A good medication list names every prescription, over-the-counter medicine, vitamin and supplement you take, with the strength, how much, how often and why. Add your allergies and who prescribed each one, update it whenever something changes and keep a copy where you or someone helping you can reach it quickly.

Doctors and pharmacists can only check what they know about. A list saves you from remembering strengths on the spot, and it matters most when you are unwell, seeing someone new or being asked by a hospital what you take.

What to put on your list

For each medicine or supplement, write down:

  • Name: the brand or generic name as printed on the box. Both is better if you know them.
  • Strength: exactly as on the label, such as 20 mg or 1,000 IU.
  • How much and how you take it: one tablet by mouth, two puffs, one injection.
  • How often and when: every morning, every 6 hours, or only when needed.
  • What it is for: in your own words.
  • Who prescribed it: name and specialty, such as your GP or cardiologist.
  • Start date and end date: useful for short courses and recent changes.

Then add the details that apply to the whole list:

  • Allergies and reactions: the medicine, food or other trigger and what happened.
  • Your pharmacy: name and phone number.
  • Your doctors: names and phone numbers.
  • An emergency contact: someone who knows your situation.

Include the things people leave off

These are easy to forget because they do not feel like medication:

  • Pain relief, antacids and allergy tablets you buy yourself
  • Vitamins, minerals and herbal products
  • Creams, patches, eye drops, inhalers and injections
  • Medicines you only take now and then
  • Anything you stopped recently, with roughly when and why

Supplements count. Your doctor or pharmacist can only check for overlaps and interactions if they know what you take.

Keep it up to date

An old list can be worse than no list, because people trust it. Update yours:

  • After every doctor or hospital visit
  • When a dose or strength changes
  • When you start or stop anything, including supplements
  • When the brand or the look of a tablet changes

Put a date at the top so anyone reading it knows how current it is.

Where to keep it

  • On your phone: with you most of the time, and easy to change.
  • On paper in your wallet: works when your phone is flat or locked. Our free medication wallet card makes one to print.
  • With someone you trust: a partner, parent or adult child who could speak for you if needed.

Having it in two places is sensible. Whichever you update first, copy the change to the other.

Before an appointment

Check the list the night before and bring it along with any questions. If you see a specialist, our guide to what to bring to a specialist appointment covers the rest. If your doctor wants to know how doses have actually gone, a medication log adds what a list cannot show.

Keeping your list in Cadence

In Cadence, the medications you add become your list: name, strength as printed on the label, schedule and an optional "What is it for?" label. Vitamins and supplements sit alongside them, and you can group the list by condition. Changes happen where you already manage your reminders, so the list has less chance of going stale.

Cadence is free for unlimited medications. Cadence Pro creates a PDF report with your medication list and an optional dated dose log, ready to print or share. Your data stays on your phone until you choose to share it.

Frequently asked questions

Should vitamins go on my medication list?

Yes. Include vitamins, minerals, herbal products and anything else you take regularly or now and then.

How often should I update it?

Whenever something changes, and after every doctor or hospital visit.

Do I need the brand name or the generic name?

Either is fine. If you know both, write both, because pharmacies may give you a different brand of the same medicine.

Is a list on my phone enough?

It helps, but a phone can be flat or locked when someone else needs it. A paper copy in your wallet is a useful backup.

Cadence is a free medication reminder app for iPhone and Apple Watch. It is not medical software and does not give medical advice. Cadence Pro is a one-time purchase, with no subscription.