Your doctor's phone number should be kept handy in case there is any confusion at your pharmacy. Personally, I keep my doctor's phone number in my wallet at all times.

Always check your medication bottle at the pharmacy to ensure you got the correct medication and correct dosage.

Generic switching from brand name medication may occur if you don't say otherwise. Technically, generic and brand name medications are supposed to be chemically the same medications, and the generics tend to be much less expensive. However, some people notice a difference and have a preference (perhaps a matter of quality control or maybe individual psychology). Either way, you should state your preference every time you visit the pharmacy.

Refills remaining are important to check and keep in mind. When on your last refill, remember that prescription renewals may take a few days by phone, or even a month or more if a doctor appointment is required.

Refill expiration date sometimes expires before you've used all your refills. This can be a shock when you think you have refills remaining, but don't (according to the little date on the bottle). If your refills are about to expire, have your prescription renewed.

If necessary, be assertive. Generally, pharmacists do care about your health and things usually go well. However, unexpected complications sometimes happen. If refused medication, first calmly discuss the matter with your pharmacist to understand why you have been refused. Sometimes this is simply a misunderstanding that can quickly be resolved with a phone call to your doctor. If complications still persist, explain the severe symptoms that will result without your medication. If your pharmacist remains unsympathetic, ask for a pen and paper to write down the name of the pharmacist and their supervisor. This last step is somewhat confrontational, but can sometimes result in improved cooperation (I know this from experience).

Changing pharmacies can get complicated. Laws or policies sometimes limit the number of times you can change pharmacies; sometimes only once before being forced to renew your prescription. This is done to prevent abuse, but can also cause problems for responsible patients.

Store medications properly. Excessive heat, light or humidity is often bad for medications. Try to keep them in a cool place, out of direct sunlight, and don't leave the bottle open. Also take care to ensure that children or other persons do not have improper access to your medication.

Hoarding medications can backfire. Medications have limited lifetimes and should not be used beyond a certain time. Nonetheless, the complications experienced by even the most responsible patients encourage keeping a reasonable backup supply. Rather than set aside some pills for a year or more, it's better to use your pills in the order you receive them and refill your prescription a week or so in advance, using your medications before they go bad.

Generic price matching policies are offered by some pharmacies. In other words, if another pharmacy offers a better price for a generic medication, your pharmacy may have a policy to match that price. It's important to check on this as individual pharmacies can significantly raise the price they charge for generic medications and you might be paying more than necessary.

Free medication is sometimes available to people in difficult economic circumstances. Ask your doctor about this and search the Web for free medication programs sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry.