If your doctor has prescribed any type of medication, you need to understand its possible side effects, as well as your exact dose. This is to ensure you know what to expect from the medication, and also know when to revisit the doctor in case of an adverse reaction or if you make a mistake when taking your medication. Note a few such mistakes that many people make when taking prescription medication so you can avoid these yourself, or know to give your doctor a call and ensure you're not putting your health in jeopardy:

Doubling up on medication, or cutting your dosage

Don't assume that taking more medication than what has been prescribed is going to help you recover from an illness faster, or somehow "cure" an illness; increasing your medication without asking your doctor can actually be very dangerous, if not downright deadly. Your body typically needs to break down medicines and excrete excess chemicals before you take more of that same medicine, or this could lead to a toxicity in your body and damage to organs.

Also, cutting your dosage is not recommended, as medications may need to build up in your system to be effective, or a low dose of a medicine may be ineffective for treating your condition. Always take medication as prescribed, without fail, to avoid any health risks.

Improper storage

Storing your medicines improperly can allow the chemicals from which they're made to break down and become ineffective, or dangerous. Note if certain medications need to be kept out of the sun or in a cool place, or if refrigerating them might interfere with their potency.

Removing labels

It's never good to remove labels from bottles, as you may easily forget the dosage of a medication or mix up those bottles and pills. Also, if you have a medical emergency, first responders will need to know what medicines you're taking. If you don't want anyone in the home to know the medicines you're taking, keep the bottles out of sight, but never remove their labels.

Struggling to take the meds

If you have a hard time swallowing pills or find that a bitter taste to a medicine causes you to avoid taking it, talk to your doctor. He or she may recommend a compounding pharmacy, which can make the medication in a different form or otherwise create a medication specifically for you. This will ensure you get the medicine you need without worrying about choking, potentially spitting out the medication, or avoiding your dose because it's distasteful or difficult to swallow.

For more information, contact local compounding services!