Hi all
I have alarms set on my phone to remind my pills. How do you guys remember your pills?
Remembering meds: Hi all I have... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Remembering meds
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AFnotworked1981234
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I have some of mine in pill boxes. I used to set the alarm on my mobile phone but it was so intrusive when I was watching something on tv and didn't want to take them that very minute.
Jean
BobDVolunteer
I have a seven day pill box and always take my meds before dinner. The only risk element is if we go OUT for dinner when I need to remember to take them before we go,
I have two day to day pill boxes which I load once a week.
I have the morning set of pills by my bedside.
I then have the evening set by my chair in the living room. I work from home and meticulously stop working at 17:00. I then get a glass of water and sit down in my chair.
I think that a routine is the only way as I get older (I am 77 with failing memory) and it works for me.
Pete
Yup , that’s what I do too ! 8am & 8 pm on the dot. If I’m going out I just pop the evening dose in a little single pill pot & keep it in my pocket or handbag . Works a treat ☺️
Still working at 77 ..and with health problems…good on you enjoy life
Thank you.
Working keeps my brain active (as best it can) I only work from home using a computer so most of the time no stress which is what gives me the most problems with my heart. It also helps to subsidise my pension.
Pete
A very good reason …
I transfer mine from my pill warehouse into my pill tower ( see photo ). Each days little box is divided into 3 small compartments, morning, midday and evening. Every Sunday morning I sort out my meds and load the tower accordingly ... for me my pills are taken morning and evening. I park the tower on the kitchen workbench and help myself accordingly. Sorted.
My pill tower ..... sorted!
I have mine in pill boxes too. Thank god for them as I would probably take them twice!
I must add a post script to this as this morning I filled my tablet boxes as I always do on a Sunday morning.
When I got to Candasartan (for blood pressure) the new tablet I collected this week are now white whereas the previous batch were pink. ( Once again a different manufacturer).
This really does not help at all for us older folk with failing memories.
I am furious.
Pete
I agree,so many different suppliers with different sizes,colours shapes! Only said that the other day.
How they decide on these shapes and colours is a mystery. I take as needed 1.25mg Bisoprolol. The lowest dose available is 2.5mg so I have to half them. The problem is the brand my doctor prescribes is Cardicor by Merck and they are heart shaped and a nuisance to half. I phoned the Chronic department at my Medical Aid Society to find out if there is a different brand that is a sensible shape, but the answer was that they are all heart shaped !
I used to have the heart shaped yellow ones ones, 5mg morning and evening. I still have the same dose but now round and yellow. All my heart pills are different colours and shapes. The ones for everything else are white and very similar. Mind I still think the hearts shaped Bisoprolol resembled bums more than hearts.
True !!!
I agree, I like to stay with the same coloured pill and preferably white ones as the coloured ones stop me from sleeping if taken in the evening or night. I've just started taking Propranolol and although the pharmacists notes say no highly coloured pills they are deep pink! It drives me mad and I'll be calling them tomorrow!
Jean
Hello Jean
I wasn’t aware that the colouring caused some folk issues.
For me the different colours helped. Now 5 of my evening tablets are white (only Warfarin is blue). That is confusing as now the Candasartan looks like the Atorvastatin - similar size.
Pete
I have to take my Warfarin in the morning as the blue colouring would keep me awake, It's a pain in the neck having the reaction to colours.
Jean
I find changing sizes when you need to take more than one tablet confusing. I find that sometimes one tablet is larger than the other, sometimes both small, sometimes both large, then one large , one small but the other way around. When I fill my week's pill box and have to open a new box to complete a week, it's even more unsettling to be sure your pills haven't got mixed up !
Yes I totally agree. Bearing in mind that it is probably mostly elderly folk with failing memories and eyesight that take a multiple number of tablets. I take 6 in the evening 5 of which are white of various sizes the only coloured one being Warfarin.
Nightmare.
Pete
Can you ask your pharmacy to give you the same brand? I agree if it’s a different brand it does make you do a double check thinking that was pink
G'day Pete,
Just an incidental query .... how do you find the Candasartan ? The reason I'm asking is that for a great length of time now ( 9 months plus ) I have been plagued by a very loose cough, chesty cough and dripping sinuses. All linked in my view. My GP has given me some prescription nasal drops of super strength ( as distinct from an over the counter nasal spray ) and has also temporary stopped my Ramipril. Whilst I am ceasing Ramipril I have to record my BP to see how it behaves. He also mentioned than an option he may consider is to put me on Candasartan.
Many thanks.
John
Hello John
The reason I am on Candasartan is because I was previously on Ramapril and it caused me to have a bad cough
My doctor, aware that Ramapril had this side effect with some patients, changed me to Candasartan and I have been fine since
Hope it works for you.
Pete
Thanks very much Pete. Cheers.
John
Ramipril gave me a bad cough but because I am diabetic I need something to protect my kidneys and they changed it to Candesartan. So far so good and my cough cleared after 2 weeks
I agree, Pete. I used to print out a list of my Moms medicines for her, and tape a sample pill to each pill name. If the formulation changed, we just taped the new pill by its name. It was very helpful for her.
The white tablets are confusing, so I use felt pens handy and just put a coloured dot on them to differentiate. A bit of a faff but it works for me.
Alarm on fitness watch, buzzes and if you don’t turn it off it buzzes again 10 minutes later and keeps going at 10 minute intervals. Prevents the ‘I’ll do it when it’s more convenient……oops I forgot’ scenario.
Two words - My Wife. 
I have 3 weeks worth of pill boxes for AM and PM. Easier to fill a bunch of boxes all at once, and that way I know ahead of time what is running low. I don’t seem to have any trouble remembering to take them in the morning. And dinner triggers the memory to take the PM meds. There are two that I take at bedtime and just leave those two on my nightstand. When we travel and cross time zones, I set alarms on my Fitbit or phone, until I adjust to the new time zone.
I always use a daily pill box then if the hole is empty I know ive taken them etc.
I take all my medication at night, once I'm in bed, from the individual boxes. I use asthma inhalers twice a day, in the morning and about 12 hours later.On the odd occasion I will fall asleep without taking any medication. As soon as I wake up I will take them.
It is the midday drugs that are hardest to remember now. Both husband and myself are in a good routine for the morning and evening pills. He uses a weekly pill box as he takes so many. One of his (Apixiban I think) is now three times per day and some, recently prescribed, iron tablets. He is not a phone user. He knows how to answer a call and that is about it. This means the phone is often left at home 
Morning ones I take with breakfast and have an alarm on phone and watch for evening ones.
I have gotten into a routine with morning and evening after many years but does anyone else worry about taking so many meds at the same time.The only one I take 30 mins before others is Levothyroxine but it sure does worry me and my poor kidneys as to what it's doing to them.
Levothyroxine is a hormone replacing the hormone that your thyroid doesn’t produce so it won’t affect your kidneys.
Hi I take 6 other meds so levo is the only one I take on its own as specified on box.Sorry if I didn't make that clear.
I use the My GP app & that notifies everyday on the phone & my watch
I have mine next to my bed to remember to take them first thing in tge morning and last thing at night. Then I have a little pill box I keep with me with the right amount of pills in for during the day
I use a little app called Medisafe. The little reminders are gentle, subtle sounds and the reminders continue every 10 minutes or so until I mark as taken. I believe there are other apps for the same purpose.
I find this far less intrusive than a standard reminder on my phone
alarms on phone!
Pill box in the morning and alarm on the phone for midday and night.
Routine and a dosette box so it becomes a bit of a habit. Plus I keep them where I can see them for that little reminder if needed.
I don’t take any pills but have advised patients to use the My Therapy app. Works wonders.
alarm on my phone as well
I also use My Therapy app and alarms on my phone
I got this from Amazon £7.49 for my husband and works well as he forgets. Also if you hve an Alexa you can set reminders for whatever times suits you which is better than a mobile phone as if out with friends can be a bit intrusive
Days, am and pm
Thanks! Just reading the title of your piece reminded me to take my Omeprazole as I have a hiatus hernia and my oesophagus is still a little sore. I keep the pills with my Kardia and lip balm in a little draw string bag and remember the Flecainide, 50mg a couple of hours after breakfast and 100mg before snuggling down to sleep.
i have a dosit box, alarm on phone, alarm on Fitbit and a husband and still forget sometimes !
7 day pill box, with AM & PM sections
I use an app called My Therapy and its free also it can remind you when your tablets are running out. Its a great app
I use a 7 day pill box, however, I also use my phone alarm which is linked to my Apple Watch. The alarms are on vibrate so no noise. I have different medication through the day and also have eye drops for glaucoma four times a day, nuisance having to carry meds around but hey ho small price to pay to keep seeing and heart in check 😀
I use an identical box as Tapanac above for storage and use an app called Medisafe to remind me that I have to take my pills. You can set the times for each individual pill and even set up a reminder to order new ones when the stock reduces to a level you set. I find the app excellent to use
I use a pill box but recent editions to 'cocktail' and not liking to take everything at once I now use an alarm as well. I start by taking Furosemide at 7.00am then 2 and 4 hourly intervals until I finish at 1.00am with second lot of blood pressure tabs. As I'm a 'night owl' the late one works well. only problem are the early ones as I can sleep through the 15minute alarm even if it is on the pillow beside me, then I have to play catchup during the day to compensate. 'Fun and Games?'
Pill box- morning and night . Thanks for reminding me- I just forgot my aspirin
I take them all (with my tea ) in the morning, then it becomes a ritual.... !?
I have alarms on my phome, and stick a label on the box of rivaroxaban with a grid to tick when I've taken my pill - needed for me especially now that I'm being given a generic version without the days of the week on the foil card of pills.
Dossett boxes they have th morning, afternoon and evening pill slots.
On two phones set a minute apart in case I don't hear or feel the first one go off. I'm a bit deaf and also my concentration on something else sometimes means I don't hear of feel anything else. I have a pill box with the days two Apixaban pills in it as well that serves as a backup check when I reload it at the end of the day. I have both my alarms set for 8 am and pm and a minute apart.
All the best.
Roy
I take two prescription meds and about six supplements. My day starts routinely at 7:30 AM. I go directly to the kitchen where I keep everything which I have set out the night before. I prepare a bit of food and I turn the coffee on and by then it is almost 8 AM. Down the hatch they go. I take the second Eliquis at 8 PM. It’s a routine so no reminder is needed. My life is simple and uncomplicated. That makes taking the meds easy.
Fortunately all my meds and supplements bar the cholesterol tablet can be taken all at once so I put my 7 day pill dispenser box on the dining table at the same time as knives, forks, drinks etc just before we sit down to eat. I knock them back after dinner and my son always checks that I've taken them. I pop in the Rosuvastatin tablet just before bed and the dog reminds me about that one as he gets his bedtime treat bikkie at the same time, just have to remember not to mix those two up now 😂
Same. Had a mad week last week as I had developed shingles and was prescribed anti-viral tablets 5 times a day. Also, besides my BP and AF meds, I have to do eye drops for Glaucoma 4 times a day. My phone alarm was going off so many times, I had got to the point of not knowing what I had to take without checking a list I had made out. Crazy.
My system is so complex I doubt anyone on the forum could follow! It's rather elaborate as I need to take Metoprolol in the morning (with my vitamins); Xarelto with dinner; and Atorvastatin (for cholesterol) and my second Metoprolol for the day at 8 p.m. It involves turning bottles around at certain times to safeguard not taking them twice and indicate I've indeed taken them for the day. Very confusing, but it works for me!
Alarm on phone and Fitbit watch. I fill a 7 day pill box. If I go out, I have a small pill box for handbag.
I have a 7 day pill box and take them 12 hours apart, easy peasy
Hi
Easy.
Wake up with 1 x PRADAXA 110mg to havelater next morning.
Take my Syndroid early. Take out CCB Diltriazem to have then.
Wait 1 hr.
Then take Diltiazem.
Then take the 2nd x Pradaxa. About 10ish.
EARLY EVENING
1 x 2.5mg BISOPROLOL.
Take out 2 x PRADAXA
Have 1 x 10pm being 1st of 2.
ALARM best for 10am. and 10pm if I rally want clarity.
It works for me.
Never forget my Synthroid 125mg early morning.
Never forget the ready to have Diltiazem 1 hour after.
Alarm for PRADAXAs
cheri JOY. 75. (NZ)
Phone alarm reminder at 8am and 8pm with 7 day am/pm pill box refilled every Sunday..... and I still occasionally miss taking my tablets. How? Alarm goes off but I'm busy and don't stop what I'm doing to take them straight away and sometimes I don't end up taking. Missing taking occasionally hasn't caused any problems...
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