Healthy Living

AIDS How to Stick with Your Medication Schedule

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AIDS How to Stick with Your Medication Schedule

Overview

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Sometimes following through can be difficult and hard to make happen. Following a schedule for just about anything is hard but when you follow a schedule about taking medicine it can become even harder. It is really hard for people to follow through with difficult situations. Some people think that sticking with taking medication is hard. Believe it or not all you need to is devote a small time a day to make sure that you are taking medication. Here are some tips that will help you stick with your medication schedule.

Know the risks

If you miss a dose of the medication it could be very harmful. HIV medications are not like other medications. An example would be that HIV medications are not like blood pressure medication. Some people might miss a dose of blood pressure medication and then be OK. That is not the case for HIV medications, as you could develop a resistance to the medication. That would be very bad because it could be that your body cannot tolerate the medication and the virus gets worse. So it is best to stick with taking medications and following a routine.

The reason you cannot afford to miss a dose is because,the level of virus dominates that of the medication in the blood. Each dosage helps keep the virus under control. So, if you skip medicine, it will have adverse effects on your health. Also, if you skip your medicine on a regular basis, chances are high that the virus may find ways to protect itself from the effect of the medicine.

Obstacles

These are some of the most common ways that people forget to take their medication. Again these are very common as we are all human and prone to mistake.
Forgetting is probably the most common way that people don’t take their medication. People get so caught up in their lives or get distracted by something else that they forget to take their medication.

Side effects is also a factor when taking medication. Some people actually worse than they did before they took the medication. This is a possibility but this usually for people taking the medicine for the first time.

The thought of not feeling any better after you have been taking medication for a while is also a possibility. Some don’t feel any different after they have been on the medication for a long time and don’t have to worry about any side effects.
To some people it is embarrassing and challenging to come out and talk about having to take medication for AIDS or HIV. That way some people might not take the medication in case people find out. There could also be negative emotions that go along with taking medication. Some people could feel sad that they are taking medication and need to try to avoid taking medications.

Tips

So what exactly could you do about making sure that you are taking your medication? Try to make taking medication as part of your daily routine. Like when you wake up and brush your teeth you should also wake up and take your medication. Another way is to used organized pillboxes with compartments with days and weeks. This way you have a set organized way of making sure you are taking the right medication. There are also computer programs and mobile apps to make sure that you are taking the right amount and at a certain time.

You could ask your family and friends to remind you to take medicines. Also, you can stick notes at places you visit frequently, which would act as constant reminders.

The bottom line

Everyone needs to keep track of their medication. It is easy to get caught up in doing something that you forget to take your medication. So review these tips and try to apply them to your life.

Things you need to tell your doctor before you start your medication.

Talk about your previous medical issues, if any, whether you are currently on medication for any other health related issues.

Tell your food habits. Whether you have a proper diet or consume more of junk. Also, whether you are allergic to any food.

Describe your routine life to the doctor. About your family, your workplace. Each detail matters to make a medication schedule.

Finally, discuss with your doctor on when to take which medicines, learn about the side effects of the medicine and where to store those medicines.

What do you do if you forget your medicine?

Well, first of all, do not panic! If you have skipped a dose, continue with the next dose, but do not stop entirely. After this, make sure you pay a visit to your doctor. It is very essential to be honest with your doctor related to your medication.

Also, talk to the doctor about any obstacle that comes in the way of your medication. There might be certain reasons because of which you might not be able to adhere to your medication. The doctor will help simplify your medication schedule, by reducing the number of times a day you need to take your medicine or by some other similar manner. Also, discuss if you had any side effects due to the medicine.

What if you wish to change the time you take your medicine?

So, it is always preferable to take your medicines at the same time each. Because this gradually becomes a routine and hence making it easier for you to remember to take your medicine. Also, same time will not come in the way of your daily life routine. But, incase you wish to change your timing, its not a problem at all. Just make sure that you do not miss any dose and once you change your timing then stick to the new timing. Do not keep changing your timing. It can so happen that your medicines would not provide the desired results. But, some medicines come with certain conditions, like for example there are certain medicines which you might have to take an hour or two before sleep or an hour before/after your meal. So, for such medicines ,make sure the required conditions are fulfilled.