Tablet Turmoil.

[Cateran]

If like me you are suddenly faced with a sharp increase in the burden of medication, you may feel at times that that you have forgotten which tablets you were due to take, like me, and in which sequence. I appreciate that there are methods and devices which can aid one to cope with " tabnesia" , but are they fool proof, particularly when one is befuddled by pain and weariness? Does anyone have have a solution, or am I now in a familiar stage of the ageing process which you might also share?

[2greys]

There are a few mobile apps available. When you set them up, they will sound an alarm and tell you which drug it is time to take and the dosage. Some will even act as a running stock check and tell you when it is time to order more. I use one and have never missed a dose.

[Cateran in reply to 2greys]

That's a very helpful piece of advice 2greys. Would you please send me details of the app?Many thanks,

Terry.

[2greys in reply to Cateran]

The one I use is called "Medication Reminder" it is is available on the Google Play Store. You can also view it via PC here. Edit, you can also use your phone for that link and install it that way:

play.google.com/store/apps/...

There are many others, go to the play store and search for "medicine" or "medication" or even "pill"

[sassy59]

Pete has me to remind him but I like 2greys reply better just to be sure. Xxxxx

[HungryHufflepuff]

I've recently got one of those weekly pill organisers. It has 3 large compartments per day (you can get 4 compartments if you have to take pills four times a day) I could never remember if I'd taken them or not, whatever I tried to do to remember. Now I fill all the coming week's pills on Sunday afternoon. Then in the week I can see at a glance if I've taken them or not. I might try 2greys suggestion of an app for my inhalers though because I often can't remember if I've taken them or not. Wishing you all the best.

[Cateran in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

Gee whizz! That's quite a regime HP. I neglected to mention my inhaler (one) and the box suggestion is spot on for my pills. Thank you in turn for your best wishes.

Terry.

[skischool in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

Why not take a whole weeks meds on a Sunday and repeat once a week,then again maybe not such a good idea after all

[HungryHufflepuff in reply to skischool]

It would certainly save time and having to remember things but it could result in:

1) 🤢🤮

2) 🤯

3) 🤪

4) ☠️

5) All of the above

[skischool in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

How did i just know that a pandora's box of emojis would be opened in reply lol .i am now extremely jealous.

[wheezyof]

Hello Cateran,

Oh yes! Pill popping is us.

With 3 inhalers and a shed load of pills it was a bit confusing at first.

I have 4 x weekly dose boxes each has 4 compartments. Once every 4 weeks I make up the boxes. Each night I lay out the next day's box and my inhalers.

I take my current day's dose box to bed at night. ( I have to take Adcal and that cannot be taken within 2 hours either side of eating dairy, wholegrain or foods like spinach or rhubarb, so I take those with water when I wake up in the night for a wee)

My antibiotics and my omiprozole have to be taken on an empty stomach so they are by the bed to take first thing.

As soon as I'm downstairs I take my first inhaler, ventolin. Have a drink, Next 2 inhalers, fostair and spiriva respimat. The latter 2 are put away the ventolin stays with me along with the new day's dose box. I keep the day's pills by me because in my case it would be out of sight out of mind.

It all sounds a bit fanatical but it's so important to take the medication regularly.

What with all the pills and wearing hearing aids and glasses I sound a bit of a wreck but the alternative would be a lot of suffering with a box at the end and I'm not ready for that yet.

[Cateran in reply to wheezyof]

Thanks wheezyof. I will do my best to avoid that box!

Terry

[Inamoment]

I've got a weekly pill box for warfarin. My dose has been changed to three and a half one day, four the next, tricky to remember. The other ones are easy, i have a morning stack of boxes and one for the evening. My inhaler are not supposed to be unsealed until used, so i couldn't put them in a box anywy

[Cateran in reply to Inamoment]

Inamoment. Your stack of boxes sounds insurmountable. Thanks for your reply

Terry

[Hidden]

I will now be able to visualise HungryHufflepuff doing exactly the same as me on Sunday afternoons. I recently bought a Anabox Weekly Pill Organiser, which has 5 larger compartments, from Amazon, to accommodate my arthritic fingers. Filling it on a Sunday brings to your notice the need to put in a repeat prescription on Monday for items for which you do not have enough for the following Sundays loading procedure.

I also have the same problems with inhalers and intend following 2Greys advice.

[Cateran in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Don for reminding me about the Repeat Prescription. They can catch you out on that one (or should that be Catch 22?

Terry

[chubby2x22]

Blimey, talking abouts meds, not only sorting the doses out, but I've just remembered my two carriers bags are still at Boots waiting to be collected. These days I need a reminder for everything take care Jane .

[Hidden in reply to chubby2x22]

Remember the days when a knot in your hankie was enough? 😉

[chubby2x22 in reply to Hidden]

I do, them were the days.

[Hidden in reply to chubby2x22]

youtube.com/watch?v=QptZ8tY...(Not working as expected?)

[Cateran in reply to chubby2x22]

Only two bags chubby2by22?

Terry

[powderpuff]

Hi Cateran, I’ve recently had the same issues with my 93 year old MIL who takes 14 various tablets a day. It turns out the pharmacy sorts all her meds into an organiser for her all ready for her to use. She uses Well pharmacy but I expect all of them provide the same sort of service.

[Cateran in reply to powderpuff]

Hadn't thought about that powderpuff. Could be the answer!

Thanks.

Terry

[peege]

Yes, chemists can pack all your doses or you in blister packs based on time of day. If you take the same mess day in day out it's a good system

In organisasitions they use MAR sheets - Medicinal Administration Records - the person administering the medication signs off each one given. They're a faff to fill out by hand but if the chemist won't do individual ones for you you can probably print some from the internet.

Id recommend the blister packs though and you can set the alarm on your mobile phone to remind you.

[Carnival567]

I sort my pills every Saturday into my box for the week, and then do my repeat prescriptions online. Takes an hour! Inhalers live by the bed.

[Fleurbaby]

I have a human app! First 3 months free, then $5 a month! It is called my chemist!(sorryfor smart ass humour, I have woken up for the first time in years, feeling good, see how long it lasts, hey?), but, seriously, my doctor gave my chemist, 3months supply, & she gladly did my whole 3 month prescription , I have about 11 pills in morning, 5 at night! Now I have a months worth of pills separate in blister packs for every day of the calendar month, so, if I miss taking them, I am able to see at a glance, if I have taken them or not!

Not only that! The beautiful woman, lives just down the road from my place, & drops in when they are ready & gives them to me.

[HungryHufflepuff in reply to Fleurbaby]

It’s good to know you’re having a good day 😊Very cool about your pharmacist bringing your pills to you. I have to phone my repeat prescription and allow 5 working days for them to get to the doctor who gives them to the nurse and then I have to be able to get there to collect them, all of which means remembering to reorder them in plenty of time, which I hardly ever remember to do.

[Fleurbaby in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

Exactly what was happening to me, I was forgetting to take my pills, I just honestly can't remember to take them, it was so difficult & painful to move, so I would turn off my alarm and then forget to take them

[caroleoctober]

I use the Co-op pharmacy, my doctor sends a prescription for a week's supply of drugs to them, they make up a blister pack and deliver it every Thursday. If I need inhalers I order them from the surgery online and the pharmacy deliver them. I try to time it so that they are ready for delivery at the same time as the other meds. I use the delivery service because I don't like riding my mobility scooter when it's very cold. I believe Boots offer this service as well.

[Cateran in reply to caroleoctober]

Thank you caroleoctober. There is a Boots in my town. I shall visit them.