Yesterday, I went to Food Basics pharmacy to fill several new prescriptions after my recent blood test review with the doctor.
Like many seniors, I have been taking some medications for years. Some were still brand-name drugs such as Crestor, Norvasc, and Mavik. Recently, the doctor also prescribed new medications for blood sugar and kidney protection.
While talking with the pharmacist, I suddenly realized something practical.
Why not switch all my medications from brand-name to generic versions?
The pharmacist helped me review the list carefully:
- Crestor → Rosuvastatin
- Norvasc → Amlodipine
- Mavik → Trandolapril
- Forxiga → Dapagliflozin generic
To my surprise, most generic medications are fully covered by OHIP for seniors, while brand-name medications may still require paying the price difference plus dispensing fees.
That means changing to generics could save a meaningful amount of money every month.
For retirees living on pensions or fixed incomes, every dollar matters.
What I learned is this:
generic medications contain the same active ingredients and must meet government standards for safety and effectiveness. The packaging and company names may differ, but the medical purpose is essentially the same.
Of course, every person’s situation is different. Some patients may need to stay with a specific brand due to special medical reasons. It is always important to discuss changes with the doctor or pharmacist first.
This experience also reminded me of another important lesson about aging.
As seniors, we should not ignore our health problems, but we also should not panic. Instead, we can calmly learn, ask questions, and make practical decisions step by step.
Now my daily routine includes:
- taking medications properly,
- drinking enough water,
- staying active,
- playing a little ping pong,
- walking regularly,
- and getting enough sleep.
Yesterday at the community centre, I only played about 30 minutes of ping pong. Most of the time I was chatting with friends or walking slowly around the gym corridor.
And honestly, that was perfectly fine.
At our age, health is no longer about pushing hard. It is about consistency, balance, friendship, and maintaining a good rhythm of life.
Sometimes growing older teaches us to become wiser, calmer, and more practical.
Maybe that itself is another form of health.
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從原廠藥到學名藥：一場關於處方藥與省錢的簡單對話
昨天，我到 Food Basics 的藥房領取幾種新的處方藥。這是因為最近驗血後，醫生發現我的血糖和腎功能需要進一步關注。
像很多長者一樣，我多年來一直服用一些血壓和膽固醇藥物，其中有些仍然是原廠品牌藥，例如：
Crestor
Norvasc
Mavik
最近醫生又加了糖尿病和保護腎臟的新藥。
就在和藥劑師聊天時，我忽然想到一個很實際的問題：
為什麼不把所有藥物轉成學名藥（Generic Drugs）呢？
於是藥劑師幫我重新整理：
Crestor → Rosuvastatin
Norvasc → Amlodipine
Mavik → Trandolapril
Forxiga → Dapagliflozin 學名藥
結果我才發現，很多學名藥其實都受到安省長者藥物計劃（OHIP / Ontario Drug Benefit）全面或大部分覆蓋，而原廠藥則可能需要自己支付差價及配藥費。
換句話說，
改用學名藥，每個月可以省下不少錢。
對退休人士來說，這是很實際的事情。
退休後，大部分人都依靠退休金或固定收入生活。能夠合理節省開支，其實也是一種生活智慧。
這次我也學到：
學名藥與原廠藥擁有相同的主要藥物成分，同樣需要符合政府對安全性與藥效的標準。
不同的只是品牌名稱、包裝和藥廠。
當然，每個人的身體狀況不同。有些病人可能因特殊原因需要使用指定品牌，所以任何藥物更改，最好先與醫生或藥劑師商量。
這件小事，也令我重新思考「變老」這件事。
人老了，未必代表失去健康；
但我們需要學習更冷靜、更實際地面對身體的變化。
與其害怕，不如慢慢了解、一步一步調整。
現在我的生活節奏包括：
按時服藥
多喝水
保持活動
打乒乓球
散步
保持充足睡眠
昨天到社區中心時，我其實只打了大約三十分鐘乒乓球。其餘時間，多數是在體育館走廊慢慢散步，或者和朋友聊天。
坦白說，
這樣其實也很好。
到了我們這個年紀，
健康已經不再是「拼命」，
而是「持續」。
保持活動、
保持朋友、
保持生活節奏、
保持心境平和。
也許，
這本身就是另一種健康。
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