If you don't take medicine as directed, what could happen? First of all, it may not work. It could also cause side effects that may be mild — or very harmful. Without knowing it, you could counteract one medicine by taking it with another. Medicine can also make you feel sick or dizzy.

How can I remember to take my medicine?

• Take it at the same time every day.
• Take it along with other daily events, like brushing your teeth.
• Use special pill boxes that help you keep track, like the ones divided into sections for each day of the week (which can be found at a drugstore).
• Ask people close to you to help remind you.
• Keep a "medicine calendar" near your medicine and make a note every time you take your dose.
• Put a sticker or reminder note on your medicine cabinet or refrigerator. You can buy a small magnetized white board with dry-erase markers and list your pills on the board. Each day, mark the board when you take your medication. It's an easy way to keep track, and at the end of the day, just erase the board and start over again in the morning.

Quick Tips for Medication Use

• Understand your medication. Know what it's for, and how and when you're supposed to take it.
• Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether to take your medicine with food or on an empty stomach.
• Make an instruction sheet for yourself by taping a sample of each pill you take on a sheet of paper and writing down all the information about each pill to remind you.
• Get some colored labels and stick them on your medicine bottles to simplify your routine. For example, blue can be for morning, red for afternoon and yellow for bedtime.
• Ask your pharmacist to help you come up with a coding system for your medications that makes them easier to take.
• Purchase timer caps for pill bottles to remind you when to take medication.

Also,

• You can buy many types of pill containers. Some even beep when it's time to take medication. Ask your pharmacist about these aids.
• If your medication routine is too complicated, ask your physician or pharmacist to help you simplify the process.
• If your medications are too expensive, ask your physician or pharmacist about finding financial assistance.
• If you're away from home a lot, make sure you carry enough of your medication with you to take the prescribed doses while you're out. Some pharmacists will prepare blister paks for daily or weekly medications. Ask your pharmacist about this.
• If you're using a commercial pill dispenser, set a regular time each week to refill it; for example, every Friday night after you eat.
• If you have trouble understanding your physician or pharmacist, ask a friend or loved one to go with you and help you.
• If you don't feel like your medication is making a difference, talk to your physician and ask why.
• Do not stop any medications without talking to your physician or healthcare provider.

Quick Tips for Lifestyle Changes

• Ask your physician or healthcare professional to help you with nutrition and physical activity advice.
• Learn to read food labels so you'll be able to limit the satuated fat, trans fats, cholesterol and sodium in your diet.
• Eat fruits, vegetables, fat-free and low-fat dairy, and whole-grain, high-fiber foods most often. Eat fish twice a week. 
• Keep a diary of all your nutrition and physical activity efforts. When you see your successes written down, it will encourage you to continue your good habits.
• Ask your physician if you should have a home blood pressure monitoring kit to see if your medicine is working.
• If you're monitoring your blood pressure at home, ask when you can expect to see the results from your medicine.
• If you don't feel like you're making progress, talk to your physician and ask why your progress is slow.
• If you're having trouble giving up smoking, ask your physician if you can take a smoking cessation drug to help.
• Become an active participant in making treatment decisions. Overcome barriers that keep you from following your doctor's orders.

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This content is reviewed regularly. Last updated 10/03/08.