I've taken the wrong tablet: what should I do now?

What to do in the first few minutes after taking the wrong tablet, who to call and how to stop it happening again.

If you realise you have taken the wrong tablet, the first thing is to stay calm and ask for advice as soon as possible, with the medicine box in front of you. Many mix ups have no consequences, but only a professional can judge that according to the medicine, the dose and your situation.

We explain what to do in the first few minutes, who to call in each case and how to organise yourself so it does not happen again.

What should you do as soon as you realise?

Gather the information and call. Knowing exactly what you took, how much and when is what allows a professional to tell you whether you need to do something or just keep an eye on things.

1. Identify the medicine: find the box or blister pack and have the name and strength to hand (for example, 10 mg).
2. Work out how much and when: how many tablets and roughly what time.
3. Remember what you usually take: your medication list is very useful at this point.
4. Call for advice (we explain who below).
5. Do not drive until you know whether the medicine could affect you.

In the meantime, do not try to make yourself sick or take anything to "counteract" it on your own, and do not take another tablet to compensate.

Who should you call?

It depends on how you feel. If you have severe symptoms, call 112. If you feel well but have doubts, the National Poison Information Service, your pharmacy or your health centre can tell you what to do.

The National Poison Information Service, part of Spain's National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, answers phone enquiries about poisoning from all over Spain, staffed by doctors, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Have the medicine box in front of you when you call.

Which mistakes are the most common?

Most mix ups with your own medication fall into a few types, and knowing them helps prevent them. In every case, what matters is not to improvise with the next dose.

• Taking the same dose twice because you cannot remember whether you had already taken it. We explain this in what to do if a tablet has been taken twice.
• Taking one time of day's tablet at another, for example the night tablet in the morning.
• Mixing up two similar boxes, which often happens when the pharmacy switches a medicine for one with a different name or packaging. Read why your tablet has been switched for one with another name.
• Taking another household member's medicine by mistake.

Some medicines need particular care if there is a mistake, such as anticoagulants, insulin and other diabetes medicines, heart medicines or medicines that cause drowsiness. If you take any of them, always ask for advice even if you feel well.

How can you stop it happening again?

Mistakes tend to recur when the organisation system fails, not because of personal carelessness. Reviewing how you store and prepare your medication is the most effective way to prevent them.

• Read the label every time you take a medicine, rather than relying on memory alone, as MedlinePlus advises.
• Keep an up to date list of what you take, with doses and times.
• Use a pill organiser or, better still, medication prepared by dose, so you do not take tablets from several boxes each time.
• Keep your medication separate from other people's at home and take your tablets in good light.
• If the mistake caused you any effect, you can report it on notificaRAM.es: the AEMPS also collects harm caused by medication errors.

A practical example: Andrés, 61, and the night time tablet

Let us take the case of Andrés, 61, a sales representative who takes a blood pressure tablet in the morning and another at night that helps him sleep. One Monday, in a hurry, he takes the night tablet at breakfast; the boxes look similar.

• He notices when putting the box away and decides not to drive to work.
• He calls the National Poison Information Service with the box in front of him and explains what he took, how much and when.
• He follows the advice he is given and asks his pharmacy what to do about that day's blood pressure tablet and the night tablet.
• That week he stores the two boxes in different places and starts using a pill organiser with morning and night compartments.

Andrés acted quickly, without improvising, and used the scare to change how he organises himself. Remember that driving on some medicines is dangerous: more information in driving and medicines.

How can IMA Health help you?

When your medication arrives already prepared by day and time, you do not have to choose between similar boxes at every dose. At IMA Health we coordinate with a specialised pharmacy that prepares your medication in a personalised dosage system, we deliver it to your home and we provide personalised follow-up of your treatment changes.

Sources

• Spanish Ministry of Justice: National Poison Information Service (INTCF) (in Spanish)
• AEMPS: Electronic reporting of suspected adverse reactions by citizens (notificaRAM) (in Spanish)
• MedlinePlus: Medication errors (in Spanish)

This article is for information only and does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist.