At Focus Express Mail Pharmacy, we are asked many questions everyday, by our patients, regarding their medications. Our pharmacists answer questions regarding dosing, interactions, side effects, and more. We will try, on a weekly basis, to share some of those questions with you that we feel are most interesting, informative, and educational.
Overwhelmingly the most questions that we get involve dosing. Below are some common questions and their answers. Glad we can help!
What does twice daily mean?
A: Take your dose twice during the 24-hour day, which means every 12 hours. For example, take one dose at 7 a.m. and one dose at 7 p.m.
What does three times a day mean?
A: Take your dose three times during the 24-hour day, which means every eight hours. For example, take one dose at 7 a.m., another at 3 p.m., and the last at 11 p.m. (or at bedtime, if you go to sleep before 11 p.m.).
What exactly does four times a day mean?
A: Take your dose four times during during your waking hours, about six hours apart.
What does two tablets daily mean?
A: Take two tablets at the same time once a day.
What does two tablets twice daily mean?
A: Take two tablets every 12 hours, for a total of four tablets each day.
What does the medicine label mean when it says to take at bedtime?
A: It usually means take it 30 minutes to one hour before bedtime.
What does take with food mean?
A: It means to take the dose during the meal or right after eating a meal.
What does take on an empty stomach mean?
A: It usually means to take the dose at least one hour before or two to three hours after eating.
Sources:
Mayo Clinic Family Health Book. William Morrow & Co., 1996.
Applied Therapeutics: The Clinical Use of Drugs. Applied Therapeutics, 1995.
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