How do you remember to take your meds?

[AliCat518]

So the title here isnt exactly accurate, but I couldnt come up with a better way to describe it.

I used to have trouble remembering if I took my meds in the morning. I occasionally took them (again maybe?). I got a M-Sun pill box, which has helped somewhat.

However, since I had my first "seizure"(just blacked out for a second) (in 8 years) a few months ago, I've found that I start freaking out (major anxiety, dizziness...which I'm sure is psychological) about 6 or 7 hours after I take my morning meds. I will start questioning whether I actually took them that morning, even if its clear I took them out of that mornings pill slot. My thinking has been "better safe than sorry" so I end up taking it about 7 hours after my morning dose.

Now it has me totally paranoid that my body needs that amount, instead of just getting it every 12 hours. (I can make it through the night, 12 or 14 hours with no issues, but the idea of "more stimuli during the day" worries me.)

I know this is totally irrational and paranoid but im TERRIFIED about having a seizure. Can anyone offer any ways I can work through this and get it back to where I feel comfortable taking my meds as I used to?! Thanks.

 

[epileric]

I don't usually have trouble because my pills are right there beside the fridge for when I have my morning drink so that they're right there in my way as I go through my morning routine.

You're aware of the fact that you question yourself, you even know how long it is after taking them that you start to doubt yourself. It's when you remember at a different time that you're more likely to be right about forgetting.

I think that when you take your pills you should guess what time you'll question yourself & mark it down if you have to. Then when it does happen see how close you are.

 

[Nakamova]

Well it's possible that your body DOES need that amount -- you could consider upping your dosage (in consultation with your neurologist).

But assuming you DON'T need that amount, then the key is to reduce the mid-afternoon anxiety. There are many ways to do so -- breathing and relaxation exercises, focusing on positive statements ("My seizures are under control"), using music or exercise to distract your brain and body, etc. Do you have a sense of what might work for you? If possible, try relaxing earlier in the day, before the anxiety might hit. Get comfortable, relax, and focus on how calm you feel now, and on how calm you will feel later. Don't worry if your'e not "doing it right". Baby steps are fine. Do you have a friend who is good at keeping you mellow? Ask them to call or be with you when you feel most vulnerable.

 

[AliCat518]

I really like the idea of using relaxation techniques BEFORE the anxiety begins. I will definitely try all of them. The idea of focusing on positive statements such as "my seizures are under control" seems appealing because my seizures really ARE under control. I've had ONE in over eight years...(even then it was a small, short black out and it was months ago).

I think the key to getting over this anxiety is being rational and logical. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Crash]

I take my tablets as soon as i get out bed in the morning so i very,very rarley forget them,then religously at 10 o clock at night,but if i forget them at night or am in a position when i foolishly am somewhere with out them,ill start to get a sore head and it will go a bit weird,never a seizure though.
Im not sure is it a mental thing because i know im late and am getting anxious or a physical thing.Does anybody else suffer from these symtoms or anything similar?

 

[Blondie47]

Our daughter takes meds four times a day.

We have a pill box and set our cell phone alarms at the intervals when she needs to take them.

It really does the trick.

Take Care:e:

 

[Chel]

My thinking has been "better safe than sorry" so I end up taking it about 7 hours after my morning dose.

I gather your main concern is about anxiety, but this sentence left me wondering if you're having problems taking your dose at the prescribed time. Is that so? If so, here are a couple of tips I use which lessen my anxiety, due to memory loss:

*If you use your computer morning and night, and use Outlook or another program with a calendar, set up a daily reminder to take your medication at the prescribed time.
*I'm about to change mine, because my memory is becoming less reliable, to specify which meds I take morning and which in the evening.
*Only dismiss each day's reminder when you have taken the dose.
*Keep all your meds together in an obvious place, such as on the kitchen bench. Mine are in a clear plastic lidded box, never rearranged, so I know if something is missing (like a piece of the jigsaw puzzle is gone). This helps with the routine, and therefore the memory.

I need routine now more than ever (never needed it much before), and these systems help keep me as sane as I'm ever gonna be.

cheers

 

[Chel]

am in a position when i foolishly am somewhere with out them,ill start to get a sore head and it will go a bit weird

I've started taking a few each of my AED tablets with me, because I got caught out a couple of times with working late. Everything else could wait until I got home, but I want those on time. If I take them late, I can't get out of bed in the morning.

 

[Endless]

First, take a nice deep breath. Breeeeeeeathe...... Everything is okay.

I'd start with making sure you ARE taking the right amount of meds, on time. When I'm panicked about something my first step is to see if what I'm worried about actually exists.

Use a pill reminder box - they are $3 at walmart. I think the cellphone alarms are a great idea. Also, some watches have alarms that can be set to go off 1-4 times per day.

Here're links to other solutions to help:

http://www.epill.com/
http://www.epill.com/bottle.html

After you know the meds are on time, and the right dose, if you are still not feeling well then maybe call your doc. to explore getting your dose or your meds changed.

 

[Nakamova]

Just read about this interesting site: http://doasone.com/BreathingRooms.aspx?RoomID=2 It offers different "breathing rooms", including a "Calm Breathing Room". It's basically like having an online breathing coach that you can breathe along with. You can select the rate and the length of session, and also the background color of the screen and the volume. And it's free.

 

[ajax]

This probably won't be as effective for most, but I really love to brush my teeth, and can't go to bed or start my day without brushing them first, so I just take mine when I brush my teeth. I use a pill minder box deal (yes the granny size woot woot!) so if I brainfart and think, whoa, did I just take it or not, I can tell.

 

[LenePene]

I get where you're coming from. I used to (from time to time still have) difficulties remembering if I did take them. I asked my doc on what todo if I couldn't remember and she told me it was better for me to take them if I was unsure because it was better for me and my body to possibly have double dosage than none. Then after freaking out some times about this I started saying it out loud to myself when I took my meds. "lene, you are now taking your meds" then later on I would remember if I took them of just thinking of my morning routine and where I was when taking them (it varies; bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, hall, in my car) give it a try. It might help best of luck!

 

[LenePene]

The weirdness you say you feel when forgetting your meds, I've got it too. I was afraid for a while about asking my neuro about it, but I did and she said a surprising thing to me. That having this weirdness was a good thing cause that made me realise how important is for me and when feeling the light bubbly head fizzy feeling, almost like I'm nervous, it my body that reminds me if what i forgot. So I know when I have this sensation I better take my meds pretty quickly and I try to stay away from driving or drinking alcohol or studying, if fear of I might cause a seizure if I do. So far though, I haven't had problems with it

 

[Endless]

I forgot to add in my post that my service dog reminds me to take my medication. He's usually only off by about 10 minutes early or late. He barks at me, pushes at me with his nose, and licks me.

Him reminding me becomes a problem, though, when the doc changes my medication schedule. Lately that's been often. Then the dog has to be retrained, and that takes about 2 weeks. In between I have a big issue.

It's also challenging because his signals for "take your meds," and "take me outside because I need to go" are both very similar. There are subtle differences that are easy for me to see because I know him well, but when I feel sick or seizury I sometimes don't pick up on the difference in the cues. His signal that I'm about to have a seizure is completely different.

I am thinking that almost any dog could be trained to remind you about your meds. But how well they do it and how fast they learn probably depends on the dog. I didn't train my dog initially, but I do train him on the timing adjustments. Give them a treat at EXACTLY the same time every day, and at no other time. Eventually he'll start asking for a treat around that time. That'll be your signal to take your meds.

 

[Crash]

Thats good to know others experience the "weirdness" as well,sometimes i get a sensation of been in a dream,when people speak to you they seem really distant,i think a pill box that can carry a days worth is a good idea.Having the knowledge you have them could be a seizure saviour in itself.

 

[tinathesingergirl]

medications timing

I have a digital watch that I wear, a Timex Iron man, (it has 3 different alarms you can set) the alarm is set to go off 2x a day @ 8 & 8 so that it reminds me to take them. I also purchased a small pill box that is AM/PM labeled that I keep in my purse and I reload for the next day at night. This works well for me.

 

[Literophile]

I've been taking one medication or another since I was 7 so it's gotten easier. It took a long time for me to remember to take them faithfully, though. I just learned that when I don't take them I don't feel well, so I have to remember them.

 

[valeriedl]

I have a pill box that I keep my meds in and always keep it on the coffee table so I know where it is. Try keeping your meds in the same place all the time so you don't have to go hunting for them.

I too set the alarm on my cell phone so I don't forget to take them.

These things help me alot.

 

[Chel]

Setting alarms

This isn't my thread, but my cognitive functioning is getting so poor that I can't work out watch or phone alarms anymore. Heck, some days I can't even work out my desktop calculator!

I'm still on top of Outlook, but that's my limit. Some days I can't even send a text message. So I need a system that's going to be simple enough to not send me into a blind panic on my "dumb days" (as I call them).

I'm dumbing down now, but as you can see, can still type words. Lucky none of you can hear me speak, or expect me to text you LOL

There are days I get to 5.15pm (when my evening pop-up comes on Outlook), and I think, "But I just took my meds 5 minutes ago". That scares me. I know I haven't, because if I had, I'd have dismissed the pop-up; I'm very strict about that.

Horses for courses: I also know aural alarms don't work for me, as I tend to turn them off and forget them (and what they were for). It's all about finding a system that works for you.

 

[momof3boys]

Ive been taking medication since the age of 2 yrs old, so taking medication has been practically my whole life. I take my medication in the morning and at night. I keep them 12 hours apart, and pretty much take it at 10am and 10pm. When my mom would give me my medication growing up, she had a pill box she used so she would remember. But as I got older and out on my own, I just started to do it on my own, and remember in the morning and night.