For your own education, you need not only the advice of doctors and pharmacists, but books which analyze or rate drugs, often indicating which are the best and which are best avoided. The Medical Letter, a newsletter on drugs, is also an excellent source of evaluations, but you might have to go to a medical library to get it. Don't leave the doctor's office without fully understanding what drug your taking and why. Read the prescription and make sure it is legible so a pharmacist will not be engaged in a guessing game. Doctors are notorious for illegible handwriting, the the drug system is notorious for mistakes in filling prescriptions that lead to death and injury.
Doctors are also notorious for ambiguous communication.
If the doctor says take these pills on an empty stomach find out exactly what that means. Two hours without eating or drinking or perhaps something else altogether. One way to be sure you get it right is to take some one along with you when you visit a doctor. Don't hesitate to take notes. If it won't disturb the doctor, take a tape recorder along.