How to Read Your Prescription Rx
Home > General Clinic > How to Read Your Prescription Rx
If you’ve ever received a prescription from your doctor that read something like “T. 2 cap a.c. t.i.d.” and wondered what it meant, you aren’t alone. Latin is used in the abbreviations for your prescription. This particular example translates to “Take 2 capsules before meals three times a day”. Here are some of the most common abbreviations and their meanings to help you read your Rx.
Ever received a prescription from your doctor and later realized the wording of it mean no sense? You are not along. Doctors’ prescription often look a lot like a foreign language. In fact, it actually is. Latin often is used in the abbreviations used in prescriptions.
To learn how to decode your next prescription, please refer to the table below:
Prescription Frequency
b.i.d. |
twice a day |
t.i.d. |
three times a day |
q.i.d. |
four times a day |
q.h. |
every hour |
q.d. |
every day |
h.s. |
at bedtime |
q.o.d. |
every other day |
p.r.n. |
as required |
ut. dict. |
use as directed |
Prescription Dosage
U |
unit |
u |
unit |
cc |
cubic centimeter |
How to Ingest the Prescription
p.o. |
by mouth |
a.s. |
left ear |
a.u. |
each ear |
a.d. |
right ear |
o.l. |
left eye |
o.s. |
left eye |
o.d. |
right eye |
o.u. |
each eye |
Prescription’s Relation to Food
c |
with |
s |
without |
a.c. |
before meals |
p.c. |
after meals |
As an informed medical consumer, it is important to check your prescription and make sure that it is filled properly by the pharmacist. If you believe there is an error, alert the pharmacist or notify your doctor. Electronic prescribing is now used in some doctor’s offices. You may receive a printed prescription to take to the pharmacy, or your prescription may be faxed or emailed directly to the pharmacy.
In conclusion, unless you mastered Latin in school, prescription abbreviations can often confuse more than inform. When in doubt, your best alternative is to confirm your prescription directions with the prescribing physician, or the pharmacist that filled it. It is very important to follow your prescription’s directions to the teeth, and never miss or skip doses.