I remember sitting in my Gynaecologist’s office discussing my birth control options. I had decided to try out the injection Depo Provera but that really wasn’t working out for me, so we discussed going on an over the counter combined oral contraceptive pill.
Now, I my track record with pills is dismal. All the times I had to take pills I do very poorly… I understand that the medication is important yet this doesn’t stop me from missing days!
So when patients come to me saying that they don’t take their medications everyday as prescribed, I get it. But just because I understand doesn’t mean its okay for you or me to miss days of important medication.
So how do I ensure I take my medication everyday as prescribed?
Understand What It’s For
I find that if I don’t understand why I’m taking a particular medication- I won’t take it, especially if I don’t see immediate effects. It’s important that when we leave our doctor’s office we have a clear understanding of what the medication is and what it is used for. We are lucky enough to live in a time where information is at our finger tips and there is information about medications, geared towards both medical and non medical professionals, online.
Make It A Habit
If you take medication once a day put it with something you always do. Say you always have a glass of water as you wake up, that might be a great time to take your pill or without fail you have lunch everyday but dinner and breakfast are a maybe… take your pill during that time. This might not be practical for all pills as they have specific times you should take them such as night time along with special instructions such as with or after a meal.
Set An Alarm
This came in very handy for me when I removed my wisdom teeth. I was so afraid of pain and an infection that I had maybe 5-7 alarms on my phone reminding me to take my pain killers, steroids and antibiotics. It was the worse and most pill burdened two weeks of my life but I made it through infection and complication free!
Take Charge of Your Health
At the end of the day, no one can force you to take your medication, as such, we as individuals need to understand our health and what ever illnesses we may have. Taking my birth control has become less of a chore and a part of daily life since I’ve accepted its importance and value in my life… until you are able to take control of your health it will be easy to forget your pills. Make your health a priority.
Pill burden is real! However, pills have the ability to save and improve quality of life.
What are some creative ways you remember to take your pills? Let me know below!
Samantha C. Johnson
Featured photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
