Uh...
I`m on the pill, and have issues trying to take it at the same time each day. My waking times have been different, and sometimes I just forget...
What has helped? I`m not even taking my ritalin on a regular basis lately.
I guess I should try to get the watchminder repaired huh?

Cheers.

When I was on the pill, I would keep it out on the bathroom counter where I could see it (and everyone else, but oh well!). Then there was no way I could forget. Even if you don't wake up at the same time every morning - at least you'll be taking it everyday - which is better than nothing!

-Diane

Yes I too cannot guarantee I will take my meds at the same time everyday....but they will be taken at SOME point.....

Slowpoke: Perhaps have a supply hidden in your car? That way if you forgot to take a med before leaving in the morning, you can run out to your car....

OR have somebody here from forums e-mail you daily with reminder to take your med.....

Yuh, the watchminder repair sounds good.....:)

I have the same problem with my ridalin, which I now keep at work, and my anxiety meds. I'm suppose to take my anxiety meds at 6pm. But I could be at work or home at that time and I always forget, remembering only when I go to bed, which the result is me being very sleepy in the morning.

set an alarm JUST FOR THAT. I mean a big one with numbers ... that plugs in with btteries to abck up. make sure it is a 24 hour one. Same time ever day. Dont turn it iff until AFTER you swallow! then turn it off and back to set in one montion.

For ritalin, I have them in several places... one in the bedside drawer unit that has my anxiety meds, with a bottle of water. I have the first dose set out right there so I don`t even have to be fully conscious when the alarm goes off in the morning. I take it and then go back to bed... and I wake up in about 45mins...no more permahangover feeling.

I also have a small `after coffee mints` tin in my purse that has ritalin in it... it looks really inconspicuous, so I don`t feel weird for taking out a medication bottle every class.

THanks for the idea for having the Pill in the bathroom! I wear contact lenses, so I can keep them right by the contact lens case... I always put them in. What a great idea!

I don`t care if people see that I`m on the Pill...I think it`s being responsible, and it`s better than NOT being on the pill.

I`m glad I have this forum to talk about stuff like this without being embarrassed.

I'm on meds for my ADD, Asthma, Allergies, and, of course, the pill.

(Whoa - just realized that all my diagnoses start with A!)

I keep them on my nightstand and take everything right before I go to bed. I still have trouble remember to take some of them in the morning and I can't, for the life of me, remember to take my methylphenidate in the middle of the day.

well, when I first started taking the pill I had a very erratic waking schedule due to a varying work schedule. Plus, I thought that if I slept in on weekends, I'd be taking it late every Saturday morning! ;) lol

So, I decided to have it right before dinner - around 5:00 every night. (Which only was a bad idea, because when I first started taking it - I was starting to date someone & didn't want him knowing I was taking it - I would feel nauseous & NOT hungry - what a great way to go on a dinner date - pretend everything is FINE & you feel great - ugh)

Over the years, I still take it between 4pm-6pm. Although lately, I've started forgetting (this month) - and remembered at 8 or 9 pm at night. twice I remembered the next morning. Not good. I wondered if I'm subconsciously forgetting on purpose - testing fate, you know? cause I'm getting envious of everyone else having babies but me! :) (also NOT a good plan, what with other meds I'm taking!)

I'm going to have to fine tune my system.

I just quit taking mine for awhile. So pressed for time that most days I just forget. I wish there was a patch or something that I could just slap on once aweek or so.. Would be nice.

there is actually a patch available that you keep on for a week. I think it`s called orthoestra or something like that.

I havn`t looked into it, but I am curious as to whether I could use it, since I am in the water twice a week. I`m not sure if I trust it though... it is a `sticker` type patch. There`s just something different about taking the actual pill dosage.

Check it out with your doctor though, you might be able to get it.

Hey all!
I just wanted to thank you for your suggestions!
I started a new pack of the BCP, and keep it by my contact lenses in the bathroom...
even if I don't put my contacts in right away, I usually need to go to the bathroom sometime before noon (put on makeup etc) so I HAVE NOT MISSED a dose yet! Sometimes I take it a little later than I should, but at least it's not 12 hours late like I used to take it...
So a big THANK YOU to everyone!
(^_^)

I took the pill between 17 and 20 (I started smoking so I stopped taking it, considering going back on again now that I stopped smoking again) and right from the start I bought myself a digital watch (Casio, but lady style in silver not one of them chunky things) and set it to the same time every day. I chose the time with much consideration as to where I would be at the time (preferably - at home, in case I forgot to pack the pills) :rolleyes:

I chose 6pm as I'd be back home by then even if I'd go shopping, I would not be on the tram/bus etc. where I'm likely to overhear the alarm and I should be awake at that time no matter what day of the week it is - this was because everyone had recommended me to take it after getting up as part of the morning routine, but I knew I'd forget and I wouldn't get up the same time every day anyway.

I still managed to fret about whether or not I'd taken it as I'd forget which number on the pack I'd taken last (especially when the alarm went off and I couldn't take the pill immediately). If I start taking it again I will have to get a pill box planner thing so I have to take the right weekday and can always reassure myself that I've taken it if I forget whether or not I've had today's pill yet.

yes, I use the patch. yes, I've gone swimming with it on. I've taken long soaks in the tub with it on.

The biggest problem? Remembering to keep track of what day to change the patch.

Advice for pill users: what is the one thing you remember to do every day?

Do you remember to brush your teeth every day? Then keep the toothpaste under your pills. Do you have Cheerios for breakfast every morning? Duct tape your pill pack to the cheerios box. Do you remember to put on underwear? Put the pill in your underwear drawer.

Then take the pill when you do the other thing. If your reminder action (like brushing your teeth) happens as 4 a.m. or 3 p.m., that's when you take your pill.

I've been using the patch for about a year now and I absolutely love it!

I tried it first because I get nauseous from just about any medication I ingest (that's another whole subject dealing with nausea side effects) and I wanted to try birth control I didn't have to swallow. With the patch, I have absolutely no side effects (tried the shot before, too and became a raging ***** on it) and no nausea - even if I forget and change it a day late or something like that.

As for remembering to change it once a week (and one week you don't use it), it's actually packaged with these nifty little stickers that say "first patch, second patch, etc." and you stick them on the patch wrapper and there are additional ones for your calendar. I keep a calendar on the refrigerator and when I pass by it, I can't miss the big "2" sticker on Sunday, and I change it right then.

It's called OrthoEvra - and it's actually cheaper than the pill.

Originally posted by magik416

I keep a calendar on the refrigerator and when I pass by it, I can't miss the big "2" sticker on Sunday, and I change it right then . . . . It's called OrthoEvra - and it's actually cheaper than the pill.
I must have some sort of sticker block . . like I don't want to admit that I would need them. But you're right :) I'll follow your lead next cycle!

I wish it were cheaper for me to use the patch. The pill I used was a $10/month co-pay. The patch is a "tier-3" under my plan and is $35/month!!! That may not be true for other health plans, but even if it is . . . that is still cheap for peace of mind! :cool:

I was always forgetting to take my pills ( and I have 2 sons to prove it! ) so my doc put me on the Depo shot. Now he calls me every 3 months to come in and get it. The shot is great, not only is there one less thing to remember to do every day, I don't have all the nasty monthly issues (cramps, pms, bloating, etc....)

Well, I don't take "The Pill", but I have to take meds 3X a day and remembering to take my pills has been a problem all my life.

I've tried the alarm watches, but they don't work well because I'll be washing dishes or taking a bath and I'll forget to put my watch back on...or I'll take it off for whatever reason (maybe before bed or while changing clothes) and misplace it. I'm not sure where my watch is right now, infact.

Here's what I do-- and it works well. I have alarm clocks put in certain areas around my house. Areas where I'll hear them go off. One in my bedroom and one near my computer that has 2 alarms on it. When the alarms go off, they tell me to take my pills. I might cheat and push the snooze if I'm in the middle of posting somthing but I'll take them 9 minutes later when it goes off again. (There's that procrastination in my showing it's evil head). ;)

It works well. I also use the kitchen buzzer to remind myself to do other little things. (e.g. I make a phone call to my doctor's office and they tell me to call back in 45 minutes). Now, there's no way that I'm going to remember this on my own-- w/o a reminder-- so I set my kitchen timer for 45 minutes. (It goes as high as 4 hours so it doesn't work for my meds, but it does for many many other things).

What's really frustrating is walking into my house and hearing the kitchen timer go off wondering what it was I had reminded myself of and what it was I forgot. Oh well. You can't win 'em all.

~Sandy

BE VERY CAREFUL!!!!!! I was in the same situation as you are about 8 years ago...... I now have a 7 year old son. I could not remember to take my ritalin or my birth control pills everyday and I ended up pregnant.Check with your Gyno to see if they can give you the patch or the Nuvo ring and then Mark your calendar as to when it is time to change them.

Wow, talk about an OLD thread. Just think, if the original poster had gotten pregnant at the time she originally wrote the post her, kid would be a pre-schooler now. :p

Do you have a cell phone? If so, does it have a way you can set an alarm on it? I started using mine to remind me of taking my Adderall each day.

This may help remind you to take both at once.

I know this is an old thread, but thought I'd drop in my 2c:

I have the mirena coil - it lasts for 5 years, is a little uncomfortable to fit (like having a smear test) BUT is awesome. Not only does it mean you don't have to remember a pill (I even forgot to put the patches back on after a week off), but your periods become really light, and then eventually stop, and because it uses localised hormones (i.e. they stay around your uterus rather than going around your body) they have less of an effect on mood.

I don't know how I could live without mine now!

linky here:

http://www.mirena.com/html/index.html

That's why I have two kids LOL and now have the mirena

I have tried the patch too my only issue with it was the ugly mark that you get after wearing it for a few days. I gets like a lint ring from rubbing up against your clothing. It worked great, I just felt that the whole lint ring was a turn off for me.

I can nefer remember to take it on time. I've been on them for years and I have issues...:(

Maybe a Nuvaring or Implanon. I'm not sending DD off to college without Implanon!!

I keep my meds in a drawer by the fridge (with a label that says medications, LOL) When I'm getting my morning caffiene fix I can easily whip open the drawer and grab a BC pill and a vyvanse.

I take the prozac later on with lunch or midafternoon, as I don't want the ssri and the vyvanse competing for my brain, I'm not sure if they would, I haven't read enough about them (we're not that far in pharmacology, some of the drugs we don't learn until clinicals start), but just in case.

i like nuva ring. no side effects really (for me at least) and you only have to remember once a month! well, twice if you count remembering to take it out.
i really sucked at taking the pill. the patch was ugly and made me nauseous, and wouldn't stay on properly. And it has the highest risk of blood clots. Those things they stick in your uterus (IUD) or in your arm (implanon) just kind of freak me out.
nuva ring all the way!

My wife couldn't remember to take her birth control everyday and she doesn't even have add. Now that we have our first child she went and got an IUD (intra-uterine device). The jam it up into your cervix (cant remember if that is the right feminine part but I'm sure you get the idea) and it releases just enough hormone to thin the uterine walls. The best part is its good for 5 years.

My life is a mess and I am constantly forgetting things, but I remember the birth control 99% of the time. I learn to do important things like that guy in Memento. I do the same thing so often that it becomes an instinct. As soon as I get in bed at night, I take my pill. My problem was that I would keep losing my pills after taking them. Then I got this stuffed animal that gift cards come in to hold my pills. Every night, Birth-control Duck and I kill my baby.

I'm really spot on in this one area, and I think it is because I am really, really motivated. I can barely manage my own life, what the hell would I do with a kid?

There are a lot of good suggestions here, but I have one more: If you have a cell phone and can receive texts, you can set up Google calendar to send text messages to your phone. I have to take meds five to six times a day, and there is just NO WAY I could keep that straight without those text messages. Also, I keep all my meds in my purse so not only is there no chance of having to go without, but it also means that if I had a medical emergency of some kind where I couldn't communicate, it would be obvious what meds I take. I also have an "In case of emergency" list programed into my phone.

Uh...
I`m on the pill, and have issues trying to take it at the same time each day. My waking times have been different, and sometimes I just forget...
What has helped? I`m not even taking my ritalin on a regular basis lately.
I guess I should try to get the watchminder repaired huh?

Cheers.

Hmmm...well, what "helped" me was accidentally getting pregnant. I got my tubes tied after that (I have four children now). No more babies.

I'm very fertile, and even being late on the pill several days in a row was enough to do it for me.

LOL, I just realized that this was a very old thread. Oh well, I can see that many of us have our "pill" babies!

Oh jeez, I could never remember mine!
I gave up after a couple of years and went to "alternative" forms of contraceptives. I used the Sponge for years, but I haven't seen it in stores for a long time.

I don't have to worry about any of that anymore! We finished growing our family and my husband got snipped. Whew! (uh oh, is that TMI?)

I have an IUD - it's the most wonderful thing for those like us. The doctor inserts it, it's good for 5 years, 99.9% effective, and if you want to have kids they can take it out at any time and you're good to go.

Wonderful wonderful wonderful :)

Yeah that's me.

Luckily I haven't got pregnant because of it! There has been times when I've forgotten it and me and my bf have taken the necessary precautions...but somtimes we haven't or I've forgotten until it's...too late! Then when it comes to that time of the month, I'd be worrying that it won't come...

I seem to be better now as I'm on the mini-pll which has to be taken within three hours each day. I had to change as the other one I was on was giving me nasty headaches/migraines, I just didn't feel myself, kinda PMT all the time, NO sex drive which didn't impress my boyfriend!

The only thing is I can't change when my time of the month is like with the combined pill. Bit of a bummer but hey, beats all the crappy side effects from the other one. Both me and my boyfriend have noticed how much happier I am :D

I used to take it when I brushed my teeth. Because if nothing else, I have good dental hygiene. Although my third child was conceived on the pill so perhaps my dental hygiene wasn't as good as I thought.

Just make sure you don't take the mini-pill -- that one you HAVE to take at pretty much the same time every day.

I also tried the patch but it gave me horrible PMS (I mean, much worse than my normal horrible PMS). It has a very steep drop in hormones; the pill is more gradual.

I ended up getting a tubal ligation after my third daughter. Sometimes I still get a little bit of panic "did I take my pill?" Then I remember I don't have to any more.

i am using my mobile phone reminder function for it. i just set it to "daily" remember me of whatever medication it is that i have to take (so far, its four pills of prescription medicine a day, one of them has to be taken half an hour before breakfast / eating anything, grrr, i hate it). i am taking the pill in the evening though, as i am always awake at 5pm, but its hard to know if i am awake at 8 or 11 am. maybe you should switch to an evening / afternoon shedule, i dont know.

I'm a little concerned :(

One thing that can happen on the mini pill is that periods get messed up during the first few months. I went on it in January, it's now May. They were pretty messed up, the last one I had went on for two weeks! But the second week was really light, it was hardly anything. A few weeks later I got a little bit one night and then that was it.
I've had nothing since! Whenever I've taken it late me and my boyfriend have been careful. I've been taking contraceptie pills since summer 07 so even if I did take the risk I'd have less chance of becoming pregnant than someone who isn't on the Pill. But I'm sure we've always been careful either way.
The thing that makes it complicated is that after a few months from starting the mini pill, periods settle down...or some women don't have them at all or rarely have them and have very light ones. So I don't know what's going on!
It never occured to me at first that it could be that I'm pregnant, I just thought it was the Pill and thought "Great!", then my boyfriend mentioned it. One of my friends suggested taking a test to be safe, which would obviously give me an answer...I'm worried though of what it would say if I did take one. But obviously I can't hide from the situation, it's serious!
Other than that I've been fine, nothing's changed.

Maybe things are still settling down...my other worry is that nothing happens for a month and then it turns up when I'm on holiday, in a swimming pool or something :o (which was the reason I went on the Pill in the very first place, my periods were like two weeks late one month, then one week late the next, and really heavy and painful)

I just got the Mirena/IUD. . .seriously, it's the ADHD woman's birth control solution. No having to remember anything - OB/GYN puts it in, and other than one follow-up exam and checking on it during the yearly exam, that's all there is to it. The Mirena lasts five years, I think there is also one that lasts longer. Since I don't plan on ever having children, when my current IUD's five years are up, it can be removed and replaced with a new one in the same appointment.

Brilliant! :cool:

Never remember LOL
That is why I chose the Mirena.

I chose to take it in the evening, 9:30 p.m. because that was the easiest time of day for me. Choose a time of day when you're not bleary-eyed and still distracted from just waking up or needing to sleep (for me this time sometimes stretches until noon, and in the evening I 'wake up' properly).

Also, since I carry my cell phone with me EVERYWHERE, I set an alarm on my phone to go off every day at 9:30. This worked fine for awhile, until the day when I completely forgot, and was twenty minutes away from home when the alarm went off...then I started setting TWO alarms, one for 9:15 to remind me and one for 9:30.

Maybe it would also be a good idea to carry the Pill in your purse or something you always carry with you? That way you'd have it with you no matter where you are.

try Nuva Ring. you wear it for three weeks and then take it out for a week. the week you don;t have it in is the week your cycle happens.

I also have the Mirena, I love it. I don't even have a period any more!

I chose to go off of it, I had my phone remind me to take it at the same time every day. It got to the point where my alarm would go off, I would turn it off and think "I'll get up in a second and take it..." and guess what? I'd never actually get around to going and taking it- even with the alarm to remind me. I decided, especially as I wasn't seeing anyone at the time, that I should just go off of it instead of messing myself up by forgetting it so often!

~Katy

OK, old thread, but just had to put in one more vote for the Mirena. It is NOT like the old IUD's that would cause heavy periods. It is just the opposite. And, like someone else has already said, I don't even have a period anymore :) Yes, that is medically OK!

Now if they could just find a similar device for vitamins and fish oil!

Not a woman, but my wife ISN'T ADD at all and STILL has a hard time remembering to take her pill at the right time. She has set a phone reminder and everything. Usually, it ends up that I remind her HAHA. Luckily, between the two of us, it gets taken care of everyday.

We considered the IUD, but as we will likely be looking to have children within a year or two, her insurance doesn't cover it so it would be full price, and the fact that the pill is $10 for her at the university pharmacy, we went this route instead.

I did a lot of research for my DD (now 18). Forgetfulness + impulsivity + teen hormones = really young grandma !!! :eek:

The only problem with Mirena is that in the US, most doctors will only insert an IUD if the patient has delivered at least one child. There's apparently a slight chance of uterine infection or perforation that can cause sterilization and doctors don't want to be responsible for permanent, non-elective infertility.

Mirena would have been my first choice for DD if I could have found a doctor willing to insert it in a teen who hadn't even started her family. When DD was 16, she started with the NuvaRing, even though I didn't have any firm evidence that she was active. She was having cycles every two weeks and was miserable most of the time. You can use them consecutively for three months, then take a "break" for a week. When she got into a serious relationship, she got the Implanon, which lasts for three years. She deals with depression and was sliding before the Implanon was inserted. I think it exacerbated her depression a LITTLE, but other than that she hasn't had any side effects yet.

If you're not a good candidate for Mirena, Depo Provera, NuvaRing and Implanon are all good long-term options.

I considered the IUD and then I started obsessing about something in me, so I would have "phantom" felt it all the time. I've been on Depovera.
Benefits, I always lose the five bloat pounds right after my shot, last 3 months with no periods, my mood is even, I do not get acne that scars my face, I no longer have to count every other day to see if I missed a pill or took 2 by accident.
Cons: other people didn't like it but I've never had bad symptoms -- some have. Once you get the shot, you can't "take it out." You have to wait for it to wear off. Again, it's been a JOY to me but other women report bad experiences.

I'm lucky enough that I get into morning routines that are almost instinctive. Get up, feed dog, make coffee. Take pills while waiting for coffee to brew; they're kept in the same cabinet, at eye level, while I have to reach up for the filters. That way it's right in front of my face and I can grab everything at once. I haven't been on the Pill for a few years but I'm getting back on it pretty soon. It helped with my PMS, leveled out my moods, lightened my periods, all the good stuff and now that I'm single again...um, yeah. NO BEEBEE'S for me!

I've never heard of the Implanon though?