# Forgot meds **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 2, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677 "2014-08-02T21:37:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Whatever4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@Whatever4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whatever4)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/21 "2014-08-03T04:03:32Z")
Knowing that pure hell awaits me about 12 hours after a missed dose is all the reminder I need. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/22 "2014-08-03T04:53:23Z")
an electronic kitchen timer can be set for hours away. i’ve got one that i can time down from 23 hours and 59 minutes, so that’s anywhere in the next day. ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/23 "2014-08-03T05:56:39Z")
> [@Lorene89095](#): > > I’ve moved the meds to the table… We’ll see if this works :roll: This is what I do. I used to have a really tough time with forgetting meds, or forgetting to refill something. We worked real hard to get them organized. Once a week I split them all out into a daily pill sorter plastic thingy. I can tell at a glance if today’s is gone yet. There are only 2 I take first thing in the morning and I can’t eat until I do, so that’s not hard to forget. I leave the sorter on the living room table, where we always eat. Without fail, right when I sit down to eat at night, I take pills first. I never alter this. Works perfectly. I also keep a pill case in my purse with 1 or 2 of everything in case I’m somehow out of the house without pills, family emergency for example. I’m lucky in that when it’s several hours past pill time, I start feeling funny. It’s my Tylenol I have trouble with now. I’ll be in pain, take 2, 10 mins later it hasn’t kicked in yet, I start to doubt myself, did I take it yet? So I got a cap with a counter on it. ---
**Author:** ![Lorene89095](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@Lorene89095](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorene89095)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/24 "2014-08-03T14:25:34Z")
The putting the meds in front of my nose has worked… this morning at least. I’m very afraid that I’m starting down the slippery slope of Familely(sp) Dementia. Grandmother had it,father had it,brother has it… So any small problem starts a panic. Thank you for all the suggestions,if the _in front of the nose_ stops working I’ll look into setting alarms and keeping the cell phone on. And maybe the knife 😉 ---
**Author:** ![FeAudrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FeAudrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FeAudrey)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/25 "2014-08-03T20:59:11Z")
You can get a 4 x 7 pillbox with alarms for as little as $15 any place OTC stuff is sold. Fancier ones go for as much as $90. Reviews suggest that you check that the particular pills you take will fit in the pill compartment. Me? Another vote for keeping the pills near where you’ll be when you are supposed to take them… I keep my “first thing in the morning” pillbox next to the coffeemaker, and my “with food” vitamins and calcium supplements on the dining table. All re-loaded once a week. ---
**Author:** ![nikonikosuru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/26 "2014-08-03T23:44:33Z")
I’ve been working with patients who have similar problems remembering to take medicine at the right time. For what it’s worth, they have watches with multiple alarms on Amazon, ranging from $15 and up. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/27 "2014-08-06T15:19:04Z")
I use alarms as well. Routine stuff doesn’t work, as then all it takes is for my routine to get disrupted, and I’ll forget. You shouldn’t need too many alarms. The main thing is to get one that won’t shut off until you shut it off, and refuse to shut it off until after you have the medicine in your mouth (or at least your hand.) ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/28 "2014-08-06T21:42:50Z")
Set your meds on top of something you absolutely use every day: the TV remote, the coffee maker, the computer mouse. And don’t use that item until you take the meds. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/29 "2014-08-08T00:51:26Z")
> [@Lorene89095](#): > > The door is metal > My phone is one of those free ones. It stays off unless I leave the house. It is for emergency only and I’m too poor to afford anything fancier Do you have wi-fi at home? If so, you might look into the possibility of getting an old smartphone. You wouldn’t need an expensive data plan and could just use it off your wifi network at home; this should enable you to use the calendar and alarm features of the phone when you’re there. It’s also a handy thing to have around just for quick things you want to do online, like checking the Dope. I don’t know where you’d ask about this, but with the turnover in devices, what with people lining up to buy the next iPhone, I’d think these old smartphones must be available somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/30 "2014-08-08T02:24:56Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Do you have wi-fi at home? If so, you might look into the possibility of getting an old smartphone. You wouldn’t need an expensive data plan and could just use it off your wifi network at home; this should enable you to use the calendar and alarm features of the phone when you’re there. It’s also a handy thing to have around just for quick things you want to do online, like checking the Dope. > > I don’t know where you’d ask about this, but with the turnover in devices, what with people lining up to buy the next iPhone, I’d think these old smartphones must be available somewhere. Good idea! Or even an iPod touch - 50ish bucks for a 3rd generation on eBay. I forget which generation ours was (3rd or 4th) but even though I have a smartphone for stuff, I still use it (well, I did until I misplaced mine a few weeks ago :smack:). ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/31 "2014-08-08T02:54:14Z")
Put them on the way of whatever rutine you have during your day, brush your teeth in the morning? tie the pill box (or reminder note) to the toothbrush or stick it to the bathroom mirror. Get your keys when leaving home? tie them up to a reminder. Coffee break at XPM? reminder on top of the coffe can, etc, etc… With any luck after a few days youl’ll incorporate the medicine into your other rutines and won’t need the reminders. ---
**Author:** ![Lorene89095](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@Lorene89095](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorene89095)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/32 "2014-08-08T11:37:05Z")
_sigh_ I’m going to get two small travel alarmclocks,set one for am,one for pm. I can just feel my brains running out my ears - no,that’s sweat… 103f today,feels like 105/110f Blessings upon whomever invented AC ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/33 "2014-08-08T12:00:34Z")
Ask your doctor to prescribe a drug to improve your memory. Oh wait, then you’ll need to remember to take that. . . ---
**Author:** ![Lorene89095](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@Lorene89095](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorene89095)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/34 "2014-08-09T16:30:32Z")
Plan B. Have ordered another alarm clock for the pm stuff. Yes,I forgot last night’s pills ☹ I need a keeper. If this keeps up I’ll need to be in a nursing home,and I’ll kill myself first. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/35 "2014-08-09T19:24:14Z")
In the evening, I take my morning pills out and put them loose on the counter of the bathroom vanity next to my toothbrush. I take them before I brush my teeth. Later in the day, if I can’t remember if I took them, I just check the counter and see if they are there. I used to forget my chemo pills. That wasn’t a good idea, but so far it looks like I was lucky. ---
**Author:** ![Lorene89095](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@Lorene89095](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorene89095)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/36 "2014-08-09T22:37:34Z")
The alarmclock worked and I have set it for the AM (I hope) If I take the meds like I should maybe I won’t be so muddleheaded.☹ ---
**Author:** ![Lorene89095](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@Lorene89095](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorene89095)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/37 "2014-08-13T00:34:48Z")
Update: alarm clock still working 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/38 "2014-08-13T02:43:01Z")
I found that incorporating the medication-taking with other things I already do in the mornings, like brushing/flossing my teeth and inserting my contact lenses makes me a lot more honest. I do think that the contact lenses are the key though; I might easily forget to take my BP meds or brush my teeth, but it’s not likely I’ll forget to put in my contacts first thing in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677/39 "2014-08-13T02:49:16Z")
> [@Lorene89095](#): > > Update: alarm clock still working 🙂 Good! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgot-meds/694677.md?page=1)