Problem with Meds---HELP!!!

[Revalation]

For the last 24 hours I have had a lot of problems taking my medication.
I have alarms for the Riba and I placed the box where I have to go get it.

This evening when I went to get my meds there was still medication
from the morning in the box. I had problems last night taking the Neupogen and I
had to wake at the crack of dawn to take it.  I also had some confusion with regard
to if I had actually taken the Riba. Can I take 5 pills tonight?

Is this common to treatment or am I being driven crazy by two old (parents) people?
My mother keeps saying she's going to die and my dad loses something almost (wallet today) daily.
When I told my mother I couldn't take anymore she suggested I needed to see a "shrink."
.
Wed.  I'll have to go pay property taxes that were overlooked and are due of course Aug 15th.
Thursday I'll take her to the hospital for some surgery that I hope turns out to be minor.
I do need help, but for now I have to deal with MY treatment effectively.

Reva

[orphanedhawk]

I just read your post and no wonder you're forgetting things. We all do especially with the brainfog created with tx. I can't imagine having additional pressure like parents who don't understand while doing tx.
For me, it was enough to simply make breakfast and take a daily walk.
My husband took care of shopping and cooking.

Ideally, this should be a time for you to take care of you. Keep water with you everywhere, put a bottle by the bed, in the car, in the kitchen. See it and think, 'right, drink more water.'

I put my calendar on the fridge, with shot days, and lab days marked. Pills went in a pill reminder. Neup I always took the night before my interferon shot, which was also at night.

Best of luck and don't worry. Missing or riba here or there isn't going to harm your SVR !

[BoceprevirGal]

Be careful not to take more ribaviran then the exact amount you are supposed to take.  More riba then needed, can bring on side efects.
   I just keep the ribaviran in the little one month box, so if I have missed any doses, it will be apparent, from the days box.
  It odesn't matter what timeof day you take your riba pills, as they last in our systems, at least 12 hrs, but the reason they are spaced out thru out the day, is to avoid stomach upset.
   So if you know for sure you missed some of your riba pills ( I take 2 in the mortning, 2 in the evening) it will not hurt you it in the evening, but take it with lots of food, if you have to take all four at once~
   I went thru a few days where I had a problem remembering, but corrected it. Now I am totally brain-washed into waking up and taking pills, etc

[Revalation]

Thanks,  for letting me know I'm not off my rocker.
I had been so consumed with Incivek for 12 weeks andI wasn't expecting Riba problems.

Maybe my water intake had dropped too low.
I started all over today.
Thanks,

Reva

[dontworry_behappy1]

I was thinking that if you put a bands around your wrist in the morning, 1
for each pill you have to take that day.  Take them off as you take the pill
and always leave the bands with your meds.....You would have a system
that check its self.  Then in the morning you could put all the med bands
back on and start again.  You wouldn't spent so much time thinking about
if you took the pills or not.  

[Idyllic]

I have been such a space case lately. When I am not sure I took my dose and feel  like I should take them all at once I time it out. Instead of taking all five at once I would take three pills and the morning and then the other two a few hours later in the day and then resume my schedule that night.

It is way too late for me to tell if I took a dose by counting how many pills I have left.

Hang in there ~ you are not alone♫

[Revalation]

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I will write them all down to help me rememeber and to pass on to others.

Just when you think you have heard all the great advice along comes some
methods you never heard of or thought about.

Last night my problem was connected to putting the pills down and
not remembering if they were the pills from the box.

I've been doing so well this hit me out of the blue. Probably need more
water.

I'll be doing as you suggested also.

Many thanks,

Reva

[Revalation]

Thanks, I will take a few at a time during the evening.
I try a little harder to get back on schedule tomorrow.
Also, I'll start double checking. I'll add another alarm to my phone or just make it a habit to go back to check.

I will be making myself the priority for the next few days.
Like I'll check the caller ID before answer.

Well, at least my dad found his wallet and I don't have to feel sorry
for him tonight.

Once again thanks for your suggestion. I'll get on it.

Reva

[dontworry_behappy1]

Put rubber bands around your wrists.  1 for each pill you have to take that
day.  I found that I had to see it to remember.  Almost like a consent
reminder.  Once again... NEVER lay the pill down.   I have a great memory
normally...... This shocked me more that anything about this treatment.

[dontworry_behappy1]

Never take the medication out and lay it on the counter.  Always take
the pill as you take it out of the package.   My heart is with you.  

[dontworry_behappy1]

Yes it is common.   I was very surprised.  I took all my medication and
put it on one tray in the kitchen.  The tray sat out all the time so I could
see it.  I set an alarm clock for the early morning and always resent it as
soon as I turned it off in the morning.  I set another alarm clock for noon
time and also resent it as soon as it went of.  Put up post its.   I have
take care of parent too.  Do what ever it takes to remember.  Tie string
around your finger..... two a day.   Take the string off when you take the
meds.   It was hard... your not alone.
Hang in there

[1swimmer]

Sometimes after I take my pills in the morn, I get up out of bed and make sure they aren't sitting on the counter. Done this many times. Not sure what to tell you about the ribavirin. If it was me I'd take half now and half later on definitely w/ food. Timing on ribavirin is less important but the issue may be your stomach.
Good luck and you are the priority, Reva,
C