To prescribe a medication

When a doctor examens you and determines you need a specific medicine. He will write out the medication that you need on a piece of paper that you then take to the pharmacy.

“The doctor prescribed some stronger medicine for my grandmother since she is still in pain.”

prescription

A written order from the doctor that lets the patient obtain a certain medicine at the pharmacy.

“My wife has a prescription for a drug that helps her with joint pain.”

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To get a prescription filled

When you go to the pharmacy to get your medicine it is called getting your prescription filled.

“The doctor just prescribed me a new medicine. I’m going to the pharmacy to get it filled.”

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To overdose

To take too much of a certain medicine which leads to negative effects.

“Don’t take three of those pills. You could overdose and die.”

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To pick up your prescription

The act of going to the pharmacy to get your medicine.

“I’m going to pick up my prescription tomorrow.”

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Side effects

The effects of the medicine that are not what the medicine was made to do. Some common side effects of drugs are tiredness or a feeling of nausea.

“The side effects of this particular drug are that it causes tiredness.”

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Over-the-Counter

A drug or medicine that can be bought without a prescription from a doctor.

“You don’t need to get a prescription for aspirin. You can buy it over-the-counter. ”

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To make you drowsy

To cause a feeling of tiredness.

“I can’t drive after taking these pills. They make me drowsy.”

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A dose

The amount of the medicine a patient should take.

“She only has one dose of her medicine left.”

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generic drug

A drug that is put out by a company that makes it cheaper than the original.

“They now have a generic version of the allergy medicine that I take. It should be a lot cheaper.”

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sedative

A drug that makes you calm of tired.

“He is not going to sleep after the operation unless you give him a sedative.”

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antidepressant

A medicine that improves your mood and makes you less sad and depressed.

“His girlfriend takes a strong antidepressant to help with her depression. It seems to work.”

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Active ingredients

These are the ingredients that cause the desired effect of the product. They can be man made or natural substances. Most products contain several different ingredients. The “active ingredients” are the reason a consumer would buy the product.

“What are the active ingredients in that cough medicine?”

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