Polypharmacy: when 'just one more pill' quietly becomes a problem

There's no magic number, but once a list passes five regular medicines, the interactions and the admin start to add up. That's when a proper review pays off.

More isn't always more

Medicines added over years by different prescribers can quietly duplicate, clash, or treat the side effects of each other. Nobody set out to over-prescribe — it just accretes.

Signs it's time

New dizziness or falls, a foggy head, a drawer of half-used boxes, or simply not being sure why you take something. These are all good reasons to ask.

What a Home Medicines Review does

An accredited pharmacist sits down with your full list — often at your kitchen table — and writes to your GP with what can be simplified, stopped, or timed better. We run these regularly; just ask.

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