8 Tips to Sticking to a Medication Routine

“Medication is not taken as prescribed 50 percent of the time.” – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Have you ever wondered if you took your medication as scheduled and just couldn’t remember for sure?

You’re not alone.

With all the busyness of life, it’s hard to remember when to take our medication (or if we DID take it!).

Medications work best when they are taken as instructed by a doctor or pharmacist.  This means medication should be taken as prescribed – “the right dose, at the right time, in the right way and frequency.” (FDA)

What can we do to help remember when to take medication?  The answer is to develop a medication routine. 

A medication routine works with you and your daily life situation to help you take medications consistently.  Taking medications correctly and consistently can improve health and decrease the negative effects of taking medicine irregularly or not at all.

If you or your loved one are having trouble sticking to a medication routine, read below to learn how you can get the most out of medications.

 What is a Medication Routine?

A medication routine is a schedule patients stick to so they take their medication as prescribed.

Medications should be taken as prescribed by a doctor or pharmacist.   The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) carefully reviews all clinical testing and trial information prior to approving a drug for use.  This information indicates that the drug (medication) is to be used in a certain way. 

For example, let’s say a drug was tested under different conditions.  The final evaluation of data determines the medication is most effective when taken every 8 hours.  More testing is performed and clinical trials are done on the drug when taken every 8 hours.  The drug testing and clinical trial data is reviewed by the FDA.  Once review is complete, the drug may be approved by the FDA if it meets rigorous standards for efficacy and safety.

Based on the data, we know that this drug works best if taken every 8 hours.  We ALSO know that if the medication is NOT taken every 8 hours, it won’t work as expected.  This could mean that the treatment doesn’t work or doesn’t work as well as it should.

Creating a medication routine can help patients stay on schedule with their medications.  Staying on schedule helps the drugs work best.

What Happens if I Don’t Stick to a Medication Schedule?

Not taking medications as prescribed can have a variety of consequences.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that not taking medication as prescribed (non-adherence) results in 125,000 deaths per year in the United States.

According to pharmacist Dr. Sonia Kim, not sticking to a medication routine “can interfere with the ability to treat many diseases, leading to greater complications and a lower quality of life”.

Some patients have trouble sticking to a medication schedule because they don’t understand the directions or have multiple medications with different regimens.  Medication instructions can be confusing!

How Can I Stick to a Medication Routine?

Ask your doctor how to take the medicine prescribed.  Ask any questions you may have.

You can also speak to a pharmacist.  Pharmacists are experts in medications.  Speak with your pharmacist to get suggestions on the best way to take all your medications.  Once again, ask questions.  Pharmacists are there to help patients succeed in taking medications properly.

Here are 8 tips that may help:

1. Take your medication at the same time every day.
2. Tie taking your medications with a daily routine like brushing your teeth or getting ready for bed. Before choosing mealtime for your routine, check if your medication should be taken on a full or empty stomach.
3. Keep a “medicine calendar” with your pill bottles and note each time you take a dose.
4. Use a pill container. Some types have sections for multiple doses at different times, such as morning, lunch, evening, and night.
5. When using a pill container, refill it at the same time each week. For example, every Sunday morning after breakfast.
6. Purchase timer caps for your pill bottles and set them to go off when your next dose is due. Some pill boxes also have timer functions.
7. When travelling, be certain to bring enough of your medication, plus a few days extra, in case your return is delayed.
8. If you’re flying, keep your medication in your carry-on bag to avoid lost luggage. Temperatures inside the cargo hold could damage your medication.

Source:  Why You Need to Take Your Medications as Prescribed or Instructed 

Conclusion

Medication instructions can be confusing and hard to understand. 

Creating a medication routine will help patients take medications as prescribed.

If you are helping a loved one schedule their medications, be sure you understand the instructions first.  If you have questions, your loved one’s doctor or pharmacist can help.

Download the FREE 7 Questions Everyone Should Ask at a Doctor Appointment to get the most out of every visit to the doctor.