharge or low mood. It roughly halves your PSA blood test, so tell anyone checking your PSA. Don’t donate blood until 6 months after your last dose. Anyone who is or could be pregnant shouldn’t handle leaking capsules; wash any contact with soap and water. If you can’t urinate, go to urgent or emergency care.

Elinzanetant is a nonhormone medicine for hot flashes and night sweats. Take two 60-milligram capsules, 120 milligrams in all, by mouth once a day at bedtime, with or without food. If you miss a dose, skip it. Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice. We’ll check liver blood tests before you start and again after 3 months. If pregnancy is possible, we’ll test first, and you’ll need reliable birth control during treatment and for 2 weeks after.

Sleepiness, tiredness, dizziness and headache are common. Don’t drive or do risky tasks while you feel drowsy, including the next morning. Stop it and contact us the same day for yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools, itching, nausea, vomiting or belly pain. Seizures have been reported rarely. Tell us about any past seizures, and call 911 for a seizure or passing out. Check with us before starting any new medicine. We’ll review benefit and side effects in about 4 weeks.

I’m starting empagliflozin 10 milligrams each morning to slow the loss of kidney function and reduce the risk of serious kidney and heart complications. Take it with or without food. This benefit can apply even without diabetes. A higher dose isn’t needed for this purpose. You may pee more, and some people get genital yeast infections. Contact us if you notice itching or discharge.

The important safety plan is for illness and fasting. Temporarily stop it if you’re sick and can’t eat or drink normally, and call us about restarting. Stop at least three days before surgery or a procedure involving prolonged fasting, using the dates we write down. If you have nausea or belly pain with vomiting, unusual exhaustion or fast breathing, stop it and go to the emergency department even if your sugar isn’t very high. If you also take insulin, don’t stop it on your own.

I’m starting empagliflozin 10 milligrams each morning to reduce the risk of a heart-failure hospital stay or cardiovascular death. Take it with or without food. This benefit can apply even without diabetes. A higher dose isn’t needed for this purpose. You may pee more, and some people get genital yeast infections. Contact us if you notice itching or discharge.

The important safety plan is for illness and fasting. Temporarily stop it if you’re sick and can’t eat or drink normally, and call us about restarting. Stop at least three days before surgery or a procedure involving prolonged fasting, using the dates we write down. If you have nausea or belly pain with vomiting, unusual exhaustion or fast breathing, stop it and go to the emergency department even if your sugar isn’t very high. If you also take insulin, don’t stop it on your own.

I’m starting empagliflozin 10 milligrams each morning to lower blood sugar. Take it with or without food. We’ll review your glucose readings before deciding whether you need a higher dose. You may pee more, and some people get genital yeast infections. Contact us if you notice itching or discharge.

The important safety plan is for illness and fasting. Temporarily stop it if you’re sick and can’t eat or drink normally, and call us about restarting. Stop at least three days before surgery or a procedure involving prolonged fasting, using the dates we write down. If you have nausea or belly pain with vomiting, unusual exhaustion or fast breathing, stop it and go to the emergency department even if your sugar isn’t very high. Don’t stop prescribed insulin on your own.

Descovy is a daily pill to help prevent HIV from sex. Take one 200/25-milligram tablet every day, with or without food. It isn’t the appropriate PrEP option for exposure through receptive vaginal sex. We would choose another option for that.

We’ll check HIV, kidney function and hepatitis B before starting, then HIV at least every three months. Nausea can occur. Don’t stop without a plan if you have hepatitis B, because stopping can inflame your liver. Call promptly for flu-like symptoms after an exposure or missed doses. PrEP doesn’t prevent other STIs or replace emergency PEP after a recent exposure.

This daily pill helps prevent HIV. After confirming your HIV and kidney test results, take one tablet containing emtricitabine 200 milligrams and tenofovir DF 300 milligrams every day, with or without food. It isn’t emergency treatment after a recent exposure, and it doesn’t prevent other sexually transmitted infections.

Nausea or stomach discomfort may occur at first. Protection builds with consistent use. We’ll write down when you can rely on it for the type of exposure relevant to you. Keep condoms or other prevention measures in place during that time. We’ll repeat HIV testing at least every three months and check kidneys and other infections on the schedule we set. Call promptly for fever, rash, sore throat or other flu-like symptoms after an exposure. If you have hepatitis B, don’t stop these tablets without a plan because stopping can inflame the liver.

Call immediately after a possible HIV exposure before protection is established or after missed doses. A separate emergency treatment called PEP must start within 72 hours, preferably as soon as possible. Use urgent care or the emergency department if you can’t reach us.

This EpiPen 0.3-milligram device is for a severe allergic reaction. Use it immediately for throat swelling, breathing trouble or faintness after an exposure, or the combination of symptoms in your written allergy plan. An antihistamine isn’t a substitute.

Let’s practice with the trainer. Remove the blue safety cap, keep fingers away from the orange end, and press the orange end firmly against the outer thigh, through clothing if necessary. Hold for three seconds. Call 911 after giving it. If symptoms persist or return, use your second device after about five minutes while emergency help is coming. A racing heart, shakiness or anxiety can happen after the dose. Carry both devices, check the expiration regularly and make sure the liquid is clear and colorless, and replace any used device. We’ll review your trigger and emergency plan together.

Neffy is an epinephrine nose spray for a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). Use it right away for signs such as trouble breathing, throat or tongue swelling, repeated vomiting, or dizziness or fainting after a trigger. Your dose is 1 spray of 2 milligrams. Put the nozzle fully into one nostril, hold it straight, and press the plunger firmly. Don’t sniff afterward, and don’t test it first. If you aren’t better or get worse, use the second spray in the same nostril after 5 minutes. Always carry both.

Call 911 right after you use it, even if you feel better, because symptoms can return. Common side effects are nasal discomfort, throat irritation, headache and dizziness. Tell us if you have nasal polyps, a broken nose or nose surgery, since the spray may not absorb well. Don’t let it freeze, and replace it before it expires.

Your testing shows vitamin D deficiency that needs treatment. For this replacement course, take one 50,000-unit ergocalciferol capsule once a week for eight weeks. Choose a weekday and mark each dose on your calendar. This is a weekly prescription, so don’t take it every day or continue refilling it indefinitely. You may not notice a change in how you feel.

Bring us the labels of any vitamins or calcium you already take so we can avoid duplicate dosing. Call the same day for persistent nausea, constipation, unusual thirst, or much more urination. These can signal high calcium. Go to the emergency department for severe confusion or repeated vomiting. We’ll review your response and calcium and vitamin D testing around the end of the course, then choose any lower maintenance dose you need. If you miss a weekly dose, check the replacement schedule with the pharmacist. Don’t double it.

For depression, start escitalopram 10 milligrams once daily. We’ll follow your mood, interest in activities and daily functioning over the next several weeks. Take it with or without food. We can adjust the time if it makes you sleepy or keeps you awake.

Benefit builds over several weeks. Nausea, headache, sleep changes or sexual side effects can occur, so please tell me rather than stopping without a plan. We’ll check in early about side effects and safety, then decide whether the dose is helping. Call the same day for new thoughts of self-harm, marked restlessness or unusually high energy with very little sleep. If you can’t stay safe, call 911. You can also call or text 988 for immediate crisis support. We’ll reduce gradually if stopping later is appropriate.

For persistent anxiety, start escitalopram 10 milligrams once daily. The goal is less uncontrollable worry and tension and more freedom to do your usual activities. Take it every day, with or without food. It isn’t immediate relief for a panic attack.

Benefit builds over several weeks. Nausea, headache, sleep changes or sexual side effects can occur, so please tell me rather than stopping without a plan. We’ll check in early about side effects and safety, then decide whether the dose is helping. Call the same day for new thoughts of self-harm, marked restlessness or unusually high energy with very little sleep. If you can’t stay safe, call 911. You can also call or text 988 for immediate crisis support. We’ll reduce gradually if stopping later is appropriate.

For your hot flashes and night sweats, take estradiol 0.5 milligrams by mouth once a day, every day, at about the same time. If you still have a uterus, you’ll also take progesterone on the written schedule to protect its lining. Full relief at this dose can take 6–8 weeks. If symptoms are still bothersome then, we may increase to 1 milligram. This treatment isn’t birth control.

Breast tenderness, bloating, nausea, headache or spotting can happen. Tell us about bleeding that’s heavy, lasts, or starts after it had stopped, rather than assuming it’s harmless. Stop it and call 911 for chest pain, sudden breathlessness, a drooping face, arm weakness, trouble speaking or sudden vision loss. Stop it and get same-day care for a painful, swollen leg. Tell us before surgery or long bed rest. We’ll review symptoms, bleeding and blood pressure in 8–12 weeks, then at least yearly, and decide together whether to continue.

For your menopausal hot flashes, we’re starting an estradiol patch that delivers 0.0375 milligrams per day. Replace it twice weekly, for example Monday morning and Thursday evening. Apply it to clean, dry skin on the lower abdomen or buttock, away from the breasts and waistband, and rotate sites. Remove the old patch first and don’t cut patches.

Because you still have a uterus, your written plan also includes progesterone to protect its lining. This treatment doesn’t prevent pregnancy. Breast tenderness, headache or spotting can occur. Tell us about unexpected or persistent bleeding rather than assuming it’s harmless. Stop and call 911 for chest pain, sudden breathlessness, a drooping face, arm weakness or trouble speaking. We’ll review symptoms and side effects in eight to twelve weeks and adjust the dose if needed. Let’s know if your health history changes.

Evolocumab is an injection that lowers LDL, the “bad” cholesterol, by about half or more on top of your statin, and lowers the chance of a heart attack or stroke. Inject 140 milligrams under the skin every 2 weeks; some people instead use 420 milligrams once a month. Refrigerate it, and let it warm up for 30 minutes before injecting. If you’re up to 7 days late, inject it and keep your schedule; if later, call us.

Side effects are usually mild: cold symptoms, back pain, or redness and soreness where you inject. For hives or a rash, call us; for swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or trouble breathing, call 911. Tell us if you’re allergic to latex, since some devices contain it. Keep taking your statin unless we say otherwise. We’ll recheck your cholesterol in 4–12 weeks.

Ezetimibe lowers the amount of cholesterol your intestine absorbs. Take 10 milligrams once a day, with or without food. We’re adding it because we want to lower your LDL, or bad cholesterol, further with the treatment you can tolerate.

You may notice diarrhea or mild joint or muscle aches. Tell me if these persist. Severe muscle pain or weakness with dark urine means stop it and go to the emergency department. Check before adding medicines, especially if you also use a cholesterol-binding powder. We’ll repeat cholesterol in about four to twelve weeks and decide whether the result meets our goal.

For the reflux symptoms we’ve discussed, take famotidine 20 milligrams twice a day. This is a scheduled course. Occasional-heartburn dosing is different. You can take it with or without food. We’ll review the response during this course and decide whether you still need it.

Headache, dizziness, constipation or diarrhea can happen. Tell me if these are troublesome, and call the same day for new confusion. Kidney problems can mean a lower dose, so check with us before changing the schedule. Trouble swallowing or persistent vomiting needs prompt assessment. Vomiting blood or black tarry stools means go to the emergency department. For new or severe chest pressure, especially with breathlessness, sweating or faintness, call 911.

Febuxostat lowers uric acid to prevent gout attacks; we usually use it when allopurinol hasn’t worked or isn’t suitable. Take 40 milligrams once a day, even when you feel well. It doesn’t treat an attack that’s happening now. We’ll check your uric acid in 2 weeks and adjust the dose. Take [flare-prevention medicine] for at least the first 3–6 months.

Early attacks don’t mean it’s failing; keep taking it and follow your flare plan. In people with heart disease, it was linked to more deaths from heart problems than allopurinol, so tell us about any heart or blood vessel disease. Call 911 for chest pain, shortness of breath, sudden weakness or trouble speaking. Call the same day for a new rash, yellow skin or eyes, or dark urine; a blistering or peeling rash means stop it and go to the emergency department. Never combine it with azathioprine or mercaptopurine.

Fenofibrate lowers triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood. When they’re very high, they can inflame the pancreas, which can be serious. Take [dose] once a day, with or without food. Fenofibrate products come in different strengths, so don’t switch brands unless we change the prescription. Your food plan matters as much as the pill: cut back on sugar, refined starches and alcohol, which push triglycerides up quickly. We’ll recheck your levels in 4 to 8 weeks.

Stomach upset, back pain or headache can happen. Call us promptly about unexplained muscle pain or weakness, especially with dark urine or if you also take a statin. Call the same day for yellow skin or eyes, or pain under your right ribs. Severe belly pain, especially with vomiting, or a blistering rash or rash with fever means stop it and go to the emergency department. If you take warfarin, we’ll check your INR more often. Don’t breastfeed while taking it.

Your blood tests show iron-deficiency anemia. Start one ferrous sulfate 325-milligram tablet once a day. That tablet contains 65 milligrams of elemental iron. Check the bottle because different iron products contain different amounts. It absorbs best on an empty stomach, but taking it with a little food is reasonable if it upsets your stomach. We’ll check the timing against your other medicines.

Constipation, nausea, and darker stools are common. Call if side effects keep you from taking it. Every-other-day dosing may work better. Go to the emergency department for black, sticky stools with pain, dizziness or weakness, or for vomiting blood. Call 911 for fainting or severe weakness. Keep iron locked away from children. We’ll repeat your blood count in about four weeks and continue investigating why you became iron deficient. Treatment usually continues after the anemia improves to refill your iron stores.

Fezolinetant is a nonhormone medicine for hot flashes and night sweats. Take one 45-milligram tablet by mouth once a day, at about the same time, with or without food. If you miss a dose, take it the same day if your next dose is at least 12 hours away; otherwise, skip it. We’ll check liver blood tests before you start, every month for the first 3 months, and at 6 and 9 months.

Belly pain, diarrhea, trouble sleeping and back pain can happen. Rarely, it harms the liver. Stop it and contact us the same day for yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools, itching, nausea, vomiting, unusual tiredness, poor appetite or belly pain. Go to the emergency department for confusion or extreme sleepiness with yellow skin. It can’t be combined with some medicines, including fluvoxamine, ciprofloxacin, cimetidine and birth control pills, so check with us before starting anything new. We’ll review it after about 12 weeks.

For your male-pattern hair loss, we’re starting finasteride 1 milligram by mouth daily, with or without food. It can slow further thinning and sometimes regrow hair, but judge it over months. Take baseline photographs and we’ll compare them in three to six months. Benefits fade after stopping. Taking extra doesn’t work faster.

Reduced sex drive, erection problems or ejaculation changes can occur. Tell us about these or new breast changes. Stop it and contact us the same day for new depression or thoughts of self-harm. Call 911 if you can’t stay safe. Anyone who is pregnant or could be pregnant shouldn’t handle crushed or broken tablets. Tell anyone ordering a PSA blood test that you take finasteride, because it lowers the result. If you miss a dose, skip it and resume the usual schedule. Don’t double up.

For your enlarged prostate, take finasteride 5 milligrams once daily, with or without food. It gradually shrinks the prostate and can reduce the chance of urinary retention or surgery. Improvement takes months. If you can’t pass urine, go to urgent or emergency care rather than waiting for this medicine to work.

Reduced sex drive, erection or ejaculation changes, and breast tenderness can occur. Report these, a breast lump, or new depression. Thoughts of self-harm need same-day help. Call 911 if you can’t stay safe. This medicine lowers PSA, so tell anyone ordering that test. Anyone who is pregnant or could be pregnant shouldn’t handle broken or crushed tablets. Skip a missed dose rather than doubling.

Finerenone helps protect your kidneys and heart when diabetes has damaged your kidneys; it doesn’t lower blood sugar. Take it once a day, with or without food. You’ll start at 10 or 20 milligrams, depending on your kidney function; the usual goal is 20 milligrams. If you miss a dose, take it the same day, or skip it. We’ll check your potassium and kidney function before starting and 4 weeks after starting or any dose change.

Its main risk is high potassium. Don’t use salt substitutes or potassium supplements unless we approve, and avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice. Some antibiotics and antifungal medicines raise its level, so check with us before new medicines. Lightheadedness can happen. Call us if you’re vomiting or can’t keep fluids down. Go to the emergency department for marked weakness, a very slow or irregular heartbeat, or fainting.

For the thrush in your mouth, I’m prescribing fluconazole tablets because [it’s widespread or other treatments haven’t worked]. Take [100 or 200 milligrams] once daily for [7 to 14 days], exactly as written. This is a daily course, not the single-dose yeast-infection treatment. We’ll also address contributing factors such as dentures or inhaled-steroid technique.

Nausea or headache can occur. Call if you aren’t improving, or if swallowing becomes painful or difficult. That may need a different assessment and treatment. Check interactions before starting. Stop and seek urgent care for a blistering rash, yellow skin or eyes, or fainting. Tongue swelling or breathing trouble means call 911.

Because testing supports repeated Candida albicans yeast infections, we’re using a longer plan: fluconazole 150 milligrams on days one, four and seven, then 150 milligrams once weekly for six months after the initial infection is controlled. We’ll write the dates down. This helps suppress recurrences, but symptoms can return after stopping.

Let’s know if you could be pregnant before taking it. We use a different treatment during pregnancy. Check before starting other medicines because interactions matter. Nausea or headache can happen. Stop and call promptly for yellow skin or eyes, and seek emergency care for a blistering rash or rash with mouth sores. If symptoms persist or return during treatment, contact us for testing rather than taking extra doses.

For this uncomplicated vaginal yeast infection, take fluconazole 150 milligrams once. That’s one dose, not a daily medicine. It may take a few days for the irritation to settle.

Headache, nausea or stomach discomfort can happen. If symptoms haven’t improved by [date], contact us. Also contact us if they return within two months, rather than repeatedly treating yourself for yeast. Other conditions can feel similar. Tell us before taking it if you could be pregnant or use other prescriptions, because the treatment choice and interactions matter. A blistering rash or rash with mouth sores means stop and go to the emergency department. Trouble breathing or tongue swelling means call 911.

To clear the rough sun-damage spots on your [area], apply a thin layer of fluorouracil 5% cream twice a day to the whole area we marked. Use a glove, or wash your hands right after. Keep it off your eyelids and out of your eyes, nostrils and mouth. The skin will turn red, crusted and raw; that means it’s working. We’ll stop at the raw stage, usually after 2–4 weeks, and full healing can take 1–2 months.

Avoid sun and tanning beds during treatment. It can kill pets that lick it, so keep the tube and treated skin away from animals, and clean any cream off fabric and furniture. Don’t use it if you’re pregnant or could become pregnant. Call us for severe pain or signs of infection. Stop it and get same-day care for vomiting, bloody diarrhea, severe belly pain or fever.

For bulimia, fluoxetine can reduce binge-eating and vomiting episodes as part of your eating-disorder treatment. The target is 60 milligrams each morning. We’ll write down how to reach it if a gradual start suits you better. It supports the nutrition and therapy plan. Nausea, sleep changes or sexual side effects can happen. Tell us about continued vomiting, laxative use, dizziness or fainting so we can assess your physical health too.

Call the same day if you feel markedly more agitated, need unusually little sleep, or develop thoughts of harming yourself. If you might act on those thoughts or can’t stay safe, call 911 or go to the emergency department. Stop it and go to the emergency department for fever with confusion, shaking or stiff muscles. We’ll check in within two weeks, sooner if your risk warrants it. Don’t change or stop the dose on your own. Tell us about new medicines, including supplements.

I’m starting fluoxetine 20 milligrams every morning for depression. Take it daily, with or without food. Improvement builds over several weeks. It’s common not to feel better immediately. Early nausea, looser stools, headache, or feeling more awake may improve with time. Sexual side effects can occur, and I want you to tell me if they bother you.

Call the same day if you feel markedly more agitated, need unusually little sleep, or develop thoughts of harming yourself. If you might act on those thoughts or can’t stay safe, call 911 or go to the emergency department. Stop it and go to the emergency department for fever with confusion, shaking or stiff muscles. We’ll check in within two weeks, sooner if your risk warrants it. Don’t change or stop the dose on your own. Tell us about new medicines, including supplements.

For OCD, start fluoxetine 20 milligrams each morning. The goal is to reduce intrusive thoughts and the time taken by rituals. Improvement may take longer than it does for depression, so we’ll review progress over a full trial while continuing the therapy plan. Nausea, sleep changes or sexual side effects can happen. Tell us about them.

Call the same day if you feel markedly more agitated, need unusually little sleep, or develop thoughts of harming yourself. If you might act on those thoughts or can’t stay safe, call 911 or go to the emergency department. Stop it and go to the emergency department for fever with confusion, shaking or stiff muscles. We’ll check in within two weeks, sooner if your risk warrants it. Don’t change or stop the dose on your own. Tell us about new medicines, including supplements.

For panic disorder, start fluoxetine 10 milligrams each morning for a week, then 20 milligrams daily if tolerated. This is daily prevention. It won’t stop a panic attack immediately. We’ll work toward fewer attacks and less avoidance over the coming weeks. Nausea, feeling keyed up or changes in sleep can happen early. Tell us if these make treatment difficult.

Call the same day if you feel markedly more agitated, need unusually little sleep, or develop thoughts of harming yourself. If you might act on those thoughts or can’t stay safe, call 911 or go to the emergency department. Stop it and go to the emergency department for fever with confusion, shaking or stiff muscles. We’ll check in within two weeks, sooner if your risk warrants it. Don’t change or stop the dose on your own. Tell us about new medicines, including supplements.

For PMDD, take fluoxetine 20 milligrams each morning, every day throughout the month. We’ll put the dates in writing and use a daily symptom record to see whether it reduces the severe mood symptoms around your period. Tell us if depression or anxiety also persists during the rest of the month.

Nausea, headache, sleep changes or sexual side effects can occur. Contact us promptly for marked agitation, unusually high energy with very little sleep or new self-harm thoughts. If you can’t stay safe, call 911. Check before adding other mood medicines or supplements. Fluoxetine remains in the body for weeks after stopping.

For PMDD, take fluoxetine 20 milligrams each morning, starting 14 days before the expected period and continuing through the first full day of bleeding, then stop until the next planned cycle. We’ll put the dates in writing and use a daily symptom record to see whether it reduces the severe mood symptoms around your period. Tell us if depression or anxiety also persists during the rest of the month.

Nausea, headache, sleep changes or sexual side effects can occur. Contact us promptly for marked agitation, unusually high energy with very little sleep or new self-harm thoughts. If you can’t stay safe, call 911. Check before adding other mood medicines or supplements. Fluoxetine remains in the body for weeks after stopping.

Trelegy combines an inhaled steroid with two long-acting medicines that open your airways. For COPD with flare-ups, it eases breathing and helps prevent more flare-ups. Take one inhalation once a day at the same time, then rinse your mouth with water and spit. Let’s practice the technique. If you miss a dose, take it when you remember, but never twice in one day. It won’t relieve sudden symptoms, so keep your rescue inhaler with you.

Hoarseness, thrush (white patches or soreness in the mouth) or headache can happen. It raises the chance of pneumonia, so call the same day for fever, chills, more or discolored mucus, or worse breathing. Go to the emergency department for eye pain with blurred vision or halos, or if you can’t pass urine. If a dose makes breathing suddenly worse, use your rescue inhaler, stop Trelegy and call us. Severe breathlessness or trouble speaking means call 911. Don’t use other long-acting inhalers with it.

Start two sprays in each nostril once a day. This is fluticasone propionate, a nasal steroid that treats the swelling causing allergy symptoms. It works best with regular use over several days, rather than as an instant decongestant.

Gently blow your nose first, tilt your head slightly forward and aim the nozzle toward the outer wall of the nostril, away from the middle divider. Sniff gently. Dryness or nosebleeds can happen, so tell me if bleeding keeps recurring or the nose feels sore. Once symptoms are controlled, we can reduce to one spray in each nostril daily. Let me know about vision changes, recent nasal surgery or other steroid medicines, and check with the pharmacist about priming and cleaning this particular bottle.

This inhaled steroid calms the airway swelling that leads to asthma attacks. Use two puffs of the 44-microgram inhaler twice a day, every day, even when you feel well. Full benefit can take one to two weeks or longer. Shake it before each puff and use a spacer. Before first use, spray four test puffs into the air. Rinse your mouth with water and spit after each dose. If you miss a dose, skip it.

It won’t relieve sudden symptoms, so keep your quick-relief inhaler with you. Hoarseness or thrush (white patches or soreness in the mouth) can happen. Call us if you need your quick-relief inhaler more than usual, it isn’t working as well, or you need four or more puffs a day for two days in a row. Severe breathlessness, trouble speaking or blue lips means call 911. Tell us before starting antifungal or HIV medicines, which can raise steroid levels.

For your asthma, use one inhalation of Advair Diskus 100/50 twice a day, about twelve hours apart. The two numbers are the strengths of the steroid and the long-acting airway medicine. Use it every day to prevent symptoms. For sudden symptoms, use the separate rescue inhaler in your written plan. Don’t take extra Diskus doses.

Let’s practice loading a dose and breathing it in through the mouth. Keep the device dry and don’t attach a spacer. Rinse your mouth and spit afterward. Hoarseness, throat irritation or white patches in the mouth can occur. Tell us if they develop. If breathing gets worse immediately after a dose, stop that inhaler and follow your urgent breathing plan. Severe breathlessness or trouble speaking means call 911. We’ll check your technique, symptoms and rescue use in about a month.

For your COPD, use one inhalation of Advair Diskus 250/50 twice daily, about twelve hours apart. Use it every day as part of the plan to control symptoms and reduce flare-ups. For sudden symptoms use your separate rescue medicine. Don’t take extra Diskus doses.

Let’s practice loading a dose and breathing it in through the mouth. Keep the device dry and don’t attach a spacer. Rinse your mouth and spit afterward. Hoarseness, throat irritation or white patches in the mouth can occur. Tell us if they develop. If breathing gets worse immediately after a dose, stop that inhaler and follow your urgent breathing plan. Severe breathlessness or trouble speaking means call 911. We’ll check your technique, symptoms and rescue use in about a month.

This is a one-time antibiotic dose for a bladder infection. Pour the whole packet into half a cup of water, not hot water, stir until it dissolves, and drink it right away. Don’t swallow the granules dry. You can take it with or without food. You only need this single dose, and your symptoms should start improving within two to three days.

Diarrhea, nausea, headache and vaginal irritation are the most common side effects. Call us if you aren’t improving after three days. Fever, side or back pain, or vomiting can mean a kidney infection: call the same day, or go to the emergency department if you feel very ill or can’t keep fluids down. Watery or bloody diarrhea, even weeks later, also needs a same-day call. Trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat means call 911. Tell us if you could be pregnant. If we sent a culture, we’ll tell you whether you need a different medicine.

Furosemide helps your body get rid of extra fluid. Start 20 milligrams each morning for the swelling we’ve assessed. You’ll usually notice more urination, so plan bathroom access. Follow the fluid and salt plan we discussed.

Weigh yourself each morning under similar conditions and record the result. I’ll write down the weight changes and symptoms that should prompt a call. Don’t take extra tablets unless they’re part of our plan. Call the same day for marked dizziness, weakness, cramps with a racing or irregular heartbeat, much less urine, or vomiting or diarrhea that prevents drinking. Severe breathlessness, fainting or chest pain means call 911. We’ll check kidney function and blood salts such as sodium and potassium in one to two weeks, sooner if your risk calls for it.

To help you cut back or stop drinking, we’re using gabapentin off-label. It may help you drink less and sleep better. Take 300 milligrams at bedtime on day 1, then add 300 milligrams a day as tolerated, up to 600 milligrams three times a day. Take it every day, and keep using your recovery supports. If you get shaky or sweaty after cutting back, get same-day care; for confusion, seeing things or a seizure, call 911.

Sleepiness, dizziness and unsteadiness are common. Don’t drive until you know how it affects you. Mixing it with alcohol, opioids or other sedatives can dangerously slow breathing; call 911 if someone is hard to wake or breathing slowly. Take only the prescribed amount, keep it secure, and don’t share it. Call the same day for new or worsening thoughts of self-harm. If you might act on those thoughts, call 911. Don’t stop suddenly; we’ll lower it gradually.

Gabapentin may reduce the burning or shooting pain from diabetes. This is an off-label use supported by treatment guidance. For this trial, start 300 milligrams at night. We’ll increase gradually using your written schedule if you’re tolerating it. It treats pain, not the underlying nerve damage, so keep up foot checks and your diabetes care.

Sleepiness, dizziness and ankle swelling can occur. Avoid driving until you know its effect, and check before combining it with alcohol, opioids or other sedatives. Call 911 for slow breathing or difficulty waking. Contact us promptly for new thoughts of self-harm. Immediate danger means call 911. If it isn’t helping, we’ll plan a gradual reduction rather than stopping suddenly.

Gabapentin is being added to your existing treatment to reduce focal seizures. Keep taking your other seizure medicines. Follow the dose and times on the written neurology plan. The usual immediate-release schedule is three times daily. Keep a seizure record and contact us before you run out. Don’t stop or change it suddenly.

Sleepiness, dizziness or unsteadiness can occur. Avoid alcohol and check before taking opioids or other sedatives. Don’t drive until your epilepsy team confirms it’s safe and permitted. Call promptly for mood changes or thoughts of self-harm. Immediate danger means call 911. Slow breathing or difficulty waking also needs 911. Stop it and seek emergency care for swelling of the mouth or throat. Report fever with rash or swollen glands urgently.

Follow your seizure action plan. Call 911 for a seizure lasting more than five minutes, repeated seizures without recovery, or trouble breathing or waking afterward.

Gabapentin is a nonhormonal option for hot flashes and night sweats. This is an off-label use. Start 300 milligrams at bedtime. If needed and tolerated, we’ll add daytime doses gradually using the written plan. We’ll judge it by how often symptoms occur and how much they disrupt sleep and daily life.

Sleepiness, dizziness and ankle swelling can occur. Avoid driving until you know its effect, and check before combining it with alcohol, opioids or other sedatives. Call 911 for slow breathing or difficulty waking. Contact us promptly for new thoughts of self-harm. Immediate danger means call 911. If it isn’t helping, we’ll plan a gradual reduction rather than stopping suddenly.

For the nerve pain after shingles, start gabapentin 300 milligrams at bedtime on day one, 300 milligrams twice a day on day two, then 300 milligrams three times a day on day three if you’re tolerating it. We can go more slowly if it makes you sleepy or dizzy. This is the immediate-release form.

The aim is less pain and better sleep or function. It may not remove all pain. Sleepiness, dizziness or ankle swelling can happen. Don’t drive until you know its effect, and avoid alcohol or other sedating medicines unless we’ve reviewed the combination. Slow or shallow breathing or difficulty waking means call 911. Call the same day for new suicidal thoughts. Immediate danger means 911. We’ll check in within one to two weeks and adjust from benefit and side effects. Don’t stop suddenly after regular use.

For restless legs, we’re trying immediate-release gabapentin off-label to reduce the evening urge to move your legs. Start 300 milligrams about one to two hours before symptoms usually begin. We may choose a lower starting dose based on your age or kidney function. We’ll adjust from your symptoms and next-day alertness.

We’ll also check iron levels and address medicines or sleep problems that can make restless legs worse. Sleepiness, dizziness and ankle swelling can occur. Avoid driving until you know its effect, and check before combining it with alcohol, opioids or other sedatives. Call 911 for slow breathing or difficulty waking. Contact us promptly for new thoughts of self-harm. Immediate danger means call 911. If it isn’t helping, we’ll plan a gradual reduction rather than stopping suddenly.

Gemfibrozil lowers triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood. Take one 600-milligram tablet twice a day, thirty minutes before breakfast and your evening meal. Keep following the food, activity and alcohol plan we discussed. The medicine works alongside those changes.

Stomach upset can happen. Call promptly for unexplained muscle pain or weakness, especially with dark urine, or for severe upper abdominal pain or yellowing of the eyes. Check with us before starting another cholesterol medicine or changing any prescription. We’ll repeat blood tests on [date] to see whether it’s working and check for side effects.

Mavyret cures hepatitis C in most people who finish it. Take all three tablets together once a day with food for eight weeks. If you’re less than 18 hours late for a dose, take it with food right away; if it’s more than 18 hours, skip it. A blood test 12 weeks after you finish will confirm whether the virus is gone.

Headache, tiredness and nausea are common. Rifampin, some HIV and seizure medicines, St John’s wort and some cholesterol medicines don’t mix with Mavyret, so check with us before starting anything new. Birth control with more than 20 micrograms of estrogen isn’t recommended; we can adjust your method. If you take diabetes medicine or warfarin, check your sugar or INR more often. Tell us if you’re pregnant. Call the same day for yellow eyes, dark urine, belly swelling or confusion. Vomiting blood or black stools means go to the emergency department. Cure doesn’t prevent a new infection.

For your type 2 diabetes, take glipizide extended release 5 milligrams with breakfast or your first main meal each day. Swallow it whole. It helps your pancreas release insulin, so low blood sugar can happen, especially if you skip food. If you can’t eat, hold that day’s dose and call us for a sick-day and restart plan. Check glucose each morning and whenever you feel shaky, sweaty or unusually hungry.

For a reading below 70 mg/dL, if you can swallow safely, take 15 grams of fast sugar, such as glucose tablets or gel totaling 15 grams according to the package and recheck after 15 minutes. Repeat if still low. Severe confusion, seizure or inability to swallow means a helper should use glucagon if available and call 911, with nothing by mouth. Call us the same day after a low because it can recur. Some weight gain is possible. We’ll review readings in one to two weeks and your A1c in about three months.

Glucagon rescues severe low blood sugar, when you’re too confused to eat or drink safely, pass out or have a seizure. Keep it with you, check the expiration date, and show family, friends and coworkers where it is and how to use it. Helpers: don’t put food or drink in the mouth of someone who can’t swallow safely. For Baqsimi, put the tip in one nostril and push the plunger all the way. For Gvoke, inject into the outer thigh, lower belly or outer upper arm.

Then call 911 and turn the person on their side in case they vomit. If there’s no response after 15 minutes, give a second dose from a new device. Once they can swallow, give juice or another fast sugar, then a snack. Nausea and headache are common. It may work poorly after a long time without food. Replace it after use, and call us the same day after any severe low.

For lower-cost control of your morning sugar, start NPH insulin, 10 units under the skin at bedtime. Before each dose, gently roll and tip the vial or pen, as we’ll practice, until it looks evenly milky. With vials, use only U-100 syringes. Check your sugar before breakfast and send readings every 3 days; we’ll usually add 2 units until mornings reach goal. If switching insulins, use only the new dose we write down. Walmart’s ReliOn Novolin N is the same insulin.

NPH works hardest several hours after injection, so lows can happen overnight; keep fast sugar by your bed. If your sugar is below 70 and you can swallow, take 15 grams of fast sugar, such as 4 ounces of juice, and recheck in 15 minutes, repeating if still low. If you can’t swallow, are very confused or have a seizure, someone should give glucagon and call 911, with nothing by mouth. Call us the same day after any low.

This is a low-dose water pill called hydrochlorothiazide. Start 12.5 milligrams each morning. It helps the body handle salt and water so blood pressure comes down. Morning dosing makes nighttime bathroom trips less likely.

You may pee more or feel lightheaded, especially if you become dehydrated. Follow your usual fluid plan rather than forcing extra water. We’ll check kidney function, sodium and potassium in the next few weeks and review your home blood pressures. Call the same day for marked weakness, cramps with a racing heartbeat, or an illness that prevents drinking. For sudden eye pain or blurred vision, stop hydrochlorothiazide and get immediate eye care or go to the emergency department. Use sun protection, and let me know if you develop a painful red joint.

For the severe pain from [assessed injury or procedure], we’ve decided on a short rescue prescription because the other treatments haven’t been enough. Take one 5/325-milligram tablet only when needed, at least six hours apart, with no more than four tablets a day under this plan. Use it for [number of days], then check with us if pain still requires it. The two numbers mean hydrocodone 5 milligrams and acetaminophen 325 milligrams.

It can cause sleepiness, nausea and constipation. Don’t drive, drink alcohol or combine it with sleeping or anxiety medicines unless we have specifically reviewed that plan. Don’t add Tylenol or other acetaminophen products without checking the total. Keep it locked away and never share it. If someone is hard to wake or breathing slowly, give naloxone if available and call 911. We’ll explain naloxone use, constipation prevention and how to dispose of leftover tablets.

For eczema on your face or in skin folds, apply a thin layer of hydrocortisone 2.5% cream to the rash twice a day. It calms redness and itching. Use it for [number of days], and stop sooner once the skin is smooth. Keep it out of your eyes, and don’t cover it with a bandage or wrap. Keep using your moisturizer every day, even after the rash clears.

Mild burning or dryness can happen. Used too often or for too long, it can thin the skin or cause a pimply rash around the mouth, so stop at the planned time. Call us if the rash isn’t clearly better within 2 weeks or returns soon after stopping; we have nonsteroid options for these areas. Call the same day for spreading redness, pus, yellow crusts, fever, or clusters of painful blisters or sores, which can mean infection.

Hydrocortisone cream calms itching and irritation around the anus from hemorrhoids. It doesn’t shrink them, so softer stools matter most: take a fiber supplement such as psyllium, drink plenty of fluids, and don’t strain or sit on the toilet for long. Warm sitz baths can ease soreness. Clean and pat the area dry, then apply a thin layer [2 to 4] times a day for up to 7 days.

Longer use can thin the skin, so stop after a week unless we’ve planned otherwise. Call us if it isn’t better within a week or the skin looks raw or infected. Don’t assume bleeding is from hemorrhoids: tell us about new bleeding, especially with a change in bowel habits or weight loss. Call the same day for severe pain, a hard painful lump or fever. Go to the emergency department for heavy bleeding, black stools, dizziness or fainting.

Hydroxychloroquine calms the immune system in lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Take [dose] milligrams daily with food or milk; we set the dose by your weight to protect your eyes. Swallow the tablets whole. It works slowly: you may feel better in 1–2 months, and the full benefit can take up to 6 months, so keep taking it even if you don’t notice a change at first.

Upset stomach, diarrhea and rash can happen. Over years, it can damage the retina, so you’ll have an eye exam soon after starting and regular screening later. Tell us about any change in your vision. It can lower blood sugar, so check more often if you have diabetes. Call us for a rash, muscle weakness or mood changes. Fainting or a pounding, irregular heartbeat needs emergency care. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call 911 or 988.

For the itching, try hydroxyzine 25 milligrams at bedtime as needed for the brief course we agreed on. This is a deliberately low schedule because it can make you sleepy. It helps itching but doesn’t treat every cause of a rash. Don’t add daytime doses without checking, and avoid driving until you know its effects.

Dry mouth, constipation or grogginess can happen. Don’t combine it with alcohol, sleep medicines, opioids or other sedating antihistamines without review. Stop and get urgent help for a new racing or irregular heartbeat. Fainting or chest pain means call 911. Tell us if itching persists, spreads or comes with new symptoms so we can revisit the cause.

For brief episodes of anxiety while we work on your longer-term treatment, try hydroxyzine 25 milligrams when needed, at least twelve hours apart and no more than twice in a day for this plan. Try the first dose at home when you won’t need to drive. It can work the same day, but it often causes sleepiness and dry mouth.

Don’t combine it with alcohol, sleep medicines, opioids, or other sedating antihistamines unless we have reviewed the combination. Don’t drive until you know its effects, and never drive while sleepy. Stop it and go to the emergency department for a new racing or irregular heartbeat. Fainting or a fast heartbeat with chest pain means call 911. We’ll review in one to two weeks. If you need it most days, tell me so we can revisit the underlying anxiety treatment rather than keep increasing it. There’s no missed dose to make up when used only as needed.

For this short course, take ibuprofen 400 milligrams every six hours only if needed for pain, through [stop or review date]. That’s two of the 200-milligram tablets per dose, with no more than four doses in a day under this prescription plan. Take it with water and food if it upsets your stomach.

Don’t combine it with naproxen or other anti-inflammatory pain medicines. Check with us if you take aspirin or a blood thinner. Stop it and go to the emergency department for black, sticky stools or vomiting blood. Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing or a drooping face, arm weakness or trouble speaking. Stop and call the same day for much less urine or significant swelling. Tell us if you’re pregnant or could be. Contact us if pain worsens or isn’t improving by our review date.

Icosapent ethyl is a purified prescription omega-3 made from fish oil. Added to your statin, it can lower the chance of a heart attack or stroke in people with high triglycerides who have heart disease, or diabetes plus other risks. Take 2 grams twice a day with meals, swallowing the capsules whole. Over-the-counter fish oil isn’t the same and hasn’t shown this benefit.

Muscle or joint aches, ankle swelling, constipation and gout flares can happen. It slightly raises the risk of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat: call us for a new racing or irregular pulse, and call 911 if it comes with chest pain or fainting. Bleeding is more likely, especially with aspirin or blood thinners; black or bloody stools, or bleeding that won’t stop, need emergency care. Tell us about fish or shellfish allergy; for face swelling or trouble breathing, call 911.

Imiquimod cream helps your immune system clear warts on the genitals or around the anus. Three nights a week, such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday, wash the area and let it dry for 10 minutes. Then rub a thin layer into the warts at bedtime until the cream disappears. Wash it off with soap and water 6–10 hours later. Continue until the warts are gone, for up to 16 weeks. Don’t cover it or use it inside the vagina or anus.

Redness, itching, burning and peeling are common. If the skin breaks open or gets very sore, take a few days off and call us. Flu-like aches can happen. Avoid sex while the cream is on, because it can weaken condoms and diaphragms. Severe swelling or trouble passing urine means stop it and call the same day; if you can’t pass urine at all, go to the emergency department. Warts can come back, because treatment doesn’t clear the virus. Tell us if you’re pregnant; we’d use another treatment.

Inclisiran is a long-acting injection that helps your liver clear LDL, the “bad” cholesterol, lowering it by about half. A nurse or clinician gives 284 milligrams under the skin: a first dose, another at 3 months, then 1 every 6 months. If a dose is more than 3 months late, we restart that schedule. Keep taking your statin unless we say otherwise. Studies are still underway to show whether it lowers heart attack and stroke risk.

Side effects are usually mild: soreness, redness or rash where the shot was given, joint pain, or a chest cold. Serious allergic reactions are rare; call 911 for swelling of your face, lips or tongue, or trouble breathing. Tell us if you could be pregnant or are planning pregnancy, since it’s usually stopped during pregnancy. We’ll recheck your cholesterol in 1–3 months.

For your type 2 diabetes, we’re adding Lantus U-100 at 10 units under the skin every evening at the same time. We’ll demonstrate the pen and have you show us a dose before you leave. Rotate injection sites and never share the pen. Check glucose each morning before breakfast and whenever you feel shaky, sweaty or unwell. Send the first three mornings’ readings to us so we can adjust the dose together.

If glucose is below 70 mg/dL and you can swallow safely, take 15 grams of fast sugar, such as glucose tablets or gel totaling 15 grams according to the package and recheck in 15 minutes, repeating if still low. For severe confusion, seizure or inability to swallow, a helper should give the prescribed glucagon and call 911. No food or drink by mouth. Call us the same day after any low reading. We’ll give you written sick-day and missed-dose instructions. Don’t double a forgotten dose or change insulin strengths yourself.

Your morning glucose is near target, but your largest meal still raises it too much. Alongside your existing basal insulin, start Humalog U-100 at 4 units with that meal. Inject within 15 minutes before eating, or immediately afterward if intake was uncertain. If you skip the meal, skip this meal dose. Don’t add correction doses without our written plan. Check glucose before meals and at bedtime or use your glucose sensor, and send us readings in three days.

We’ll practice the pen and label checks together. Never share pens. If glucose is below 70 mg/dL and you can swallow, take 15 grams of fast sugar, such as glucose tablets or gel totaling 15 grams according to the package, recheck in 15 minutes and repeat if needed. If you can’t safely swallow, have a seizure or need help because of severe confusion, a helper should give glucagon and call 911 without putting food or drink in your mouth. Call us the same day after a low so we can adjust your plan.

This treatment kills sleeping TB germs before they can make you sick. Once a week, on the same day, take your isoniazid and rifapentine pills together with food, for 12 weeks. Your dose depends on your weight; most adults take 900 milligrams of each. We may add vitamin B6 to protect your nerves. Write down each dose, and call us if you miss one. We’ll check in every month.

Your urine, tears and sweat may turn orange; it’s harmless but can stain soft contacts. Stop the pills and call us the same day for flu-like illness, rash, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, yellow eyes, belly pain or tingling hands. Dizziness or fainting after a dose means go to the emergency department. Trouble breathing or facial swelling means call 911. Rifapentine can make hormonal birth control less effective, so use condoms or a nonhormonal method, and tell us if you could become pregnant. Check with us before starting any new medicine, especially HIV medicines or blood thinners.

Isosorbide mononitrate relaxes blood vessels so your heart needs less oxygen, which helps prevent angina, chest pain or pressure with exertion. Take one extended-release tablet, usually 30 or 60 milligrams, once each morning when you get up; don’t crush or chew it. The overnight break keeps it working, so don’t add doses. It won’t stop an attack that has already started, so keep your nitroglycerin with you.

Headaches are common early and usually ease; acetaminophen can help, but don’t skip doses to avoid them. Stand up slowly, and limit alcohol, which adds to dizziness. Never combine it with erection medicines such as sildenafil, tadalafil or vardenafil, or with riociguat; blood pressure can drop dangerously. If chest pain isn’t better 5 minutes after one nitroglycerin, or you faint, call 911. Call us the same day if angina comes more often or with less effort.

For the red bumps and pimples of rosacea, apply ivermectin 1% cream once a day. Use a pea-size amount for each affected area of your face, such as your forehead, chin, nose and each cheek, and spread it in a thin layer. Keep it away from your eyes and lips. Improvement is gradual. It may start within about 4 weeks, and we’ll judge the full effect at 12 weeks.

Side effects are uncommon, but mild burning or irritation can happen. Stop it and call us if your skin becomes very irritated or swollen. Gentle skin care, daily sunscreen and avoiding your triggers, such as alcohol, spicy food, hot drinks or heat, can help. Rosacea is long-term, so if the cream helps, we’ll talk about continuing it. Get same-day care for eye pain, light sensitivity or blurred vision.

We’re using ivermectin tablets off-label for scabies. They’re approved for worm infections, and CDC lists them for scabies. Take [number] tablets, [dose] milligrams based on your weight, all at once with a meal. Repeat the dose on [date], 7–14 days later. Household members and close contacts should be treated at the same time. Wash bedding, towels and clothes used in the last 3 days in hot water and dry them hot; seal what you can’t wash in a bag for at least 3 days.

Itching can last several weeks after the mites are gone. Call us if it lasts more than 2–4 weeks or new bumps or burrows appear. Side effects are usually mild, such as dizziness or nausea. Tell us if you take warfarin, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have lived in Central or West Africa. Call the same day for spreading redness, pus or fever.

For seborrheic dermatitis on your face or body, apply a thin layer of ketoconazole 2% cream to the red, flaky areas twice a day for 4 weeks, or until clear. It calms the skin yeast that drives this rash. Keep it out of your eyes. If your scalp is involved, use a dandruff shampoo too. This rash often returns, so we’ll plan what to do for future flares.

Mild burning, stinging or irritation can happen. Stop it and call us if you get a worsening red, itchy rash, blisters or swelling. The cream contains a sulfite, so tell us if sulfites have ever caused you a reaction or asthma attack. Trouble breathing or swelling of your lips or tongue means call 911. If it hasn’t improved after 4 weeks, we’ll reconsider the diagnosis. Call sooner for spreading redness, pain, crusting or pus.

For the flaky, itchy scalp from seborrheic dermatitis, use ketoconazole 2% shampoo twice a week for four weeks. Wet your hair and scalp, massage it into the affected scalp, leave it for three to five minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Keep it out of your eyes. If it gets in, rinse with water.

It helps control the yeast that contributes to this condition. Mild burning, irritation or a change in hair texture can occur. Stop and contact us if irritation is significant or a new rash develops. Swelling of the lips or tongue or trouble breathing means call 911. We’ll review the scalp after four weeks. If it works but flaking returns, we can agree on occasional maintenance use rather than repeatedly starting full courses. Tell us sooner about a painful scalp, pus or patchy hair loss.

For tinea versicolor, the yeast-related patches on your skin, apply ketoconazole 2% shampoo once to the damp affected skin and a little beyond it. Lather, leave it for five minutes, then rinse well. This is a skin treatment with a one-application schedule, not the repeated scalp schedule. Skin color may take weeks to months to even out after the yeast is controlled.

Keep it out of your eyes and rinse with water if contact occurs. Mild irritation can happen. Stop and contact us for significant burning or a new rash. Trouble breathing or tongue swelling means call 911. If scaling persists or the diagnosis seems uncertain, come back rather than repeating treatment just because the color hasn’t returned.

To help prevent future mood episodes, especially depression, we’re starting lamotrigine; it doesn’t treat a current episode. The dose rises slowly to lower the risk of a serious rash: 25 milligrams daily for two weeks, 50 milligrams daily for two weeks, 100 milligrams daily for one week, then 200 milligrams daily. Follow the written schedule exactly. If you miss five or more days, call us before restarting; you may need to start over.

Headache, dizziness, nausea or trouble sleeping can happen. Call the same day about any new rash, before taking another dose. A rash with fever, blisters, peeling, or mouth or eye sores means stop it and go to the emergency department. Fever with swollen glands, or a severe headache and stiff neck, needs same-day care. Call the same day for worsening mood or thoughts of self-harm; if you might act on them, call 911. Tell us before starting or stopping estrogen birth control, and don’t stop lamotrigine suddenly.

Yeztugo helps prevent HIV from sex with injections every six months. On the first day, you receive two injections under the skin and take two 300-milligram tablets. The next day, take two more tablets. After that, each visit involves two injections, usually 26 weeks apart.

Small lumps, soreness or firmness can develop where the injections were given. Lumps can last months or longer. We’ll test for HIV before starting and before repeat injections. Call promptly for flu-like symptoms after an exposure. Contact us early if an appointment may be delayed or you want to stop, so we can keep protection in place. This doesn’t prevent other STIs or replace emergency PEP.

You have pneumonia, an infection in the lungs. Because of your [other health conditions or allergy], we’re using levofloxacin. Take 750 milligrams once a day for 5 days, with or without food. Take it at least 2 hours before or after antacids, sucralfate, iron, zinc or multivitamins. Most people improve within 2 to 3 days; cough can last weeks.

Rarely, it harms tendons, nerves or mood. Stop it and call us the same day for tendon pain or swelling, new numbness or tingling, or changes in mood or thinking. It can make blood sugar run low or high; check it more often if you use diabetes medicine. Call if you aren’t improving after 3 days or have severe watery diarrhea. Go to the emergency department for worsening breathing or new confusion. Call 911 for fainting, sudden severe chest, belly or back pain, severe trouble breathing, or face or tongue swelling.

After sex without birth control or a condom failure, take 1 levonorgestrel 1.5 milligram tablet (Plan B One-Step or a store brand) as soon as possible. It works best within 3 days but may help up to 5 days. Anyone can buy it without a prescription. If you vomit within 3 hours, ask us or a pharmacist about repeating it. It won’t end an existing pregnancy. After 3 days, or at a higher body weight, ella or a copper IUD works better.

It won’t protect you if you have sex again, so start regular birth control now and use condoms or avoid sex for 7 days. Nausea, headache, tiredness or spotting can happen, and your period may come early or late. Take a pregnancy test if it’s more than a week late. Severe lower belly pain or fainting needs emergency care. Seizure medicines, rifampin, efavirenz and St. John’s wort can weaken it. We can also test for sexually transmitted infections.

Your thyroid isn’t making enough hormone, so we’ll replace what is missing with levothyroxine [dose] micrograms every day. Take it with water on an empty stomach, 30 to 60 minutes before breakfast. Keep iron and calcium supplements at least four hours away.

Energy and other symptoms may improve over weeks. We’ll check the thyroid blood test in about six to eight weeks and adjust in small steps. Taking extra won’t safely speed things up. Tell me about a racing heartbeat, shaking or feeling unusually hot. For chest pain or fainting, call 911. Tell us if you change the product, start an acid medicine or use biotin, a supplement often found in hair-and-nail products. If you become pregnant, keep taking your thyroid medicine and contact us promptly because you may need an early dose adjustment.

A lidocaine patch numbs the skin to ease pain in one area. The prescription 5% patch is approved for nerve pain after shingles; other uses are off-label. Apply up to 3 patches to clean, unbroken skin over the painful area: 12 hours on, then 12 hours off. You can cut patches to size before removing the backing. Over-the-counter 4% patches have different limits, so follow the package.

Redness, itching or burning can happen; remove the patch until the skin settles. Don’t put a heating pad or electric blanket over a patch, and wash your hands after handling one. Used patches still contain a lot of medicine: fold them sticky sides together and discard them where children and pets can’t reach. If a child chews one, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or 911. Get emergency care for gray or blue skin, a racing heartbeat or shortness of breath.

Linaclotide draws water into the bowel to soften stool and speed it along, and it can ease IBS belly pain. Take one capsule daily on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes before a meal, at about the same time each day: 290 micrograms for IBS with constipation, or 145 or 72 micrograms for chronic constipation. Swallow it whole, or ask us about mixing it with applesauce. If you miss a dose, skip it. Stools often improve in the first week; pain can take several weeks.

Diarrhea is the most common side effect, usually in the first 2 weeks. Gas or bloating can also happen. Stop it and call us the same day for severe diarrhea, severe or unusual belly pain, or bloody or black stools. Dizziness or fainting with diarrhea means go to the emergency department. Keep it in its original bottle with the drying packet, away from children. Tell us if cost or insurance approval is a problem.

Liraglutide is a daily injection that reduces appetite and helps with weight loss alongside changes in eating and activity. Inject it under the skin once a day, at any time, with or without meals. Start with 0.6 milligrams daily for 1 week, then increase by 0.6 milligrams each week until you reach 3 milligrams daily. If you miss more than 3 days, call us; you’ll restart at the low dose.

Nausea, diarrhea, constipation and vomiting are common. Call the same day if you can’t keep fluids down. Severe belly pain that won’t go away, with or without vomiting, means stop it and go to the emergency department. Call us for upper right belly pain, yellow eyes, or a racing heartbeat at rest. Tell us about medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2 in you or your family, or upcoming anesthesia. Stop it if you become pregnant.

For ADHD, start lisdexamfetamine 30 milligrams once each morning, with or without food. Swallow the capsule whole, or stir all the powder into yogurt, water or orange juice and take it right away. Chew chewable tablets completely. Don’t split a dose. If you forget until the afternoon, skip that day’s dose. We may raise it by 10 or 20 milligrams about weekly, up to 70 milligrams, based on benefit and side effects.

Less appetite, dry mouth, trouble sleeping, anxiety and a faster pulse are common. Tell us if fingers or toes turn pale, blue or painful. Chest pain, fainting or severe shortness of breath means call 911. Call the same day for hallucinations, a major mood change, or very high energy with little sleep. Check with us before starting antidepressants, migraine medicines or tramadol. Keep it locked up and never share it; each fill needs a new prescription. We’ll check your blood pressure, pulse, weight and progress within two weeks.

For binge-eating disorder, we’re adding lisdexamfetamine to eating-focused therapy, which remains the core treatment. Start 30 milligrams once each morning, with or without food. Swallow the capsule whole, or stir all the powder into yogurt, water or orange juice and take it right away. We’ll usually increase by 20 milligrams about once a week toward 50 to 70 milligrams. It isn’t a weight-loss medicine, and we’ll stop it if binge eating doesn’t improve.

Dry mouth, trouble sleeping, less appetite, constipation, feeling jittery and a faster heartbeat are common. Chest pain, fainting or severe shortness of breath means call 911. Call the same day for hallucinations, a major mood change, or very high energy with little sleep. Tell us if you start skipping meals, vomiting or using the medicine to control weight. Keep it locked up and never share it; each fill needs a new prescription. We’ll check your binge days, blood pressure and pulse within two weeks.

As part of your heart-failure plan, start lisinopril 5 milligrams once daily. It reduces strain on the heart. We’ll check blood pressure, kidney function and potassium before increasing it. Some people need a lower starting dose. Continue the other medicines in your agreed heart-failure plan.

A dry cough or dizziness can occur. Don’t add potassium supplements, potassium salt substitutes or ibuprofen without checking. Stop it and call 911 for swelling of the lips or tongue or trouble breathing. Stop it and contact us immediately if pregnancy occurs. Call if vomiting or diarrhea prevents normal drinking, or if breathlessness or swelling is increasing.

I’m starting lisinopril 10 milligrams once a day to lower your blood pressure and reduce the strain on your blood vessels over time. Take it at a time you can remember, with or without food. You may not feel any different when it’s working.

You may feel lightheaded at first, so get up slowly. A dry cough can happen. Tell me if it persists and we can discuss another medicine. If your lips or tongue swell or breathing becomes difficult, stop it and call 911. We’ll check kidney function and potassium in about two weeks and review your home readings. Call the same day if vomiting or diarrhea prevents you from drinking normally. If you become pregnant, stop it and contact us immediately.

Lisinopril was started as part of your heart-attack treatment to improve survival. Continue [prescribed dose] once daily from your discharge list. We’ll check blood pressure, kidney function and potassium and decide with your heart team how long to continue it. Don’t restart the hospital’s first-dose sequence at home.

A dry cough or dizziness may occur. Call if these are troublesome or if vomiting or diarrhea prevents normal drinking. Check before adding potassium, salt substitutes or anti-inflammatory pain medicines. Stop it and call 911 for swelling of the lips or tongue or trouble breathing. If pregnancy occurs, stop it and contact us immediately. New chest pain, fainting or severe breathlessness needs 911.

Lithium helps prevent manic and depressive episodes. Take [dose] at the same times each day; swallow extended-release tablets whole. Blood levels guide your dose. Have them drawn before your morning dose, about 12 hours after the last one, five days after any dose change, then every few months. We’ll check kidney, thyroid and calcium tests too. Don’t double up after a missed dose, and don’t stop or change the dose on your own.

Thirst, passing more urine, a fine hand tremor and weight gain are common. Drink fluids regularly and keep your salt intake steady. For vomiting or diarrhea, hold your dose and call us the same day; call too for fever or heavy sweating. Stop it and call right away for worsening shakiness, unsteadiness, slurred speech, drowsiness or weakness. Confusion, fainting or a seizure means call 911. Check with us before ibuprofen, naproxen, water pills or new blood pressure medicines. If you could become pregnant, let’s plan ahead.

Loperamide slows the gut to reduce loose stools, though it doesn’t treat the cause. For watery diarrhea without blood or fever, take 4 milligrams (two 2-milligram tablets) after the first loose stool, then 2 milligrams after each later one. Don’t take more than 8 milligrams in 24 hours unless we set a different limit. Stop once stools firm up, and keep drinking fluids such as broth or an oral rehydration drink. For IBS with diarrhea, we’ll set your usual dose.

Constipation, bloating or drowsiness can happen. Taking more than directed, or with certain prescription medicines, can cause dangerous heart rhythm problems, so check with us or a pharmacist first. Don’t use it for bloody or black stools, fever, or diarrhea after antibiotics; call us instead. Stop it and call the same day if diarrhea lasts more than 2 days or worsens, your belly swells, or you’re dizzy and barely urinating. Fainting or a racing or irregular heartbeat means call 911.

For this short period of severe anxiety, we’ve agreed on lorazepam 0.5 milligrams up to twice a day only if needed, through [stop or review date]. This is a temporary part of the plan while we address the cause and arrange the longer-term treatment.

It can make you sleepy, unsteady or less alert. Don’t drive, drink alcohol or combine it with opioids or other sedatives unless we have specifically planned that combination. Keep it secure and don’t share it. Hold the next dose and call the same day if you become unusually agitated, confused or excessively sleepy. If someone is hard to wake or breathing slowly, call 911. Regular use can cause physical dependence. Don’t abruptly stop after taking it regularly, because withdrawal can cause seizures. We’ll review how often you used it and whether it helped before any extension.

Because diabetes and high blood pressure are affecting your kidneys, we’re using losartan to lower pressure and help slow kidney damage. Start 50 milligrams once daily. We’ll check kidney function and potassium and may increase it if your blood pressure and results allow.

You may feel lightheaded, especially when dehydrated. Check before taking potassium supplements, potassium salt substitutes or anti-inflammatory pain medicines such as ibuprofen. Call for advice if vomiting or diarrhea prevents normal drinking. Stop it and contact us immediately if pregnancy occurs. Trouble breathing or swelling of the tongue means call 911.