How to keep a medication list for appointments and emergencies
What to write down for each medicine and allergy, why generic names travel better than brand names, and a routine that keeps the list current.
“What medicines are you taking?” is one of the first questions at any appointment, pharmacy counter or emergency department — and one of the hardest to answer from memory, especially for a family member. A short, up-to-date list answers it in seconds.
Why a written list helps
- Memory is unreliable under stress. Exact names and strengths are easy to forget, particularly in an emergency or when you're unwell.
- Different professionals see different parts of the picture. A specialist, your family doctor, a walk-in clinic and your pharmacy may each know only some of what you take.
- Over-the-counter products count too. Pain relievers, antacids, vitamins and herbal supplements are easy to leave out, but health professionals usually want to know about them.
- Past medicines matter. What you've tried before, and why you stopped, is useful history.
What to write down for each medicine
- The name
- The generic name — the active ingredient, such as “atorvastatin” — is printed on the box and the pharmacy label, often under or beside the brand name. It's the same in most countries, while brand names differ, so it's the most useful name to record. Add the brand name too if that's how you know it.
- Strength and form
- For example “20 mg tablet” or “100 mcg inhaler”. The same medicine often comes in several strengths.
- How you take it
- In your own words, as on the label: “1 tablet once a day in the evening”, “2 puffs when needed”.
- When you started — and stopped
- Approximate dates are fine. Keep stopped medicines on the list as past medicines rather than deleting them.
- What it's for and who prescribed it
- Helpful when several clinicians are involved, and when you have questions about a refill.
Allergies and intolerances
Keep these on a separate list, because they're often the first thing asked before a new medicine is prescribed. For each one, note:
- What you react to — a medicine, a food, latex, an insect sting.
- Whether it's an allergy or an intolerance, if you know. Intolerances (for example, an upset stomach from a medicine) are worth recording too.
- What happened — a rash, swelling, difficulty breathing — and roughly when.
If you're not sure whether a past reaction was an allergy, write down what happened and ask a health professional; don't guess.
Keeping it current
- Update the list the same day something changes — a new prescription, a dose change, a medicine stopped.
- Review it before every appointment.
- Bring it (or have it on your phone) to appointments, the pharmacy and hospital visits.
- If you look after a family member's medicines, keep a separate list for them.
Paper, phone or app?
A card in your wallet is always there, but it's easy to let it go out of date. A note on your phone is easy to update, but it isn't private if your notes sync to a service that can read them. A dedicated app can keep the list alongside your results; before choosing one, check who can read what you store — a medicine list says a lot about your health. Our guide Why your health records should be end-to-end encrypted explains what to look for.
How SECURECORDS does it
SECURECORDS keeps your medication list (current and past) and your allergies and intolerances, encrypted on your device like the rest of your records — free on every plan. Start typing a medicine and pick its generic name from the list, or type any name yourself. If you like, tick off doses at the times you set, or with a “Took one now” button for as-needed medicines. Each medicine appears on your result charts from the day you started to the day you stopped, and Plus and Pro PDF reports include both lists, ready to bring to an appointment or send as an encrypted link. For emergencies, the free emergency card puts your allergies, medicines and contacts on a wallet card you can print, or behind a QR code on your phone that works for 24 hours.
It keeps your list — it doesn't send reminders, check doses or interactions, or suggest a medicine caused a change in your results. Questions about your medicines are best answered by your pharmacist or doctor.