Always forgetting to take my meds..

[RicardoC]

I have been living with HIV for over 15 years and during the past 4 to 5 years, I have been forgetting to take my meds. Not too sure why this is happening? Maybe is because of my hectic schedule at work, going to classes, and dealing with everyday life. The meds I'm taking are Viread (once a day) and Trixivir (twice a day) and have been taking them for more than five years. I'm weary changing my meds because of the fear of experiencing new side effects and possible fear of getting Lipodystrophy. So, any suggestion from my fellow friends in regards to taking my medication faithfully or other medication that might help and is it true, if your constantly change medication, the likelyhood of getting Lipdystrophy is high. Thanks

[Seadickrun]

My cheap cell phone lets me set alarms (which vibrate) and that is one way to remember. 

I take one Truvada/Viramune when I wake up and another Viramune when I go to bed.  And I have one of those handy 7 day pill holders so I can remember if I actually took them or not.  I'm getting older and I can't always remember if I took the dang things today or was that yesterday?? So, I just look  in the compartment marked F (for Friday, today) and see what's left. 

[RicardoC]

I always find myself saying to my self did I take my medication already or not, and when I ask my partner, he says I took it 15 minutes ago, lol. 

[J.R.E.]

Hello Ricardo,

Do you use a pill box? If not, you may want to get one . Fill it up once a week, it will be easier to keep track of your meds. They do work !

My problem( and I've missed meds a few times) is when I have them in my hand, and I lay them down. That's when I forget to take them.

Thats quite a regimen your on . 4 nukes ! I thought my 3 nukes was heavy.


Hope things work out for you, Can't be missing doses. Maybe a watch alarm , or as Seedick mentioned , a cell phone alarm/reminder.


I have also done that , where I've taken the meds, and wondered an hour or two later, whether, I took them or not. Drives me crazy at times. Then I just look in the pills box, to make sure they are not in there.


Take care---Ray

[todd123]

I also know that the "Prezista" website will send you email alerts.
I'm not sure if you necessarily have to prove you are on that particular drug to receive them.
That might help.  Especially at work.

I know the feeling.  I've missed a few times and it always makes me very anxious.

best,
Scott

[hotpuppy]

I have a blackberry.... so I set a "appointment" in my outlook calendar.  This creates a reminder on my desk computer and my phone.  They have to be cleared independently.  It basically pesters the hell out of me so I don't forget.

[Assurbanipal]

Another trick is to put the pills / pillbox next to something you will use each day, so you see them.  Me, I keep the pills in with my socks.  I take the morning pills when I get dressed and put the evening ones in my pocket so I'll have them no matter where I am at night.

[sharkdiver]

I have been living with HIV for over 15 years and during the past 4 to 5 years, I have been forgetting to take my meds. Not too sure why this is happening? Maybe is because of my hectic schedule at work, going to classes, and dealing with everyday life. The meds I'm taking are Viread (once a day) and Trixivir (twice a day) and have been taking them for more than five years. I'm weary changing my meds because of the fear of experiencing new side effects and possible fear of getting Lipodystrophy. So, any suggestion from my fellow friends in regards to taking my medication faithfully or other medication that might help and is it true, if your constantly change medication, the likelyhood of getting Lipdystrophy is high. Thanks

I would think the least of your worries would be lipo. How about treatment failure and resistance? Maybe you should bring up your adherence issues with your doctor and counselor?  Pill boxes are a marvelous and inexpensive tool to train yourself to take your medications faithfully.

Please don't let a serious illness and/or a long hospital stay wake you up to the reality of this disease.

[RicardoC]

Hello Ricardo,

Do you use a pill box? If not, you may want to get one . Fill it up once a week, it will be easier to keep track of your meds. They do work !

My problem( and I've missed meds a few times) is when I have them in my hand, and I lay them down. That's when I forget to take them.

Thats quite a regimen your on . 4 nukes ! I thought my 3 nukes was heavy.


Hope things work out for you, Can't be missing doses. Maybe a watch alarm , or as Seedick mentioned , a cell phone alarm/reminder.


I have also done that , where I've taken the meds, and wondered an hour or two later, whether, I took them or not. Drives me crazy at times. Then I just look in the pills box, to make sure they are not in there.


Take care---Ray

I'm puzzled by your comment, when you said, I have 4 nukes and you thought your 3 nukes was bad. please elaborate? Thanks

[RicardoC]

I would think the least of your worries would be lipo. How about treatment failure and resistance? Maybe you should bring up your adherence issues with your doctor and counselor?  Pill boxes are a marvelous and inexpensive tool to train yourself to take your medications faithfully.

Please don't let a serious illness and/or a long hospital stay wake you up to the reality of this disease.

I have tried the pill box, it does not work for me. Also, its weird in public opening a pill box and sometimes people looking at you. I do understand the fear of treatment failure and resistance, it has always been my fear, I just find it difficult to keep track of my medication on a timely manner.

[RicardoC]

I have a blackberry.... so I set a "appointment" in my outlook calendar.  This creates a reminder on my desk computer and my phone.  They have to be cleared independently.  It basically pesters the hell out of me so I don't forget.

I never thought of that and it sounds like a good idea. I'll let you know about it. Thanks man.

[RicardoC]

My cheap cell phone lets me set alarms (which vibrate) and that is one way to remember. 

I take one Truvada/Viramune when I wake up and another Viramune when I go to bed.  And I have one of those handy 7 day pill holders so I can remember if I actually took them or not.  I'm getting older and I can't always remember if I took the dang things today or was that yesterday?? So, I just look  in the compartment marked F (for Friday, today) and see what's left. 

Awesome idea! I never thought of that. Thanks, i'll let you know how it goes.

[AlanBama]

I would not be alive today if it weren't for the weekly pill boxes.   You fill it once a week, your meds are laid out.   No question as to whether you have taken them or not.  Maybe keep the pill box beside your bed?   That way you can't miss it....

good luck,

Alan

[J.R.E.]

I'm puzzled by your comment, when you said, I have 4 nukes and you thought your 3 nukes was bad. please elaborate? Thanks

]

Hello Ricardo,

If I understood your post correctly, you said you were taking Trizivir, which is a combination of AZT, Epivir, and and Ziagen. These are all Nucleoside Reverse transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTI's) or "NUKES"

You also say your taking Viread, Which is another NRTI. For a total of 4 NRTI'S. I never heard of that regimen before. I was just wondering if you meant Viread to be Viramune instead.

Myself, I am on Epzicom (Combination of Ziagen and Epivir,) also two "NUKES",  Along with Viread, another Nuke. , for a total of 3 nukes. I also take Viramune which Is a Non-Nuke. 4 nuke regimen's, are not that common, I believe. Hope that clarifies my comment to you.
I was just curiious about your regemin.


Take care---Ray

[sharkdiver]

I would not be alive today if it weren't for the weekly pill boxes.   You fill it once a week, your meds are laid out.   No question as to whether you have taken them or not.  Maybe keep the pill box beside your bed?   That way you can't miss it....

good luck,

Alan

Excellent point

[Miss Philicia]

I've never used pill boxes, post it notes, blackberry messages or cellphone alarms over the course of 15 years of pill taking, and mostly 20-30 pills per day.  Also, if you try these other recommendations in this thread and are still forgetting a substantial amount of doses I would seriously consider being screened by a mental health professional for depression -- studies have shown that there's a substantial correlation between adherence issues and depression in HIV patients on HAART.

btw, you're already on a lipo-ish combo if you're taking Trizivir.  If you've not already experienced any sunken cheeks then perhaps you're not as genetically inclined as others.

I also agree that being on a combo of 4 NRTI's is odd.  I'd ask my doctor why he selected that.  Trizivir, even by itself, is not listed as a "preferred" regimen by the US Dept. of Health guidelines for treatment naive patients.  The addition of Viread to an non-preferred medication seems a bit dubious.

[aztecan]

Hey Ricardo

I use two pill boxes. One for my meds, one for my supplements. They work.

I managed to take Crixivan, unboosted, for 11 years. The only way I was able to do it was to use an alarm watch to remind me of the 3 p.m. dose (the doses had to be taken exactly eight hours apart), and an alarm clock in the living room to waken me should I fall asleep before the 11 p.m. dose.

You can do it, but you have to want to.

Philicia might have hit on something with the possible depression issue.

So, just curious, why are you on four nukes?

HUGS,

Mark

[Peacock]

I use a pillbox marked Monday to Sunday 'am' and 'pm'
I also use my wrist watch that had 3 alarm settings:
setting no. 1 wakes me up for work
setting no.2 reminds me to take my 'am' dose
setting no.3 reminds me to take my 'Pm' dose
and I dont have to reset the alarm because it resets itself..its a Casio.
sometimes I dont hear the alarm,because it only beeps for a minute then stops, and if the watch is in another room I might not hear it. Also, sometimes I do hear the alarm but ignore it because Im watching a good movie,and decide to wait until a advert break (inevitably I end up taking my tabs a few hours late)
My Casio wrist watch is my most prized possesion! (besides my doggies and hubby)

[mecch]

1) Pill box
2) some kind of alarm - cell phone or watch
3) ask yourself why, really, you forget, and if you'd rather get sick.
4) count your blessings that HAART is available, and don't forget to take it

[RicardoC]

]

Hello Ricardo,

If I understood your post correctly, you said you were taking Trizivir, which is a combination of AZT, Epivir, and and Ziagen. These are all Nucleoside Reverse transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTI's) or "NUKES"

You also say your taking Viread, Which is another NRTI. For a total of 4 NRTI'S. I never heard of that regimen before. I was just wondering if you meant Viread to be Viramune instead.

Myself, I am on Epzicom (Combination of Ziagen and Epivir,) also two "NUKES",  Along with Viread, another Nuke. , for a total of 3 nukes. I also take Viramune which Is a Non-Nuke. 4 nuke regimen's, are not that common, I believe. Hope that clarifies my comment to you.
I was just curiious about your regemin.


Take care---Ray

You know something, I have been positive for over 15 years and really dont know much about HIV medication and feel really stupid and dumb to ask these questions.  So, now that you just mentioned that, is 4 nukes really that bad?

[RicardoC]

I've never used pill boxes, post it notes, blackberry messages or cellphone alarms over the course of 15 years of pill taking, and mostly 20-30 pills per day.  Also, if you try these other recommendations in this thread and are still forgetting a substantial amount of doses I would seriously consider being screened by a mental health professional for depression -- studies have shown that there's a substantial correlation between adherence issues and depression in HIV patients on HAART.

btw, you're already on a lipo-ish combo if you're taking Trizivir.  If you've not already experienced any sunken cheeks then perhaps you're not as genetically inclined as others.

I also agree that being on a combo of 4 NRTI's is odd.  I'd ask my doctor why he selected that.  Trizivir, even by itself, is not listed as a "preferred" regimen by the US Dept. of Health guidelines for treatment naive patients.  The addition of Viread to an non-preferred medication seems a bit dubious.

Wow, now you have me nervous! Are you saying Trixivir may have the incredients to give you lipo? Currently, I do not have any sign of lip o and my worst fear is to get it. Please advise what you mean when you say certain drugs can give you lipo?

Thanks 

[RicardoC]

Hey Ricardo

I use two pill boxes. One for my meds, one for my supplements. They work.

I managed to take Crixivan, unboosted, for 11 years. The only way I was able to do it was to use an alarm watch to remind me of the 3 p.m. dose (the doses had to be taken exactly eight hours apart), and an alarm clock in the living room to waken me should I fall asleep before the 11 p.m. dose.

You can do it, but you have to want to.

Philicia might have hit on something with the possible depression issue.

So, just curious, why are you on four nukes?

HUGS,

Mark

JRE asked me the same question. I have been taking this regimen for over 5 years and for me it works because my t-cells jump at one point to over 900. Its usually around 600 to 750. I'm a bit confused and worried that everyone is asking me the same question. Should I be worry?

[RicardoC]

1) Pill box
2) some kind of alarm - cell phone or watch
3) ask yourself why, really, you forget, and if you'd rather get sick.
4) count your blessings that HAART is available, and don't forget to take it

Sorry to sound stupid but, what does HAART mean? Excuse my ignorance. 

[David_CA]

Sorry to sound stupid but, what does HAART mean? Excuse my ignorance. 

Ricardo,

Please take this suggestion as I intended it (NOT to insult).  Check the section of this site on drug  www.aidsmeds.com/list.shtml.  There are also a lot of lessons here (under the Treatment section in the gray bar near the top of the page) that explain a lot of what you're asking.  HAART = Highly Active AntiRetroviral Therapy. 

David

[Miss Philicia]

Wow, now you have me nervous! Are you saying Trixivir may have the incredients to give you lipo? Currently, I do not have any sign of lip o and my worst fear is to get it. Please advise what you mean when you say certain drugs can give you lipo?

Thanks 

Read that link that David_NC just put up in this thread's last post.  Look up Trizivir and Viread, specifically the side effects section.  Doesn't mean you'll get any, but means you could.  Just seems strange for you to be so worried about the subject but then have no clue about the side effect of the stuff you've been on for years.

And still doesn't make sense to be on four meds from one class of HIV drugs.

[aztecan]

Hey Ricardo,

I have known a number of people on odd regimens, so yours is just another one.

The way I look at it, if its working, there is nothing to complain about.

The suggestion David made regarding checking out the drugs section of the lessons here is a good one.

They have nice, easy to read segments on all the currently available meds.

I always feel knowledge is power and, in the case of HIV treatment, we are still our best caretakers.

So, don't panic or start to fret over lipodystrophy. Instead, steel yourself with knowledge.

If you run across things you don't quite understand, then please feel free to post a question here.

There are no stupid questions. How else do you think we all learned the things we know?

It has worked for me.

HUGS,

Mark

[red_Dragon888]

I have been living with HIV for over 15 years and during the past 4 to 5 years, I have been forgetting to take my meds. Not too sure why this is happening? Maybe is because of my hectic schedule at work, going to classes, and dealing with everyday life. The meds I'm taking are Viread (once a day) and Trixivir (twice a day) and have been taking them for more than five years. I'm weary changing my meds because of the fear of experiencing new side effects and possible fear of getting Lipodystrophy. So, any suggestion from my fellow friends in regards to taking my medication faithfully or other medication that might help and is it true, if your constantly change medication, the likelyhood of getting Lipdystrophy is high. Thanks

try a call service

[RicardoC]

Hey Ricardo,

I have known a number of people on odd regimens, so yours is just another one.

The way I look at it, if its working, there is nothing to complain about.

The suggestion David made regarding checking out the drugs section of the lessons here is a good one.

They have nice, easy to read segments on all the currently available meds.

I always feel knowledge is power and, in the case of HIV treatment, we are still our best caretakers.

So, don't panic or start to fret over lipodystrophy. Instead, steel yourself with knowledge.

If you run across things you don't quite understand, then please feel free to post a question here.

There are no stupid questions. How else do you think we all learned the things we know?

It has worked for me.

HUGS,

Mark

Thats my point, My medication has been working for me. I'm undetectable for years since taking these medication and my t-cell is always between 650-750 and the last time it was over 900. I feel the medication that I'm taking (Viread and Trixivir) iand for now, its working.  I read the website AIDSMED.com and it was extremely useful and did read the side effects of my medications. I see that it has the possibility of getting Lipo but, I'm going to let it bother me and talk to my doctor on my next visit.

I just want to say that everyone who responded has given me great ideas on how I'm able to keep track of taking my medication on a timely manner. In addition, everyone has given me information that was useful.

Thank you sooooo much.

Mucho Carino
(Lots of Love)

Ricardo

[RicardoC]

Ricardo,

Please take this suggestion as I intended it (NOT to insult).  Check the section of this site on drug  www.aidsmeds.com/list.shtml.  There are also a lot of lessons here (under the Treatment section in the gray bar near the top of the page) that explain a lot of what you're asking.  HAART = Highly Active AntiRetroviral Therapy. 

David

I went to the website and did see the sideeffects of my medication. Again, I'm embarrased to say that I have been taking this medication for years and never knew that it may cause Lipo. Its good to know now and will discuss it more with my doctor.

Let me ask you something?

Do all medication treating HIV causes Lipo?

[sharkdiver]

Are you worried about Lipodystrophy because of stigma? what's the deal

[RicardoC]

Are you worried about Lipodystrophy because of stigma? what's the deal

Personally, It will affect me tremendously. Not because of stigma but because of how it would make me feel.

[Miss Philicia]

Lipo involves more than just HIV meds -- studies have also shown a genetic propensity to get it among various racial groups, etc.

And I hate this "if it works don't break it" mentality that was more geared to HIV treatment 10 years ago when less drugs were on the market.  It's a very retrograde way of thinking.  If you suddenly develop lipo next month you'd regret no looking several years ago (lipo generally is a delayed effect, not an instant one, because it's a cellular dysfunction unlike, say, getting diarrhea) at the fact that you're on four NRTI's.

But hey, whatever floats your boat -- you've gone 15 years so far with nary a care in the world about knowing any of this stuff so...