Common prescription short forms, explained
Doctors often write prescriptions in a shorthand that comes from Latin. Knowing the common short forms makes it easier to read a prescription — but if anything is unclear, always ask your pharmacist or doctor. Never guess.
How often: OD, BD, TDS and friends
| Short form | Usually means |
|---|---|
| OD | Once a day |
| BD or BID | Twice a day |
| TDS or TID | Three times a day |
| QID or QDS | Four times a day |
| HS | At bedtime |
| SOS or PRN | Only when needed |
| Stat | Immediately, once |
Careful with OD: on an eye prescription it can mean "right eye" instead of "once a day". This is exactly the kind of thing to confirm with the pharmacist.
When: before or after food
| Short form | Usually means |
|---|---|
| AC | Before food |
| PC | After food |
| a/f, b/f | After food, before food (common handwritten forms) |
What kind of medicine: Tab, Cap, Syp
Tab is a tablet, Cap a capsule, Syp a syrup, Inj an injection, Oint an ointment and gtt means drops. Rx at the top simply marks the start of the prescription.
Numbers like 1-0-1 and ×5d
Many prescriptions in India use three numbers for morning, afternoon and night. 1-0-1 usually means one in the morning, none in the afternoon and one at night; 0-0-1 means only at night. A note like ×5d means "for five days", and 1/wk means once a week.
Before you start any medicine
- Read the prescription back to the pharmacist and confirm the name, timing and duration.
- Keep the original prescription; don't rely on memory.
- Never change how much or how often you take a medicine on your own — that is your doctor's decision.
How MediScanAi will help
MediScanAi will read a photographed prescription into a clear list with timings that you check against the original, then turn it into reminders. Learn more in What is MediScanAi?, or see tips for setting up reminders for elderly parents.