Prescription question (not advice!)

LegacyUser

I've got a prescription for an antibiotic that I'm to start in a few days. I know I'll find this out when I get to the pharmacy, but I'm curious as to what the dosage is.

The scrip say Rx <name> then T with a dot over it.

I think the Rx means that he's given a non brand name (doesn't really matter). No idea what the T with a dot over it is. There's no mention of x or y mg. Does this mean the pharmacist and I get to make up a random dosage, or are there "set" dosages for common antibiotics? Or does the T indicate the dosage somehow?

I'll ask the pharmacist this as well, but is there anywhere I can quadruple check that this antibiotic isn't penicillin"ish"? Yes, the doctor is aware of the allergy, but I got the impression he wasn't paying much attention.

dudara

Moved to Biology and Medicine

dudara

angeldelight

From what I can remember it's three times a day. The Rx is just shorthand for "prescribe" - if you want to know what the medicine is give the name and I can tell you what it is if you like. There doesn't necessarily have to be a dosage, some preparations are only available in one particular strength.

Ladybird99

I'm probabaly way off but I always thought Rx was for repeat prescriptions. In other words Rx2 means repeat twice.Don't hold me to that though.

Actually ignore that. I just looked it up on wikepedia.

angeldelight

Nope, it can be used for that but more commonly it's just written as e.g. Rx Amoxicillin - it's essentially just shorthand for "prescribe" or "prescription".

tech77

Tdot wrote: »

I've got a prescription for an antibiotic that I'm to start in a few days. I know I'll find this out when I get to the pharmacy, but I'm curious as to what the dosage is.

The scrip say Rx <name> then T with a dot over it.

I think the Rx means that he's given a non brand name (doesn't really matter). No idea what the T with a dot over it is. There's no mention of x or y mg. Does this mean the pharmacist and I get to make up a random dosage, or are there "set" dosages for common antibiotics? Or does the T indicate the dosage somehow?

I'll ask the pharmacist this as well, but is there anywhere I can quadruple check that this antibiotic isn't penicillin"ish"? Yes, the doctor is aware of the allergy, but I got the impression he wasn't paying much attention.

OK i know you shouldn't give medical advice over the internet but this is just basic prescription stuff so:
Rx just means prescribe (Latin).
The "T with a dot over it" just means one tablet/capsule etc.
e.g if this is followed by "tds" it means take a tablet three times a day.
If followed by "bd" it means take it twice a day.
If followed by "od" it means take once a day.

Is it Calvepen one tab tds?- sounds like it could be (because it is sometimes prescribed like that).
(If it is, Calvepen is penicillin btw).
TBH the pharmacist should be able to interpret it and advise you anyway.

tech77

angeldelight wrote: »

From what I can remember it's three times a day. The Rx is just shorthand for "prescribe" - if you want to know what the medicine is give the name and I can tell you what it is if you like. There doesn't necessarily have to be a dosage, some preparations are only available in one particular strength.

^^
"T with a dot over it" is NOT "three times a day".
It refers to "one tablet/capsule etc"
The pharmacist should interpret it anyway and translate it into words for you.

dudara

As the OP posted unregistered in PI, he's asked me to post the following on his behalf.

tetralysl, od (once a day), 3/12

sam34

3/12 means three months supply.

Nothingcompares

what? are doctor's texting these prescriptions to people? My GP often prints out a script and signs them.

angeldelight

tech77 wrote: »

^^
"T with a dot over it" is NOT "three times a day".
It refers to "one tablet/capsule etc"
The pharmacist should interpret it anyway and translate it into words for you.

oops sorry yes my bad - it's not one of the more commonly used ones, I haven't seen it that often.

Tetralysal is Lymecycline, a tetracycline antibiotic - not a penicillin and no cross-over allergy to penicillin so the doctor must have been listening after all!
It's a brand name and only comes in the one strength afaik so that's why there would be no dosage written

DrIndy

all correct.

is this for acne?