Missed Meds - how do you remind yourselves

[bighealey]

I missed taking my meds last night. Nothing bad happened but I am really spooked. Last time I missed I had a seizure. OK so I took them on time this morning.

I have an alarm on my phone, but sometimes get distracted like last night I had an emergency call from work right at pill time and forgot.

Any suggestions? Perhaps a tattoo on my forehead, but then I don't look in the mirror much..............

onder:

 

[jenagade]

I know how you feel I used to do that all the time and setting an alarm never worked because I usually just turned it off.

My suggestion isn't so much for remembering them but so I know when I've taken them because I can never remember. I cut up my sheets of pills into the amount for each dose and I leave the empty pack in the same place, in my case the bedside table, so if I'm not sure I can go check. At the end of the day after I've taken my last dose I chuck the packets out and start over the next day. It seems like a strange system but it works.

 

[bighealey]

I have a pill "rack" with M-T-W....S AM and PM. I usually look to see but did not for some reason last night.

I shall set up a follow up alarm. Shite

 

[jenagade]

Have you got a whiteboard on your fridge? You could put a note saying have you taken your pills on there. If you go to the fridge as much as I do it could work lol.

 

[bighealey]

That's actually not a bad Idea. Ever see one of the "the dog has been fed" Dealiewidgets?

We have one on the fridge. Per haps I need one. "Da dawgs been Med" (That would be me dawg......)

 

[jenagade]

Haha that actually sounds really handy. Wouldn't need it for the dog though, hes a grazer so he's always fed lol.

 

[valeriedl]

I have an alarm on my phone, but sometimes get distracted like last night I had an emergency call from work right at pill time and forgot.

I've done the same thing a few times. Even though I have the alarm on my phone I may be in the middle of doing something, like washing dishes and my hands are all wet, I'll turn the alarm off and say "I'll take them when I finish up". When I look a few hours later or the next day I see that I've forgotten to take my pills. Do you have a snooze button on your phone for your alarm? That's what I always try to hit and it will go off about 5 minutes later to re-remind me to take them.

 

[Belinda5000]

a bill box sevenday morning,afternoon,evening,bedtime

 

[SlimBlue]

I set an alarm on my phone but it is so easy to switch it off, then get distracted and forget.

I also use a lot of post-it notes for various reminders, and have 1 by my kettle and on my monitor asking me if I've taken them- so a fridge magnet should work too.

It's not the best method, but combined with an alarm and/or pill box it's better than getting inked

 

[bighealey]

I was an hour late again this morning..........I am an air head........................

 

[MAB]

I missed taking my meds last night. Nothing bad happened but I am really spooked. Last time I missed I had a seizure. OK so I took them on time this morning.

I have an alarm on my phone, but sometimes get distracted like last night I had an emergency call from work right at pill time and forgot.

Any suggestions? Perhaps a tattoo on my forehead, but then I don't look in the mirror much..............

onder:

I have different alarms on my phone. The alarms ring for 1 minute every 5 minutes until they are dismissed for up to 30 minutes. Very hard to ignore. I also use pill boxes. Some pharmacies will set up automatic calls or texts to remind you of med times.

 

[AlohaBird]

I have a pill "rack" with M-T-W....S AM and PM.

Me too. I make sure to put my tooth brush on top of my pill box when I brush my teeth in the morning. I can't go to sleep at night without brushing my teeth so I can't not see the pill box. (I normally take my meds at bedtime.)

 

[Cint]

a bill box sevenday morning,afternoon,evening,bedtime

I use the same method.... a seven day pill box with morning, noon, evening and bedtime, with individual daily pill dispensers that can be removed so I am able to put them in my purse and take them with me. Depending on how much a person takes daily, it can be very helpful. It is for me 'cause I have to take my meds morning, noon, evening, and at bedtime. Plus, my epileptologist gave me one years ago when I was having a rough time controlling seizures.

Ask your pharmacist.

 

[marika853]

I agree with the others here that had a "specific" routine that they followed. I take my morning pill with my coffee and the evening pill I leave on the lid of old pill box in the vanity where I am sure to see if I have taken my evening dose.
I do this every day! You just have to get into the habit. I know it's hard but they say if you do something for a week straight then it should help you remember.
Good Luck!
P.S. We've all done it so don't beat yourself up over it!
M

 

[MAB]

I take a thyroid pill everyday. I leave the pillbox on the bathroom vanity because know I am going to wake up to use the bathroom and it is a good way to make sure there is no food in my stomach.

 

[alivenwell]

I carry an extra week supply when I am not home. Just in case of an emergency. I precount the daily amounts so I can double check to see if I have skipped them, especially if I have had a chaotic day.
I also set alarms on two cell phones. One is no longer used as a cell phone...it is just a medicine alarm.

 

[Cint]

I take a thyroid pill everyday. I leave the pillbox on the bathroom vanity because know I am going to wake up to use the bathroom and it is a good way to make sure there is no food in my stomach.

I take a thyroid pill at noon, along with my AEDs and have to give myself insulin shots morning, noon, night and bedtime, so it isn't difficult for me to remember taking my AEDs along with all this. It is a daily routine for me. Live or die for me!