Managing Your Meds

People with disabilities are more likely to need to manage at least five medications (what’s known as polypharmacy) than those without disabilities. The more medications a person needs to take, the more likely it is that they will miss doses of, misuse, or forget to take medications altogether.

Why is this? In a study, researchers found these were the biggest problems with managing medications properly:

• Hard-to-understand words and instructions from doctors and pharmacists
• Difficulty getting to pharmacies to pick up medications on time
• Changes to daily routines or to medication packaging that throw off schedules or cause confusion
• Forgetting what medicines to take when, because there are so many

Remembering to take one pill every day can be tricky for anyone if it’s not a habit. But taking two, three, four, or five medications a day can cause major health problems.

Here are some things you can do to make sticking with your medication schedule a lot easier.

Make sure you understand instructions

When your doctor prescribes a medication, be sure you know its name, what exactly it does, how to recognize it, how much to take at once, and how often you should take it. Ask if the doctor can give you clearly written instructions that explain all this, and be sure you read it and understand it fully before you leave. And be sure you understand what side effects those medications may have. For example, some may cause upset stomachs. You can also write this information down on your own notepad. 

Often, doctors use long, difficult medical words that can be hard to understand or even pronounce. Don’t be afraid to ask what these words mean. 

Also, some people have a hard time swallowing large pills. You can talk to your doctor and your pharmacist about getting replacements, such as syrups, which may be easier to swallow. If you don’t like taking medicines that often throughout the day or have a hard time remembering them, ask your doctor whether they can adjust the dosage so you can take them less often throughout the day. And some syrup medications can be flavored to make them taste better.

Develop a relationship with your pharmacist.

It’s a good idea to keep all your prescriptions at the same pharmacy. Their systems are often set up to flag any drugs that may interact with others you’re taking. It also is easier to arrange to pick up more than one prescription at a time.

When you go to the pharmacy, be sure to compare their instructions with what the doctor told you, so you know you have the right medication and know exactly how it should look. 

Talk to the pharmacist about any side effects, and ask for suggestions that may help to address them. For example, to avoid nausea, the pharmacist may recommend taking a pill with food.

You can also talk to the pharmacist about packages that are easier to open, such as non-childproof lids, so that those with hand dexterity problems can open bottles more easily.

Get support from someone you trust

Sometimes, it’s a good idea to have a caregiver or friend go to doctor appointments with you, so they can be aware of your medication schedule and ask questions you may forget to ask. They can also help by picking up prescriptions or reminding you to take your medications, especially when changes in your routine make it easy to forget.

Follow an easy-to-use schedule and reminder system

For some people, a simple printed schedule hung on the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, or other easy-to-see location is enough of a reminder to take your medicines on time. The one found here is a good one, but there are others available for free online. Your pharmacy may also carry these.