YOU'RE feeling terrible, you've waited all day to get your hands on some medicine and all you want to do is swallow a tablet or a spoonful before sinking into bed.

But, however much of a rush you are in to feel better, it is vital you make sure you are taking your medicine properly.

Harjap Singh, a freelance pharmacist who works in York and North Yorkshire, said reading the instructions could affect how quickly you recover.

"You need to make sure you take the dosage as stated," he said. "For example, if the instructions say to take your tablets on an empty stomach then it is important to do so, as some antibiotics are destroyed by food.

"If you are buying over-the-counter medications then it is important you tell the pharmacist about any medical condition you have and any other medication you are on to see if the medicine you are buying is suitable for you."

Antibiotics

Instructions state to take either before or after food:

When you're in a rush it might be tempting to ignore such advice, but Mr Singh said food could affect the rate the antibiotics fight the infection.

"Some antibiotics tend to upset the stomach so if you take them with food there is more of a chance you would suffer an upset stomach," he said.

"Some particular antibiotics actually absorb better when there is food around so the instructions recommend you take them just after a meal, whereas some antibiotics are destroyed by food, so therefore have to be taken at least an hour before eating."

Instructions state to take them with water:

"Generally speaking it's a good idea to take any tablets with water to make sure they don't get stuck anywhere," said Mr Singh.

"There can be problems with one particular antibiotic, doxycycline.

"If that gets stuck then it can cause problems, such as oesophageal irritation, so it's very important to drink plenty of fluid to make sure it's flushed down.

"If you don't, then gravity means it will take a while to get down."

Finish the course - even if you feel better:

"You should always finish the course. If you don't, then some of the bacteria might not have been killed off properly.

"Not finishing the course gives the bacteria a chance to go back and for the infection to reoccur.

"Because of evolution, bacteria find ways to beat antibiotics and can build up resistance to them.

"All infections change over the years.

"They know antibiotics are attacking them so they try to make up a defence mechanism; if you don't finish the course then they've got a better chance."

Take them at equally spaced times throughout the day:

"If you're supposed to take them three times a day then look at one every eight hours," said Mr Singh.

"If instead you take one at breakfast, one at lunch and then think you won't remember the last one so have it just after lunch, then there will be a long period between your third dose and your first dose the next day.

"It gives the bacteria quite a long period to build up resistance to it and it might not be as effective as it would be if it was equally spaced throughout the day.

"You need a constant supply in your body. It is not worth waking yourself up in the night to take your tablet though. You should still get your natural amount of sleep."

Don't drink alcohol until the course is over:

Mr Singh said: "This is only really true with a certain antibiotic called metronidozol.

"It is very important you don't drink alcohol with that particular antibiotic because of the side effects.

"However, generally speaking, the more alcohol you drink throughout the course of antibiotics then the more tendency the antibiotics will have to upset your stomach.

"Nausea and diarrhoea are common symptoms of antibiotics and alcohol can increase the likelihood of that happening."

Aspirins and paracetamols

Mr Singh advised people to discuss over-the-counter medicine with the pharmacist.

"Think about whether you are taking any other medication and if you are, then ask the pharmacist whether it is ok. Also tell them about any other medical conditions you may have and your age. Always check the sell by date too."

Cold remedies

"Again, be aware of your age and any other existing medical conditions," said Mr Singh.

"Also be aware of how long your symptoms have been there - if it has been a long period of time then your doctor might need to investigate further. If it's just a few days then you can get many over-the-counter remedies to help with the symptoms.

"Always read the instructions with nasal sprays. Be careful if you're using them for a long time as if you're using them to clear congestion your body can get used to it and if you stop using it then it can cause rebound congestion. Don't use them for longer than five to seven days."

Updated: 10:35 Friday, December 02, 2005