Tricks for Remembering to Take Your Pill?

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Hey guys - anyone know of any helpful suggestions on how to remember to take your thyroid pill each morning? I find that once in a while (twice this week, actually....eeeek) I forget to take it. I know how important it is to take the pill, but mornings are not my fave time of the day and I find I'm always rushing around and forgetting things.

Would appreciate if anyone had some helpful hints for me.
Thanks!
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Replies

  • Sweet_Pandora
    Sweet_Pandora Posts: 459 Member
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    I leave my meds on the counter in the bathroom. Once I take it I turn the bottle upside down. Before bed I turn the bottle right side up again.

    I take my thyroid med as soon as I get up, it's part of my first trip to the bathroom routine.

    It works for me.

    Karen
  • BeachDreamin83
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    That's a great idea! I have been leaving mine on my bedside table - sometimes I can't remember whether I've taken it or not. Thank you for sharing!
  • islandmonkey
    islandmonkey Posts: 546 Member
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    I have to leave it bedside or will forget.

    The other option is to take it at night - studies show better absorption that way anyway. You'd have to take any other pills (especially those with calcium or iron) in the morning, and you have to take it 3 hours *after* food.

    I'm an evening snacker, and would fall asleep and forget to take it, but it works well for some people.


    What meds are you on? T4-only one like Synthroid or Levothyroxine? It works best with those, as meds containing T3 can keep some people up at night.
  • islandmonkey
    islandmonkey Posts: 546 Member
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    That's a great idea! I have been leaving mine on my bedside table - sometimes I can't remember whether I've taken it or not. Thank you for sharing!

    Oh, I also put mine in a pill container for the week so I can remember if I've taken it or not!
  • BeachDreamin83
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    Thanks! These are great ideas. I'm on Synthroid and have been working with my Naturopath to help with sleep trouble. If I took the Synthroid at night, would that cause any sleep problems? Since I've been tracking on MFP and going high protein low carb, I find I don't need to snack at night, which is a huge change for me. So taking the pill at night might work, as long as it doesn't cause sleep problems.
  • sraffel
    sraffel Posts: 66 Member
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    I used to have trouble, too, when I kept my pills in the cabinet with my vitamins. I'd forget all the time, then eat breakfast and would remember and have to wait, so my schedule was always off. I keep my pills on my bedside table now. Each night before I go to bed, I fill up a glass of water and leave it next to the pills. As soon as the alarm goes off, I sit up in bed and I take a pill with all the water. If I get up prior to that to use the bathroom or something, I will also take it then, so I always take it before 8am.
  • kats3boys
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    Mine are beside my coffee pot.. first thing I reach for and I am not one for cold water so I always leave a water bottle on the counter.
    Morning pills are routine for me, the rest of the day is hit or miss.
  • MeMyCatsandI
    MeMyCatsandI Posts: 704 Member
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    I keep my pills in the bathroom drawer right next to my toothbrush. That way, unless I walk out the door with fuzzy teeth somehow, I'll have taken my pill!
  • islandmonkey
    islandmonkey Posts: 546 Member
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    Thanks! These are great ideas. I'm on Synthroid and have been working with my Naturopath to help with sleep trouble. If I took the Synthroid at night, would that cause any sleep problems? Since I've been tracking on MFP and going high protein low carb, I find I don't need to snack at night, which is a huge change for me. So taking the pill at night might work, as long as it doesn't cause sleep problems.

    Nope, shouldn't be any issues with taking Synthroid at night. You may notice your levels go up a bit with taking it at night, but if so not that much (just from increased absorption).
  • SarahHebert1
    SarahHebert1 Posts: 98 Member
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    I take my thyroid med as soon as I get up, it's part of my first trip to the bathroom routine.

    Same, the container is on the counter right beside the toilet. First morning pee, whether I'm going back to bed or not, I take it. I don't generally need to take water with any kind of pill, so that helps too.

    I've only been taken thyroid medications for a couple of months, but I'm quite impressed with the routine I've been able to follow. Usually I'm forgetful as well, but this has worked really well so far!
  • shirleygirl910
    shirleygirl910 Posts: 503 Member
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    I set my alarm for 2 am. I don't have to worry about eating or taking other vitamins for hours around the time I take my meds. My doctor thinks I'm crazy, but I have enough problem remembering not to take calcuim with the multi etc.
  • skinnyme47
    skinnyme47 Posts: 805 Member
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    I have a fitbit one. It will let you set up multiple alarms. It wakes me up in morning when it it time to take my medicine and goes off later when I have to take other medicine. I also have a calendar and mark on it when I take it. That way I know when to take my calcium (four hrs later for me). :smile:
  • BeachDreamin83
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    I set my alarm for 2 am. I don't have to worry about eating or taking other vitamins for hours around the time I take my meds. My doctor thinks I'm crazy, but I have enough problem remembering not to take calcuim with the multi etc.

    Wow - amazing that you have the willpower to wake up out of a deep sleep to take the pill! You might want to try to take some water with the pill though, apparently thyroid meds require a full glass of water when you're taking it. I don't do a full glass - a couple of gulps and that's all I can handle. I read somewhere that the water helps with absorption or something like that.
  • debbylee22
    debbylee22 Posts: 456 Member
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    I set mine out at night before I go to bed. At the bathroom run closest to midnight (doesn't matter if its a few hrs. late), I take my naturathyroid sublingually (under the tongue) (supposed to work better). Then in the morning, I take the isocort, which is also taken that way. I'm up a couple times a night, so it works for me. :smile: Hope you figure out what works best for you.
  • islandmonkey
    islandmonkey Posts: 546 Member
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    I set mine out at night before I go to bed. At the bathroom run closest to midnight (doesn't matter if its a few hrs. late), I take my naturathyroid sublingually (under the tongue) (supposed to work better). Then in the morning, I take the isocort, which is also taken that way. I'm up a couple times a night, so it works for me. :smile: Hope you figure out what works best for you.

    Some actually suggest it's worse to take a dessicated med like Nature Thyroid sublingually. Swallowing it ensures that the active T3 is released more slowly.

    Were you always up at night...? T3 is very active, especially if taken sublingually, and taking your Nature Thyroid at night could be why you are up!!!
  • candypa
    candypa Posts: 73 Member
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    I take mine in the morning, it is on my bedside table. After using the restroom. Ha Ha
  • jessipatra
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    I take mine when I take off my rings at night and I take my birth control pill when I put my rings on first thing in the morning. I always notice if i have my rings on in bed, or if i don't have them on during the day, so it's easy to remember whether I've taken my meds or not :)
  • Dark_Roast
    Dark_Roast Posts: 17,689 Member
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    I had that problem also, and I bought a weekly pill container, with all the days marked. It made me feel old, I honestly have to say, but it works. I can fill it with everything I need when I go on vacation and not have a ton of bottles with me.
  • islandmonkey
    islandmonkey Posts: 546 Member
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    I take mine when I take off my rings at night and I take my birth control pill when I put my rings on first thing in the morning. I always notice if i have my rings on in bed, or if i don't have them on during the day, so it's easy to remember whether I've taken my meds or not :)

    That is a great idea!!
  • Ataris9
    Ataris9 Posts: 12 Member
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    I have a weekly pill box thingie that i fill up every week since i have other meds besides levothyroxine. I always have a bottle of water next to my bed so when my alarm goes off in the morning to wake up, I just grab my pill box and water and take it and move on to other things.