October Wellness: Talk About Your Medicines Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month
“Why do we need to talk about the medicines and supplements we are taking? As we get older, we may face more health problems, and we may take more and more medications to treat these conditions. If we are not careful, we may end up with adverse reactions to our prescription drugs or harmful interactions between the drugs and /or supplements we take. For all those reasons, the National Council on Patient Information and Education has designated October as National Talk About Your Medicines Month” (Source: Talk About Your Medicines Month).
Ten Questions to Ask About the Medicines You Take:
- What’s the name of the medication, and what is it for?
- How and when do I take it, and for how long?
- What side effects should I expect, and what should I do about them?
- Should I take this medicine on an empty stomach or with food?
- Should I avoid any activities, foods, drinks, alcohol, or other medicines while taking this prescription?
- Is it best to take it in the morning or at night?
- Will this medicine work safely with my other medications, including other prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and other supplements?
- When should I expect the medicine to begin to work, and how will I know if it’s working?
- How should I store it?
- Is there any additional information I should know about this medicine?
(Source: Talk About Your Medicines to Make Sense of Your Meds)
Another aspect of discussing medications is making sure you are not holding onto expired or unused medications in your home. Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to potential accidental poisoning, misuse, and overdose. Proper disposal or unused drugs saves lives and protects the environment.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
This October 18th, wear pink to support Breast Cancer Awareness month. Send in photos of co-workers, family, or friends participating in the event to hcwellness@tompkins-co.org. Awareness brings the reminder to have routine preventive health screenings as prescribed by your primary care provider. Breast cancer affects one in eight women in the United States every year and 2.3 million women worldwide. In addition, about 2,700 American men this year expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer.
October can feel different for each of us—some wear pink to celebrate, some quietly observe the month, some feel grief, and some feel unseen or misunderstood. We want to normalize it all. Don your pink on October 18th to bring attention to breast cancer awareness.
Additional Resources
How to Read Prescription Drug Labels- Whenever you are prescribed a medication, you should read and follow the information in the medication’s “label” in order to ensure your safety.
Where and How to Dispose of Unused Medicines- Is your medicine cabinet full of expired drugs or mediations you no longer use? Your medicine is for you. What’s safe for you might be harmful for someone else. Learn more for this video and article.
Rebirth & Renewal: Natalie’s Journey Through Breast Cancer- Breast cancer is more than a diagnosis. It’s a life-altering event for the patient and their loved ones. Read Natalie’s story of resilience and renewal.
Upcoming Events
October 15th at Noon- Medication Safety Virtual Education Session- learn how to handle unused or expired medications and why to not keep them in your home, presented by Cayuga Medical Center. Register by emailing hcwellness@tompkins-co.org to be sent the link.
October 18th- Wear It Pink 2024- Wear pink today to show your support for Breast Cancer Awareness. Send photos of co-workers, family, or friends participating in the event to hcwellness@tompkins-co.org.
November 13th at Noon- Diabetes and Prediabetes Virtual Education Session- learn about the early signs of diabetes, diabetes prevention, and how to care for yourself or a loved one once diagnosed with diabetes. Presented by Jennifer Hatch, RN, CDE, Care Coordinator, Diabetes & Endocrinology from Cayuga Medical Center. To register email hcwellness@tompkins-co.org to be sent the link.
November 4th until January 3rd- Maintain Don’t Gain Wellness Challenge- This holiday season coming up consider giving yourself the gift of eating smart and staying active. Register by emailing hcwellness@tompkins-co.org and receive weekly emails full of tips and tricks for surviving the holiday season. All participants will be entered to win a NYS Empire Pass, $100 Wegman’s gift card, or $100 gift card to a spa of your choice. Registration Due by November 11th.
December- MD Live Virtual Class- December 5th at 12pm via Zoom. Need an appointment outside of work hours or on weekends? Join the class to learn how to set up your free MDLive account. To register email hcwellness@tompkins-co.org to be sent the link.
Dive deeper into your wellness journey by following our Facebook page, GTC Municipal Health Consortium for more wellness information throughout the year.