You’ve been taking the same prescription for years, so you know exactly what the pills look like. But when you open your latest refill, something seems wrong. Instead of the familiar small white tablets, the bottle contains larger blue ones, and you’re left wondering whether the pharmacy made a mistake.
For older adults managing several prescriptions, an unexpected change in medication appearance can be unsettling. Fortunately, a different-looking pill doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong. Pharmacies frequently switch between generic manufacturers, and those changes can affect a medication’s color, shape, size, or markings without changing its intended therapeutic effect.
