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Prescriptions are easy to remember; occasional teas, online purchases and old tonics are not. A complete, current list and the actual granule bottle make a herbal consultation clearer and safer.

The products people forget to mention

Ask someone what medicines they take and they will usually name their prescriptions. The fish oil, the occasional sleep tea, the protein powder or the naturopathic tonic from last winter often go unmentioned. At a clinic where people may use several therapies at once, these small extras add up.

An accurate list gives a herbal consultation something concrete to work with. It also helps when you are deciding whether herbs should be added at all, or whether your current mix is already plenty.

Building a list that is genuinely useful

Before a herbal consultation with Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, in Lane Cove, gather:

• product names and labels, or photos of them;
• roughly how often you use each one, including things taken only now and then;
• medicines started by your GP or another doctor;
• anything bought online;
• anything you have started or stopped since your last visit.

Because the herbal medicine here comes in granule bottles, bring any you already have so the discussion centres on the real product. Two remedies both described as natural are not necessarily compatible, and sharing information is safer than assuming. Herbal products can interact with prescription medicines, so your pharmacist is worth asking as well.

Keeping your records current

If granules join your routine, keep the product name, measuring directions and next check-in date with the original bottle. Whenever another clinician starts, stops or changes a medicine, Christine needs to hear about it rather than assuming the earlier plan still fits. A puzzling new symptom is a reason to call her, not a cue to test different amounts on yourself.

It may feel like a lot of paperwork for a few small bottles. In practice, a single page kept up to date can spare you repeated explanations and lower the chance of an overlooked combination.

A habit that helps across therapies

A current list is useful well beyond herbal medicine. Your GP, pharmacist, naturopath and massage therapist can all work from the same information. Keep a copy on your phone, date each update, and open it at the start of every appointment.