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View Full Version : Remembering to fill your prescriptions: is there a trick to it?



andrew
12-26-2008, 11:56 AM
Just hit me this morning (Boxing Day) that I don't have any more blood pressure meds or Lipitor. I've made an appointment with the after hours doc this afternoon to get more and can refill at the after hours chemist. That's all well and good but I keep getting myself into these spots.

With my eyes feeling like they're going to pop out, I checked my BP and it's 172/81. A tad high don't you think?

Is there an easy way to remember to fill prescriptions? I'm constantly forgetting.

Sangye
12-26-2008, 12:44 PM
I can't imagine it's different in Australia, but in the US most major pharmacies have online services where you can sign up for automatic refills, mail-order your refills, etc.... They'll email you a week or so before you need it, so you have time to contact your doc for a new prescription if necessary.

I have an inexpensive computer organizer (Organizer Pro) that saves me a lot of work-- it has to-do lists, address book, daily schedule, everything.

You can also use something like a Google calendar.

I hope you get your drugs in you before your eyes pop out. That's messy. :eek:

jola57
12-26-2008, 06:02 PM
Can you have your doc add 3 refils to your prescription? I do that or just call my doc and ask to phone in prescription to pharmacy. My problem is day to day forgetfulness, the other day I got all my meds on a paper towel as every day and went with them to another room to watch the news and somehow forgot to take them, then left to go christmas shopping, came back around 5 and found the un eaten pills:confused:

andrew
12-26-2008, 07:31 PM
sangye: there's no such service here that i know of. we're a bit behind. we just got tivo in the last couple of months :)

i guess its just a matter of me being more organised.

jola: heh. your situation sounds very familiar. i'm forever doing that! as for refills, i already went through my alloted 5 and i still forgot! :)

i'm at the chemist getting the new scripts filled now so all should be in order

edit: got interrupted by the Chemist calling my name :-) I got quite worried today because of the way I felt (like my head was going to explode). I had missed a total of three days BP meds which is not good. For some reason meds don't seem to be a priority with me. Maybe I need a good slap in the head. Could someone here please oblige me? :D

Sangye
12-27-2008, 02:34 AM
sangye: there's no such service here that i know of. we're a bit behind. we just got tivo in the last couple of months :)

Well, I know tivo's a big thing here, but I've still never seen one. I don't get out much....:)



I got quite worried today because of the way I felt (like my head was going to explode). I had missed a total of three days BP meds which is not good. For some reason meds don't seem to be a priority with me. Maybe I need a good slap in the head. Could someone here please oblige me? :D

Okay, I'm holding my hand against my computer screen. Now if you put your face against your computer screen, you can slap yourself silly....

But seriously it's worth researching how your BP meds work. Some drugs work like this: When you start taking them, the drug binds all the associated receptors in the body. There is no drug circulating in the body, so there's little/no drug effect. After that period, the daily dose doesn't get consumed on receptors. But if you abruptly stop the drug, not only do you have the circulating dose, but now the bound drug starts releasing into your bloodstream. This causes a high and sometimes deadly level of circulating drug.

Abruptly stopping other drugs can cause a huge rebound effect. This might be what happened to you.

Pharmacists have given me better explanations than my docs about my drugs. They know the mechanisms better and have the time to explain it. I hope you feel better soon. What a miserable feeling!

andrew
12-27-2008, 06:34 AM
Okay, I'm holding my hand against my computer screen. Now if you put your face against your computer screen, you can slap yourself silly....

Ow!!! Thanks for that. I feel much better :D

That's a really cool explanation, thanks. I will look up some detail on my medication and see what happens.

Carol
12-29-2008, 01:29 AM
Andrew as I fill my weekly day by day pill box with my medications for the next week I always check to see if I have all the medicaions ready for the next time I need to fill up. That gives me a week to get them if I'm running out of them. I always keep some medication in my handbag in case I get caught away from home and I then don't have to worry. It also means I've got back up medication if my other supply runs out.
regards Carol

andrew
12-29-2008, 05:22 AM
Thanks Carol. I think a pill box is the answer to my troubles for the time being. Planning and organisation have never ben my string points but I think this needs to change. I don't want to feel like I did a few days ago too often :) Now I'm back at work, I'll get myself to the shops and procure said pillbox/es.

Twice
12-29-2008, 08:30 PM
Planning and organisation??? Don't scare me!

I'm about to run out of MMF, Atenolol and Omeprazole. They all just seem to get out of synch with each other when the damn doctors keep changing them around and altering doses.

andrew
01-05-2009, 05:38 AM
Hehe...yes, it is scary :D I'm keeping a watchful eye on my medications now. I have an appointment with my GP this week and I'll make sure to fill up with any prescriptions that I'm running low on. Curious thinkg is that I'm very militant with my wife's meds and know wellin advance when she's running low but don't b other with mine until I have none left. Weirdness :confused: