I am 21 months out from my kidney transplant. In the past month I have forgotten to take my evening meds two different times. Prior to that, I was doing great.
I set the alarm on my iPad to remind myself, but I’ve still somehow got distracted and managed to forget after the alarm went off! Morning doesn’t seem to be as big of an issue.
Anyone have any tips on how to remember to take your meds?
I take evening meds (not for a transplant) at dinner. I have a Mediset right next to my chair so I see it.
Thank you Bassetmommer! I will do that!
Put them where you can see them, tie them to something else you do. If you take them before bed, maybe the bathroom where you brush your teeth, take a shower, bedroom by the bed. I have the same situation with setting the alarm on my phone. Not for meds but for other things.
I put my pills in a small dish and leave them on my night table. I put the pills out when I take my morning meds
Great idea OldTownhammock! Thank you!
My phone is set with snooze every 5 minutes - "forever". The phone will keep repeating the alarm until I turn it off. I also have my Fitbit Sense alarm set and will keep repeating until I turn it off.
And my meds for the day are always in the same place - where I can see them repeatedly during the day.
That’s two great ideas, Okiksaints! Keeping the meds in sight and not turning the alarm off until you have taken the meds! Thank you!
I also use a fitbit alarm and that is the most helpful thing to me because I always wear it. I never had a fitbit before, but bought it to help me remember my meds and it does work.
If anyone specifically needs help remembering to take them with you when you leave the house early in the morning this helped me when I had a week of VBS for my kids...I have a pill case that has both morning and night in it. I kept it in my purse so that at night I would have to go get my meds from my purse, and at that point I would put the next morning and night meds in there. I have a giant pill case and it just wasn't possible to put an entire week of meds in there at once so this helped me remember to take them with me every morning. I usually don't leave the house that early so it was out of the ordinary routine for me.
I also recommend keeping an extra set of meds in your bag at all times in case you leave the house earlier or get back later than usual, or something unplanned occurs.
Hope this helps!
Yes, PKDpostTRANSPLANT! I am retired so that’s not as much an issue for me but those are great ideas! Thank you!
I do something very similar. I have a monthly pill box at home for my AM meds that I keep bedside. I take them out every night and put them in my paper water cup that I use for brushing my teeth. Can’t forget taking them. Since I need to take a mid day and early evening pill, I put one each in a very small container that can fit into any purse or pant pocket. The alert is on my phone. In a separate weekly pill box I keep my evening meds along side the daily box. Sounds like a lot but once you get the routine you’ll know when to reorder and it’s easier to travel (I’ve been in London for a month and it works). I also have IBS so in my mini container I always have an enzyme and a peppermint gel.
Good luck
Thank you MinnadeParis!
When my care coordinator asked how I remember to take my meds I laughed and said over 40 years of practice! I forget too sometimes, especially if I'm out and about and come home later than usual. Luckily insurance allow me 3 month refill. I fill a box with two weeks of morning and night meds. Grabbling them out of my pill box is way easier than opening 10 bottles each time I take my meds. Making the process quicker seems to help me take them right away not not postpone with the thought that I don't have the energy to open 10 bottles right now.
Yes, that is a great idea barbara55109! Thank you!
I get distracted easily so i set alarms on my phone, and i make sure to set to snooze (ten minutes, forever until click stop.)
Yes, I use an alarm, but not turning it off until I actually take my meds is something that I am going to incorporate! Thank you Turtletools! By the way, I love everyone’s’ names and would love to know their origins! 😊
My meds are on a shelf in the bathroom by my sink. When I get ready for bed I take them and once I've done so I put the bottle back but upside down. In the morning I turn them up right and after I've taken them.
lol, i just realized i misspelled Turtle. I have turtlein several of my ID's. Origin story:
In my 30's moved near Atlantic Ocean, and getting into water past the break was a little scary at first. I would freeze and sometimes get knocked over.
During that first year i went to Hawaii and snorkeled near some hungry sea turtles feeding off rocks. The waves were gentle, but about every 5th set, the waves were strong enough to knock the turtles up and over. They would slowly turn upside down in the wave and the right themselves and return to grazing the rocks.
I loved the idea of them just accepting the interruption of the wave and then returning to their task/goal.
When i returned to the Atlantic ocean, i woud think "be the turtles" and relax and dive under/thru the big breaks.
Be the turtles, has become my life philospophy, just adapt, go with the flow. It continues to serve me well in this journey with CKD.
That’s great! What a wonderful story and philosophy!
My meds are in a basket on the kitchen table and my Alexa reminds me morning, noon and night. I still miss sometimes.
Congrats on your transplant Hawk12. The only way I can get my meds right is to do a pill box, and I have made a habit of checking it before bed.
I have four pill times a day. I make them out for two months at a time. Not easy. I can take out the individual days pills, and i keep them always with me. My body remembers, even though i don’t always. After so many years, I got used to taking them. I give myself a one hour grace period, before and after. So, 6pm pills aren’t late until 7pm; not early until 5pm. It just makes it easier to think this in my head. Good luck!
Thank you CatOnACloud!
I have a routine. So in the morning after making the coffee, I put my am meds in a small dish & set them next to my coffee cup. After dinner at night, I do the same thing. The dish of pills sit next to me as I watch TV. Sitting there is a reminder for me to take them.
I am 23+ years post transplant and have been doing this since I came home from the hospital after my transplant. And I take so many pills, they have to go into a dish. Ha, ha...
I use an app called Transplant Hero - it’s simple to use and reminds you after 20 minutes if you haven’t ticked the boxes and again 20 minutes later if you still haven’t done it. You can set custom times and list each med. It’s a simple visual app which is helpful and you can set up different times and list each med and dose - helpful if I need to talk to a pharmacist as I have a current list available on my phone.
apps.apple.com/gb/app/trans...
Because my phone is generally on silent, I also set a phone alarm and will only press snooze- never turn the alarm off until I’ve actually taken the meds. That works well for me and that hour is my maximum window.
I’m not a pillbox person- I think it made me feel like a permanent patient, but I see the appeal. I take that moment of getting out each med to be grateful that I can have this life 😊
Thank you ThisAdventure! Those are two excellent suggestions!
I understand that. I’m 5 months post and I’m a forgetful person anyways. Most days I’m fine and have an alarm on my phone, but some days I can forget so my husband has an alarm on his phone and texts me during the day and I hear it at night. His is more annoying than mine, it’s a horse and doesn’t shut up til you turn it off unlike mine that just chimes once and stops.
Meds... 
forbidden meds
Does Everyone With CKD Have to be on a Statin?
