Free Home Healthcare
By Margarida Godinho, Nurse at Lxiscare.
Managing medication is one of the most delicate parts of caring for an older person, and also one of the most surrounded by misinformation. We’ve gathered some of the most common myths about medication, based on information from INFARMED (Portugal’s National Authority of Medicines and Health Products), along with the facts that contradict them.
Myth: “If I already feel better, I can stop the medication”
Many long-term treatments, for high blood pressure, diabetes or cholesterol, for example, only work with continuous use. Feeling better is often the effect of the treatment itself, not a sign that the underlying condition has gone away. Stopping medication without medical guidance can undo months of treatment and make the condition worse.
Myth: “Generic medicines are less effective than brand-name ones”
A generic medicine has the same active substance, in the same dose and pharmaceutical form, and meets the same quality, safety and efficacy criteria required by INFARMED before approval. The main difference is the price. More detail on generics is available in INFARMED’s FAQ (in Portuguese).
Myth: “A natural product is never harmful”
Supplements and plant-based products aren’t risk-free: they can interact with prescribed medication, cause unwanted effects, or in some cases contain substances unsuitable for people with cardiovascular disease or other conditions. Any supplement should be mentioned to the doctor or pharmacist, especially when the person is already taking other medication.
Myth: “I can store all medications together, in the same place”
Each medicine has its own storage requirements, listed on the packaging: temperature, light, humidity. INFARMED recommends keeping medication out of children’s reach and away from excess heat and humidity, and never mixing packaging or removing the leaflet. More practical guidance is available in INFARMED’s Medicines at Home document (in Portuguese).
Myth: “If I miss a dose, I double the next one”
Doubling a dose to make up for a missed one can be dangerous, especially with medicines that have a narrow safety margin, like anticoagulants or diabetes medication. The right approach depends on the medicine and how much time has passed, and should always be confirmed with a doctor or pharmacist rather than decided alone.
How Lxiscare manages medication for our clients
At Lxiscare, medication management is a daily task carried out by our home caregivers: organising schedules, confirming doses are taken, and communicating immediately with the family or doctor whenever something doesn’t go as planned. This task is coordinated with the rest of the health care provided at home, more on our Home Healthcare page.
Have questions about managing medication for a family member, especially if you’re coordinating from abroad? Contact Lxiscare and talk to our team.