Understanding Your Prescription: What Those Abbreviations Mean

A prescription can look like a secret code: a medicine name, a number, and a couple of letters. Those letters are Latin shorthand that doctors have used for generations to tell the pharmacist — and you — exactly how a medicine should be taken. Here are the ones you will see most often.

How many times a day

• OD — once a day
• BD (or BID) — twice a day
• TDS (or TID) — three times a day
• QID — four times a day
• HS — at bedtime
• SOS — only when needed (for example, a painkiller to be taken only if pain occurs)

When to take it

• AC — before food
• PC — after food
• Stat — immediately, a single dose right away

If a medicine should be taken on an empty stomach or with a full glass of water, the doctor usually writes that out in words — follow those instructions exactly, because food changes how some medicines are absorbed.

How long to take it

The number after the frequency is usually the duration, such as “BD × 5 days”. Finish the full course for medicines like antibiotics even if you feel better sooner — stopping early can let an infection return stronger.

What if something is unclear?

Handwriting and shorthand vary, and there is no prize for guessing. If any part of your prescription is unclear — the dose, the timing, or how long to continue — ask before you leave the pharmacy counter. Checking a dose takes us a minute; taking the wrong one is not worth the risk.

You can also bring your prescription to Elegant Pharma in JC Nagar, or send us your question through the AI Pharmacist on this website for general information.

This article is general information only and does not replace your doctor’s instructions. Always follow the directions on your own prescription, and consult your doctor for medical advice.