[Confusedinomicon]

Can you all list what you do to not forget to take medication?

It's really hard for me to stay on them when I start becoming hypo...need better strategies to not forgot to take them.

[LiteraryLark]

I have a strong support system so I leave them in a particluar spot in the kitchen where everyone can see it and I can see it coming and going so I am looking at it multiple times a day, and if I forget my parents can remind me to take them.

[bipolarmedstudent]

Well, I can't forget to take my dexedrine, because I'm basically non-functional without it. So I take the rest of my meds with my dexedrine.

[hamster-bamster]

I have a little pill container on my keychain and I always pour out my dinner medications not just into the pill tower (3 levels) I have at home, but also into the keychain container. This way I can take the meds if I am out. Geodon has to be taken with food so it is critical for me to take the medications with dinner.

I pour out the meds and a few supplements/vitamins when I have my morning tea. I used to set an alarm clock for when to take them, but I conditioned myself enough to not need it now. Lastly, and most importantly, I am extremely sensitive to the smallest delay or omission, and after learning from many bad and avoidable events, I have become super-vigilant and only let a couple hours fluctuations happen, and never skip.

Back to the practical side - the first thing you need is a reliable container. Which one do you have - what type? And - how many times a day do you need to take your pills? I need morning, dinner, and bedtime.

[nacht]

I have a daily pill box thing and a little zip-up bag I keep it in along with my tablet splitter. It sits on my desk - the place I'm at most often - so it's constantly there in plain sight.

The other thing I've found that helps is setting up a notification sound on my phone, so the alarm goes off every night at a certain time.

I put mine right beside my coffee pot. I love my coffee, even at night, so I will definitely see my meds and remember to take them. One thing tho is that even tho they are right there, I really have to not get into the habit of telling myself" I'll take them in a few minutes". Really it only takes me a minute to forget.

When I had lots of meds I tried a pill box, a weekly one. Looks nicer on the counter then a wack of pill bottles, especially when you have guests. Plus easier to not mix things up. I've been know to take wrong meds, at wrong doses when manic. So I use different colored highlighters to colour the labels, always the same colour for specific meds.

There are small compact pill containers on the market that also have alarms on them, good idea if you are out and about a lot. Also at one point when I was taking a lot of meds, my pdoc had the pharmacy blister pack them into weekly packs for me. This worked pretty well too

[BuggsBunny]

I tag mine up with specific events. Get up, get dressed, take meds, then I can leave my bedroom. I keep my med box next to my clothes so I don't forget. Dinner, take 7:00 pill. (I keep that one in my pocket after lunch. pocket pill container, miles Kimball 3.99 or just use an old sample box, like you find at the checkout.) Bedtime, take the whole mess of bedtime pills. So basically, they are tagged to when I change clothes.

Another trick is to get those weekly containers and leave it where you can see it - like next to your clothes, or whatever event you tie it to. If you have to divide your containers into morning and evening doses, just keep two containers and fill them at bedtime on Sunday night. Three times a day, three containers.

My third trick was to keep a weekly chart and check off each pill as I took it. The chart was hidden where I and family would see it, but company wouldn't.

[Confusedinomicon]

I really like the key chain idea. Where did you buy that???

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Confusedinomicon

I really like the key chain idea. Where did you buy that???

I do not remember. Alas! I checked Container Store where I used to shop, but no... they do have something suitable for a purse though: http://www.containerstore.com/shop?p...65&N=&Ntt=pill

[larakeziah]

my friend emails me every morning to remind me to take my meds and my night time meds are on my nightstand so i don't forget to take them

[bluemountains]

Originally Posted by Confusedinomicon

I really like the key chain idea. Where did you buy that???

I saw a key chain pill holder just last night at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I thought it was pretty cool, but decided I take too many pills for it to hold.
Bluemountains

[Confusedinomicon]

OOoo, I think there is one near the mall that I live by. I'll have to visit it.

Also going to try setting an alarm to remind me to take them. Thank you all. <3

[cocoabeans]

I use a daily alarm on my phone to remind me to take my birth control pills and those are the only pills I feel are very important.

I remember my pills at night because I use Seroquel to fall asleep but, I'll put off taking it until I feel like sleeping so, sometimes 2 or 3 or 4 am and sometimes I just don't want to sleep so, I'll skip it and because I know I need to take drug at night I'll just eat my Lamictal dosage on those days.

As for am meds? I just don't care enough to set alarms etc. I have 'em visible and if I'm not rushing to much, I'll take 'em so, that's most days except the days I really don't want to get out of bed, oh and weekends I might forget too.