Patient/caregiver was educated on how to take Vitamin B6 as follows:

1. Take this medication as ordered by your physician. Do not change the dose and frequency on this medication without consulting your doctor. Take the medication dose for the duration prescribed without fail.
2. Take the medication dose at the same time, every day, to avoid forgetting the intake of medication.
3. Taking the medication at regularly spaced intervals help maintain appropriate blood levels of Vitamin B6 needed to derive the beneficial effects.
4. Vitamin B6 use on empty stomach can sometimes cause nausea and vomiting. Vitamin B6 may be taken with a small snack, as this can help avoid the unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms.
5. Take the Vitamin B6 regular tablet as a whole, using a glass of water. If you encounter difficulty swallowing the whole tablet, you may cut the tablet and swallow it in pieces with a glass of water. You can also crush the regular tablet and sprinkle the powder on a spoon of apple sauce or jello or pudding, to facilitate an easy swallow.
6. If you are prescribed Vitamin B6 extended-release tablet, try to swallow the tablet as a whole, with a glass of water. Do not cut, crush, or chew the extended-release tablet, as it can damage the extended-release coating on the tablet, which can result in rapid release and absorption of the medication into the blood stream, thus resulting in toxicity.
7. If you are prescribed Vitamin B6 extended-release capsule, try to swallow the capsule as a whole, with a glass of water. If you encounter difficulty swallowing the whole extended-release capsule, you may open the capsule and sprinkle the contents on a spoonful of apple sauce or jello or pudding. Swallow the apple sauce or pudding with the contents of capsule sprinkled over it, without chewing the contents in the mouth. Chewing these contents in the mouth can result in rapid release and absorption of the medication into the blood stream, thus resulting in toxicity.
8. Vitamin B6 could be prescribed as shots, administered parenterally, both into the muscle and the vein. Vitamin B6 could also administered, mixed with various other vitamins and minerals, as part of daily supplement intake.
9. Increasing the intake of food naturally rich in Vitamin B6, such as, meat, poultry, nuts, whole grains, bananas, and avocados can significantly help offset the symptoms of Vitamin B6 deficiency.
10. Vitamin B6 is mainly needed by your body for general metabolism and utilization of energy in the foods you eat, production of red blood cells, and proper functioning of nerves. Deficiency of this vitamin can therefore result in compromised metabolism, reduced energy, listlessness, malaise, anemia, peripheral neuropathy, and sometimes, can also result in seizures.
11. Vitamin B6 can take some time to fairly adjust to your body and reach a therapeutic level in your blood, before controlling symptoms of anemia and neuropathy. Do not discontinue taking the medication without your physician’s consult, as you failed to see the desired result immediately after taking the medication.
12. If you are prescribed Vitamin B6 for relief of symptoms of anemia, report to your physician regarding any continuing or worsening signs and symptoms of anemia, such as, shortness of breath, poor endurance and exercise tolerance, pale skin, fatigue, weakness, and general malaise.
13. If you are prescribed Vitamin B6 for relief of neuropathy, report to your physician regarding any worsening signs and symptoms of neuropathy in the extremities, such as, compromised balance and coordination, altered sensation, tingling and numbness, reduced sensitivity to touch or pain, and/or burning sensation. Also, notify your physician regarding episodes of seizures you encounter, if any. The symptoms of neuropathy due to deficiency of Vitamin B12 could not be completely reversed with the supplement.
14. Your physician could change the dose of Vitamin B6, based on the relief obtained or any side-effects developed. So, maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments, to update on the relief from symptoms. Be accommodative to the plan of dose changes, if need be, until you show an optimum response.
15. Periodical labs could be drawn for blood cell counts, to evaluate improvement with anemia. Labs could also be drawn for therapeutic blood levels of Vitamin B6. Observe compliance with any lab draws ordered.
16. Continue taking Vitamin B6 as ordered, even if you experience relief from the symptoms. Abrupt discontinuation can result in deficiency of Vitamin B6 levels, thus resulting in recurrence of symptoms of anemia and neuropathy. Discontinuing the medication should only be on your physician’s recommendation.
17. If you miss a dose, try taking it at the earliest notice of noncompliance. If it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the dose scheduled. Do not take an extra dose to try making up for the missed dose. Notify your doctor and other health care personnel regarding your dose noncompliance.