Ways to Remember to Take Medicine

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If you can’t remember whether you took your medication, what do you do?

What happens if you don’t remember if you took your medications?  When one is not sure if you took a pill, never, ever just take another dose yet. What could happen if you double dose?  If someone ingests an additional dose, the consequences can be deadly. In fact, an extra dose can raise the risk of harmful effects. Check your pill organizer, count the remaining pills in the bottle, or review the instructions that came with your prescription to find specific guidance. 

For most medications, it is safer to accidentally miss a single dose than to double up. Because guidelines vary drastically depending on the medication (such as blood thinners, insulin, or birth control), it is always best to double-check with a professional. You can reach out directly to your local pharmacy or use the America’s Poison Centers at 800-222-1222 if you are concerned about a double dose. 

For further guidance, consult I can’t remember whether I took my medication, what do I do? on Medical News Today. To help prevent confusion in the future, you can implement some 9 Simple Strategies for Remembering To Take Your Medication or read the Why You Shouldn’t Skip Your Medication guide on WebMD.
 
If you are missing doses consistently, a few strategies can help get your routine back on track:
  • Use a weekly pillbox: This offers a quick visual cue to show exactly which days have already been taken.
  • Habit stacking: Pair your pill-taking with a non-negotiable daily habit, like brushing your teeth or making your morning coffee.
  • Set reminders: Use persistent reminder apps, medical watches, or simple phone alarms.

If you’re unsure whether you’ve taken your dose of medication that day, the best course of action is to talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They will be able to advise you on the best next steps based on your specific medication.

If you take oral tablets or capsules, you can count how many pills you have left. If you know when you started taking the pills out of that prescription bottle, this could help you determine whether you’ve taken your dose for that day.

Sometimes, when you haven’t taken your medication, there may still be time to take that dose. However, this could depend on the drug and dosing schedule.

Although in some cases, if it’s almost time to take your next dose, your doctor may recommend skipping the missed dose and taking your next dose at its regular time. Never take two doses at once to make up for a missed dose as doing so could raise your risk of side effects.

What happens if you accidentally take your medication twice?

Do not take more of a drug than your doctor prescribes. While serious side effects may be rare, for some medications, taking more than the recommended amount may lead to harmful effects or overdose. Some of the most dangerous medications to double-dose include:

  • certain heart medications
  • ADHD drugs like Adderall
  • diabetes medications
  • prescription pain medications
  • psychiatric medications like Wellbutrin

Talk with your doctor right away if you believe you’ve accidentally taken two doses of your medication. They can recommend next steps and let you know about symptoms to watch out for.

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