Useful and simple tips to not forget to take medicines
There are several alternatives that will help you remember them and follow the treatment in the best way.
¡Rise your hand if you have never forgotten to take any medicine! Surely there are few who could raise their hand. For multiple reasons and factors, people often forget their medicines, taking them at inadequate times or simply not ingesting them. For this not to happen, Baxter Renal Care Service team of nephrologists gives you some tips to not forget to take your medicines. In addition, you can start applying them now.
According to our nephrology team, when you start taking one or more medicines, you should know them very well, understanding what they are for and how they will help your health. This will make you more aware of them. "The patient needs to know each of the medicines and understand what they are for. This will help you identify them and have a clear schedule in which you should take them or apply them".
After that first approach and knowing its benefits, you can start applying simple strategies to not forget them.
"A simple technique is to use a schedule for each medicine and if necessary, write on a billboard those schedules. Other alternatives may be the use of pill boxes or asking another person or caregiver for help," adds the expert.
Undoubtedly, technology has become a great ally for the different moments of life. And it is no exception talking about not forgetting to take or apply the medicines.
According to our team: "each time technology allows us to have more help in this aspect, for example, with the creation of alarms on phones that specify the drug to take, or even, there are applications that serve as reminders such as Medisafe and MyTherapy, among others".
An oblivion can be okay. However, when it becomes a common occurrence, the consequences will be negative and the expected results will not be achieved.
"In general, frequent forgetfulness will lead to the failure to achieve the therapeutic objective with the drug. For example, if it is a drug for blood pressure, non-compliance and adhesion could lead to uncontrolled blood pressure figures and even complications".
There are also some patients who, because of constant forgetfulness, and end up taking their medicines when they remember, without having a control of them. This can also cause adverse effects.
"It is very important to ask your treating physician which medications you could take at a different time without any consequences, or depending on the medication, what would be the recommendation in case of an oblivion. Remember that each has a specific function and a defined time of action".
Finally, the nephrologist team claims that "the key is to have proper communication with your treatment team (doctor, nurse, nutritionist, etc.), to define the therapeutic objective, the possible adverse effects, interactions with other drugs, the timing of the ingest or application and the time of treatment.
Other tips to keep in mind when taking medicines: our nephrologists responds:
How can a person who takes several medications during the day be organized?
"It is important to check with your doctor about all the medicines you are taking. He will be able to give you recommendations about which can be taken together and which cannot, as well as setting the appropriate schedule according to the activities and routine of each patient".
Are there any medicines you can’t take at the same time?
"Yes, there are some medications that must be ingested alone, for example, those that make hormone substitution such as levothyroxine. There are others that depending on the therapeutic goal should be taken long after meals or close to them. It is important at the consultation to ask your treating physician about recommendations on taking medications".