It is challenging to remember to take your daily medications — whether it’s one pill or 10. Thought it was just you? It is extremely common to struggle with remembering to take medications; an estimated 50 percent of Americans do not take their medications as prescribed. This challenge is not a black-and-white issue, and there are many reasons for the struggle.
Life is full of distractions and these distractions can often get in the way. While it may not be the most exciting task, taking your provider-prescribed medications regularly is one of the most important things you can do for your health. New college students are especially prone to forgetfulness with medications because of their new environment and new habits and routines. Regardless of what you are taking, medications work best when they are taken as prescribed. Whether you need to take medication daily or just finish a course of antibiotics, there are many strategies to help you stay on track. We’ve compiled a list of tips that may help.
Tips for remembering medications:
- Set up a pillbox: Pillboxes are labeled with the days of the week and are a cheap and easy way to organize your pills.
- Reminder alert or alarm: Use your phone or smartwatch to set up reminders or alarms. This will help you make sure you’re taking your medications at the same time every day.
- Pill track app: There are many apps that assist with medication tracking and daily reminders like ExpressScripts, MediSafe, or EveryDose.
- Leave yourself a note: This is a classic tool for any task. Leave yourself a note, and once you take the medication, you can cross it off the list. You can also use a dry erase board and erase the reminder after each dose.
- Turn your pill bottle upside down: After you take your pills for the day you can turn the bottle over, just make sure to turn it upright at the end of the day for a fresh start tomorrow.
- Combine it with a daily task: Also called “Habit Stacking,” try tying the taking of your medication with an activity you do daily like brushing your teeth or making coffee.
- Keep it visible: To avoid the “out of sight, out of mind” issue, keep your medication in an easy place to see.
- Automatic refills: This is a convenient tool to set up refills that helps you avoid requesting medication every time you run out.
What if these reminders don’t work?
It doesn’t require a lot of time or effort to implement new strategies, but sometimes there is not an easy answer. One of the best ways to problem-solve is to talk with your pharmacist about the issue. Your pharmacist can discuss new ways to remember to take medications and can help you understand what your medication is for and how it benefits you.
Emma Smith, she/her/hers, 4th year Pharmacy Student, Class of 2024
Columns reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, The Daily Iowan, or other organizations in which the author may be involved.
