Sometimes it's difficult to fit medications into your busy schedule, especially
if you're taking more than one prescription at once. It helps to create a specific
plan for organizing and remembering to take the medication(s).
The following suggestions will help you to better manage your medication schedule:
- Incorporate the medication into your daily routine. For example,
take it immediately before or after another activity that you do each day,
such as eating breakfast, doing a household chore, or going to bed. Make sure
you check first that the medication can be taken with food. Ask your pharmacist
or read the medication package or insert.
- Place the medication in a highly visible area so that it's readily available
to you at the time you should take it. For example, if you take the medication
in the morning before leaving for work, place it on your kitchen table, or
beside your water cooler, coffee pot, or favorite mug. Remember to keep medications
out of reach of children and pets, and away from heat and humidity.
- Create your own checklist or diary to help remember your medications.
Place your list in a highly visible place, such as on your refrigerator or
taped to the inside of your front door, so you'll see it before leaving home.
- Ask your pharmacist about medication reminder devices (often referred
to as "compliance aids"), such as mini-alarms, blister packages
(plastic, sealed bubbles), or dosettes (a reusable method to store a week's
supply of multiple medications).
And just in case you do forget: Know what to do if you miss a dose of
your medication - ask your pharmacist for guidance about your specific medications.