What to ask your pharmacist

Verifying the medicine

• Can you confirm this is the genuine licensed product (brand name)?
• Can I see the batch number and expiry on the box and the pen?
• Is the PIL inside the box, and in English?
• Is the tamper-evident seal intact?
• If anything about the packaging looks unusual, who do we report it to together?

Storage

• Does this need refrigeration before first use?
• How long can it stay at room temperature once in use?
• What temperature range is the in-use limit?
• What do I do if it's been outside the fridge for longer than the limit?
• If I'm travelling, what's the practical advice for keeping it cool?

Dosing and administration

• Can you walk me through how to use this pen?
• Where on my body should I inject? Should I rotate sites?
• What time of day should I take it, and is there a best day of the week to use weekly products?
• What do I do if I miss a dose?
• What do I do if I accidentally take two doses too close together?
• How many doses are in each pen and how long should it last me?

Interactions

• I'm also taking [list of medicines and supplements] — are there any interactions I should know about?
• Does this affect contraceptive absorption? (Especially for Mounjaro.)
• Are there any OTC products (painkillers, antacids, vitamins) I should avoid?
• Can I drink alcohol on this? In what amounts?
• Any food I should avoid or focus on?

Side effects

• What are the common side effects to expect?
• When in the dose cycle do side effects peak?
• Is there anything I can take or do to help with nausea or constipation?
• What side effects mean I should contact someone urgently?
• How do I report side effects on Yellow Card?

What to watch for

• What symptoms mean I should stop the medicine immediately?
• What symptoms mean I should call 111 or 999?
• What's the route to contact you (or another pharmacist) out of hours?

Sharps and disposal

• Do I need a sharps bin? Where do I get one?
• How and where do I dispose of a used pen?
• Can I bring used pens back to the pharmacy?

If you bought online and are unsure

You can take a pen and packaging to a UK community pharmacy and ask them to check it. Most pharmacists will engage seriously with this — they don’t want patients on counterfeit medicines either. If they identify it as suspect, they can help you report it.

Printable version

Use Ctrl+P (or Cmd+P) to print this page directly. The headings and bullets are designed to be readable on paper as a one-page checklist.