Take control by using helpful gadgets and talking to your doctor about reducing your medications.
There are many reasons why people are unable to stick to a medication regimen prescribed by a doctor, such as high costs or drug side effects. Often, those issues can be resolved by asking your doctor if a switch to another drug will help.
Another reason for what doctors call "non-adherence": too many pills and confusion about taking them. "It is a bigger problem than organization, and not always the patient's fault. Often providers write too many prescriptions without explaining them, or create a complicated schedule," says Dr. Sarah Berry, a geriatrician and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.
When a complicated regimen proves too challenging, try the following strategies.
1. Write it down. When your doctor prescribes a new medication, ask—and write down—what the drug is called, what it's for, how it will help you, how much you should take, when you should take it, whether it has any interactions, and how you'll be affected if you forget to take it. Each time you take the medication, record the time of day and the dose, and note whether you are experiencing any new side effects.
2. Speak up. Dr. Berry recommends that you talk to your doctor about whether it's possible to cut back on the amount of medications you're taking and to simplify dosing to once or twice daily.
3. Get in the habit. Link the act of taking your medications to an activity you perform at the same time each day, such as brushing your teeth or eating lunch.
4. Try a gadget. "Use a pillbox that can be filled once a week or once a month," says Dr. Berry. In addition to plain plastic pillboxes, you can find high-tech versions with timers and alarms, automatic pill dispensers that release medications in the proper amounts, and electronic caps that fit onto prescription vials and beep when it's time to take a medication.
5. Get your pharmacy involved. "Some pharmacies will dispense medications in daily or twice-daily blister packs for easy administration," says Dr. Berry. Many pharmacies offer automatic phone reminders for prescription refills, or they automatically refill prescriptions.
6. Enlist loved ones. A family member or friend may be able to help you design a way to stay organized. He or she will under-stand that it's important that you stay on your medication regimen. "Ask for help if you notice that you are missing doses," suggests Dr. Berry.
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