Brown Bag Medication Review Events: How to Prepare for a Safe Medication Checkup

Imagine this: you’re sitting in your doctor’s office, trying to remember every pill you take. You list your prescriptions, but forget the sleep aid you picked up last week. You leave out the fish oil because you think it’s ‘just a supplement.’ Meanwhile, you’re taking three different blood pressure meds, two painkillers, and a vitamin that interacts with your heart drug. You feel tired, dizzy, and confused - but you don’t know why. This isn’t rare. It’s happening to thousands of older adults every day.

What Is a Brown Bag Medication Review?

A Brown Bag Medication Review is exactly what it sounds like. You gather all your medications - prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, herbs, and supplements - and put them in a brown paper bag. Then you bring them to your doctor or pharmacist for a full checkup. The goal? To find hidden dangers before they hurt you.

This isn’t just a suggestion. It’s a proven safety tool. Back in 1982, pharmacists in the U.S. started handing out brown bags to patients so they could bring everything they took to appointments. Why brown? Because it’s what grocery stores used - simple, common, and easy to find. Today, it’s a standard practice in places like the U.S., Canada, and Denmark. In New Zealand, it’s gaining traction too, especially for seniors.

The numbers don’t lie. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), up to 87% of patients get their medication list wrong when they try to recall it from memory. That means if you just tell your doctor what you take, you’re likely leaving out something - or worse, misremembering it. But when you bring the actual bottles? Accuracy jumps to over 92%.

Why This Matters for Seniors

If you’re 65 or older, you’re probably taking more meds than you realize. The data shows that 54.6% of seniors take five or more prescription drugs. Add in OTC pain relievers, sleep aids, and supplements, and that number can jump to eight or nine. This is called polypharmacy - and it’s risky.

Take the case of a 78-year-old man in Auckland who came in for a routine checkup. He said he took one blood pressure pill. But when he emptied his bag, there were three. Two of them were the same drug, just from different doctors. He was double-dosing - and his dizziness? That was the side effect. His pharmacist caught it. He stopped one, and his symptoms vanished.

That’s not luck. That’s what a Brown Bag Review does. It finds duplicates, interactions, and unnecessary pills. In one study, 63.8% of seniors had at least one medication removed after a review. No surgery. No new prescription. Just a simple cleanup.

What to Put in the Bag

Don’t just grab your prescriptions. Bring everything.

• All prescription bottles - even ones you haven’t opened in months
• Over-the-counter meds: ibuprofen, antacids, cold pills, sleep aids
• Vitamins and minerals: multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium, B12
• Herbal supplements: turmeric, ginkgo, echinacea, melatonin
• Topical creams and patches: pain patches, steroid creams, nicotine patches
• Inhalers, eye drops, and liquid medicines

Don’t worry if some bottles are empty or expired. Bring them anyway. Your provider needs to see what you’ve been using - and what you’ve stopped. Many seniors don’t realize they’re still taking something they were told to quit years ago.

How to Prepare for Your Appointment

This isn’t a quick 10-minute chat. Plan for 30 to 45 minutes. Here’s how to get ready:

1. Set aside time the day before. Don’t wait until the morning of your appointment.
2. Gather all medications in one place - kitchen table, bathroom counter, your bedroom.
3. Check expiration dates. Write them down if you can’t read the small print.
4. Take note of what you actually use. Do you skip doses? Do you take half a pill because it’s too strong?
5. Write down any symptoms you’ve noticed: dizziness, nausea, confusion, fatigue, memory lapses.
6. Bring your brown bag - or any clean, clear bag if you don’t have one.

Pro tip: If you’re worried about forgetting something, take a photo of your medicine cabinet before you pack. It’s a backup.

What Happens During the Review

Your provider will go through each item. They’ll check:

• Are you taking duplicates? (Two pills with the same active ingredient)
• Are any drugs interacting dangerously? (Like mixing blood thinners with garlic supplements)
• Are any meds no longer needed? (Like an old antibiotic or a painkiller for a healed injury)
• Is the dosage too high or too low?
• Are you taking something because you’re scared to stop? (Like sleeping pills you’ve used for years)

They’ll also ask you questions like: “When do you take this?” “Do you ever skip it?” “Why did you start taking this?”

The best providers use the “teach-back” method. They’ll ask you to explain your meds back to them in your own words. If you can’t, they’ll re-explain - until you understand. This isn’t a test. It’s a safety net.

Common Problems - And How to Fix Them

Not everyone gets it right the first time. Here are the most common issues - and how to avoid them:

• “I forgot my insulin pens.” - Keep a small travel bag with your daily meds. Leave it by the door.
• “I didn’t think the vitamins counted.” - They do. Always bring them. Even if you think they’re harmless.
• “I was embarrassed about all the pills.” - Providers see this every day. No judgment. Just help.
• “I didn’t know which ones to bring.” - If you’re unsure, bring it. Better safe than sorry.

A 2023 survey found that 37% of seniors felt ashamed to show their meds. But the ones who did? 72% said they finally understood why they were taking each pill. That’s power.

What Comes After the Review

The review doesn’t end when you leave the office. You’ll get a new, simplified list. It might say:

• Stop: Aspirin 81mg (duplicate)
• Switch: Sleep aid from diphenhydramine to non-drug routine
• Monitor: Blood pressure twice weekly
• Follow-up: In 3 months

Some patients have medications removed entirely. Others get dosages lowered. A few get new prescriptions - but only if needed.

And here’s the best part: many people feel better after the review. Less confusion. Fewer side effects. More energy. One woman in Wellington said, “I stopped taking six pills. I didn’t know I was that sick - until I wasn’t.”

Why This Is Becoming Standard Care

Medicare and other insurers now see medication reviews as a must. In the U.S., Medicare Advantage plans pay providers around $45 for each completed review. Kaiser Permanente and Mayo Clinic now require them for all patients over 65 during annual checkups.

Why? Because medication errors cause 20% of hospital admissions in older adults. That’s over half a billion dollars in avoidable costs every year in the U.S. alone. And it’s preventable.

In New Zealand, the Ministry of Health is starting to push for similar standards. While it’s not mandatory yet, many community pharmacies and aged care providers now offer Brown Bag Reviews as part of their senior care packages.

What If You Can’t Bring Everything?

Life happens. You might forget a bottle. Or your memory fails. Or you’re too tired.

That’s okay. Do what you can. Bring what you remember. Even if you only bring three pills, that’s three more than you would have if you didn’t come at all.

You can also ask your pharmacist to help. Many pharmacies now offer free medication reviews. They’ll compare your list with your prescription history. Then they’ll send a summary to your doctor.

And if you’re housebound? Ask if your care provider can do a home visit. Some community health teams still do this.

Final Thought: It’s Not About the Bag

The brown bag is just a tool. The real power is in the conversation. It’s about asking: “Why am I taking this?” “Do I still need it?” “What happens if I stop?”

Medications save lives. But too many, too complex, or taken without understanding? They can hurt you.

This review isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being safe. About taking control. About making sure your pills are helping - not harming.

Start today. Grab a bag. Collect your meds. Call your doctor. You’ve got nothing to lose - and everything to gain.