North East London NHS Foundation Trust
Goodmayes Hospital, Barley lane, Ilford, IG3 8XJ
http://www.nelft.nhs.uk/

Chief Pharmacist: Heather Walker
Heather.walker@nelft.nhs.uk

Commonly asked questions about prescribed psychiatric medication

There are many questions you may have. We have tried to answer most of the common ones for each of the conditions and for each of the medicines. Not all of the questions have been answered yet for all the medicines and conditions but we're working on it as fast as we can. Look up the question for the medicine or condition you're interested in. We're also keen to hear of any other questions you want answers to as well, so please let us know.

For conditions and symptoms:

• What is the condition?

• What are the symptoms?

• Does anything else have the same symptoms?

• What are the risks of having the condition?

• What are the alternatives for helping treat the symptoms?

• What are the main medicine treatments?

• I'm worried about taking medicines. Aren’t talking therapies better?

• If the medication is working, how long will I need to keep taking it?

• If medicine isn't working, how long before a change is considered?

• How many medicines should I be taking?

• Are there any guidelines available?

• Where can I get further information?

For medicines:

• What is this medicine used for?

• What is the dose of the medicine?

• How does this medicine work?

• How should I take this medicine?

• When should I take this medicine?

• How long will this medicine take to work?

• How long will this medicine need to be taken for?

• Is this medicine addictive?

• Can I stop taking this medicine suddenly?

• What should I do if I forget to take this medicine?

• What sort of side-effects might occur with this medicine?

• Will this medicine make me drowsy?

• Will this medicine cause me to put on weight?

• Will this medicine affect my sex life?

• Can I drink alcohol while I am taking this medicine?

• Are there any foods or drinks that should be avoided with this medicine?

• Will this medicine affect my other medication?

• Can I smoke while taking this medicine?

• And what about illicit drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy and opiates?

• If I am on the contraceptive pill, how will this medicine be affected?

• What if I want to start a family or discover I’m pregnant when taking this medicine?

• Will the morning after pill work?

• Will it affect my periods (menstrual cycle)?

• Can I breast feed while I am taking this medicine?

• Will I need blood tests with this medicine?

• Can I drive while I am taking this medicine?

• What are the alternatives to this medicine?

• Why is this medication being considered over other alternatives?

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