Health & Medications

Taking Many Medicines: Your List and Brown Bag Review Guide

By Priya Lindqvist / November 11, 2026

An older person sorting tablets into a weekly pill organizer at a table.

If you take several medicines, the single most useful thing you can do is keep one complete, up-to-date list and bring it, or the medicines themselves, to your appointments. Federal health agencies agree on this advice. A good list helps your doctor and pharmacist spot doubled-up medicines, harmful combinations and prescriptions that may no longer be needed. This guide shows what to write down, how to gather everything for a “brown bag” review (a visit where you bring your medicines in a bag), and which questions to ask. It uses the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), MedlinePlus from the National Library of Medicine, and published research hosted by the National Institutes of Health.

Key takeaways

Your list should include prescriptions, over-the-counter products, vitamins, supplements and herbal products, not only pills from your doctor.
MedlinePlus says taking five or more medicines, or getting them from more than one provider, raises the chance of side effects and interactions.
Update the list whenever a medicine is started, changed or stopped, and carry a current copy.
Ask at every review whether you still need each medicine. Do not stop any of them on your own.
Some medicines are flagged as “potentially inappropriate” for many older adults. Your doctor or pharmacist can check yours against that list.

Why a list matters when you take several medicines

MedlinePlus calls taking many medicines at once “polypharmacy.” Its page on taking multiple medicines safely explains four problems. More medicines mean more chances for side effects, and some medicines raise the risk of falls. One medicine can change how another works, sometimes making it stronger. It is easy to lose track of what you have taken and when. And seeing several providers, or getting different prescriptions for the same problem, can leave you taking something you do not need.

MedlinePlus lists who is at higher risk: people prescribed five or more medicines, people whose medicines come from more than one provider so that no one has the whole picture, and older adults, whose kidneys may clear medicines more slowly so that levels can build up. People in the hospital are also at risk, because the staff do not know their history.

The FDA adds that aging changes how medicines act. Digestion, body weight and circulation can all change, and the liver and kidneys may process medicines more slowly. Because older adults often take more medicines, these changes add up.

What to put on your medicine list

The FDA’s consumer update on medication lists says to include every prescription medicine, over-the-counter drug, vitamin and supplement you use. For each one, write the name, the strength, the condition it treats, and when, how and how much you take. The FDA also suggests adding your allergies, medical conditions and emergency contacts on the same page. You can use paper, a phone app, a printable form such as the FDA’s My Medicines form, or a template from your provider.

What to record	Example of what to write	Why it helps
Name and strength	The name on the label and the number of milligrams	Lets a pharmacist check for the same ingredient twice
Why you take it	“For blood pressure” or “for joint pain”	Helps a new provider see what each medicine is for, and which may be unnecessary
How and when	Number of tablets, time of day, with or without food	Shows whether your routine matches the directions
Over-the-counter items	Pain relievers, antacids, cold medicines, laxatives, eye drops, creams	The FDA says every product counts, not only prescriptions
Vitamins and supplements	Each vitamin, herbal or other supplement by name and dose	MedlinePlus says supplements and herbals belong on the list too
Allergies and conditions	Past reactions to medicines, ongoing health problems	Some medicines are risky with certain conditions
Prescriber and pharmacy	Names of each doctor and your pharmacy	Shows who needs to hear about any change

Keep it current and carry it

The FDA says to review your list often and revise it whenever there is a new prescription, a different dose, or a medicine you have stopped. It also says to carry a current copy at all times. That can be a photo on your phone, an app, or a printed page kept with your health insurance card. MedlinePlus suggests one copy in your wallet and one at home, and a copy for every provider.

Give a copy to a trusted relative, friend or caregiver as well. The FDA notes that in an emergency, a list helps first responders and hospital staff decide which medicines to continue.

What a brown bag review looks like

“Brown bag review” is a common name for a visit where you bring in all your medicines, not an official government term. The FDA and MedlinePlus pages do not use the phrase, but they give the same advice: share every product you use with your providers and pharmacist. Bringing the actual bottles lets them see what you really take, including old bottles, items from other doctors, and products you may not think of as medicine.

A pharmacist is often a good person to ask. The FDA says pharmacists can explain how and when to take medicines, what side effects to expect, and possible interactions, in person or by phone. If you use one pharmacy and share everything you take, the pharmacist can check for harmful combinations.

How to prepare, step by step

Gather every medicine you use: prescription bottles, over-the-counter products, vitamins, supplements, herbals, eye drops, patches, creams and inhalers.
Put them in a bag or box, or photograph the labels if carrying them is hard.
Write or update your list so it matches what you actually take each day, not just what was prescribed.
Note any side effects, new symptoms or mood changes since your last visit. The FDA says new symptoms are not always due to aging and may come from a medicine.
Write down your questions in advance. The FDA suggests this for every appointment.
Consider asking a friend or relative to come along to help you remember the answers.
Tell the provider about trouble swallowing pills, remembering doses, or opening bottles, so simpler options can be considered.
Leave with a written schedule. The FDA suggests asking for a complete one, and asking how it should change if you see more than one doctor.

Questions to ask about duplicates and interactions

Using the FDA and MedlinePlus lists of suggested questions, these are useful at a review:

What is each medicine for, and do I still need it?
Could any two of my medicines, including over-the-counter ones, do the same job or share the same ingredient?
Is each medicine safe together with my other prescriptions, over-the-counter products and supplements?
Does any medicine interact with a health condition I have?
Are there foods, drinks, alcohol or activities I should avoid?
What side effects should I watch for, and when should I call?
Are blood tests or other monitoring needed?
What should I do if I miss a dose?
Is there a cheaper or simpler option?

Four kinds of interaction to know

The FDA describes four types. A drug-drug interaction happens when two medicines affect each other. Its example is aspirin with a prescription blood thinner such as warfarin, which should be avoided unless a clinician approves it. A drug-condition interaction happens when an illness makes a medicine risky; its example is a nasal decongestant for someone with high blood pressure or asthma. A drug-food interaction changes how a medicine is absorbed, and MedlinePlus notes that warfarin and vitamin K-rich foods such as kale are one example. A drug-alcohol interaction can cause drowsiness or slowed reactions.

Over-the-counter products and supplements need to be on the list

MedlinePlus advises extra care with over-the-counter medicines for older adults, and says to check with a provider first if you take prescription medicines or have a long-term condition. Several practical points come from its page on over-the-counter medicines:

Read the active ingredients. Many brand names contain the same drug, for example in several cough and cold products. Taking two products with the same ingredient can overdo it.
The page gives a daily maximum for acetaminophen of 3 grams (3,000 milligrams). Combining products that both contain it can push you past safe limits.
Talk to a provider before using aspirin or ibuprofen-type pain relievers (NSAIDs) if you take blood thinners or have had ulcers.
Ask first about decongestants if you have high blood pressure or prostate problems.
Prefer products with fewer ingredients, and check the expiration date.

MedlinePlus also lists vitamins, supplements and herbal products as part of the list to share, because they can interact with prescriptions just as prescribed drugs can.

Medicines that can be riskier as you get older

Doctors and pharmacists often use a reference called the Beers Criteria, published by the American Geriatrics Society. A 2026 study in BMC Geriatrics describes the 2023 version as covering five groups: drugs generally to avoid in older adults, drugs to avoid with certain diseases, drugs to use with caution, high-risk drug combinations, and drugs that need a different dose or should be avoided depending on kidney function. A 2020 study in PLoS One describes the criteria as a list of medicines older adults should generally avoid because of high risk of harm or little benefit.

The list is a prompt for a conversation, not a rule for you to follow alone. The PLoS One study found about 54 percent of its 300 Swiss adults aged 70 and older had at least one potentially inappropriate medicine, and the authors said patients may not know it. In the same study, between roughly 74 and 80 percent of participants said they were willing to have one or more medicines deprescribed, which means reduced or stopped under a clinician’s guidance.

One example from MedlinePlus: sleep medicines such as zolpidem, zaleplon, eszopiclone and benzodiazepines should be used only as recommended and for a short time. With long-term use they can cause confusion, delirium and falls. MedlinePlus adds that most health experts do not recommend sleep-causing antihistamines for older adults. It also lists NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen as pain relievers that can worsen heart failure symptoms. Do not stop any of these on your own. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether any medicine on your list needs a second look.

Frequently asked questions

Should I bring my actual medicine bottles or just a list?

Either helps, and both is best. The list shows what you intend to take. The bottles show what is in your home. The FDA and MedlinePlus both stress sharing every product, including over-the-counter items and supplements.

How often should I review my medicines?

MedlinePlus says to review your list with your providers and pharmacist at each appointment. Update your own copy whenever something changes. Ask your doctor how often a full review makes sense for you.

Can I stop a medicine I think I no longer need?

No, not on your own. The FDA and MedlinePlus both say to talk to your provider first. Stopping suddenly may cause problems, and you may need a different dose or drug instead.

Do vitamins and herbal products really matter?

Yes. MedlinePlus says supplements and herbals can interact with prescriptions, and the FDA includes them in the list of everything to track. Tell your pharmacist about them too.

Before you decide

You do not need to change a single medicine to benefit from this. Start by making the list, gathering everything in one place, and asking your doctor or pharmacist to go through it with you. Write down their answers. Any decision to stop, reduce or switch a medicine belongs to you and your prescriber together.