Lived Experience Forum

[Eden1919]

I struggle with taking my medications and I find it really difficult to keep taking them a lot of the time. There are lots of reasons I have trouble sometimes I just forget other times I feel it is a hassle other times I just think I don’t really need it but then sometimes I think that the medications are bad for me or are going to hurt me like at the moment I think they are not really medications and are just being used to help make a device that was put in me work so that someone can control me. It is kind of complicated but anyway I am currently on a treatment order so I am legally obligated to take my medication but I am struggling a little especially tonight for some reason I just want to stop it and run away and hide. How do others manage to keep taking their medication all the time? Like is there a way to make it easier and less scary/difficult? 

[Snowie]

Hi @Eden1919

I used to have trouble with remembering to have my meds, not wanting to take them or taking too many.

I get something called a Blister Pack now from the chemist. They have all my meds and just let me know when I have to get a script for each medication. So they pack my medications seperately for each day, morning and night. Then all I have to do is open the little packet and take the meds. 

It serves a few purposes.

1. I don't get my meds mixed up and always take the correct ones.

2. They are separated by days and times when I have to take them so again I don't mix them up.

3. My chemist has my stockpile so those times where I am travelling not too well want to take lots of them, I am less inclined to because I don't have a whole lot of meds at home.

4. I am not sure if you pay for your meds but mine are on workcover so I don't have to pay for them at all, they charge work cover directly.

5. I still have my PRN meds at home so still have some if I need something extra.

Perhaps talk to your local chemist about a Blister Pack. The chemist I go to now knows me by name so it is nice to get that personal touch.

[Eden1919]

@Snowie  I did used to get my meds packed like that but it was way too expensive (I have to pay for my meds) my problem is not so much taking too many as it is not taking them at all. Like I just never want to take them and will often just sit and stare at them for hours when it is time to take them trying to convince myself to take them because I am either too scared to take them or I feel like I don’t need them. 

[Snowie]

@Eden1919 Can you set an alarm on your phone and when the alarm goes off it means you need to take your meds.

Even can you reward yourself afterwards for taking your meds.

Make a pact with yourself if you take your meds for a week, you get to buy yourself something special.

Have your favourite food after you have taken your meds.

Any type of reward for yourself.

Just some suggestions hun, they might not help but anything is worth a go.

[Eden1919]

@Snowie  Alarms just make me anxious and I have tried rewarding myself after except the rewards don’t seem as special after a while considering it is a twice a day everyday thing. Idk I think the biggest issue is that I am scared to take them and that it feels like something I shouldn’t be doing. I really don’t know what to do. 

[Snowie]

Can you talk to your psychiatrist or doctor about it. Whoever gives you the scripts and see what they say.

You might have alreeady talked to them about it.

It sounds like a hard struggle hun.

[Eden1919]

@Snowie  Well I have talked to my psychologist about it and my psychiatrist and they just say if I can’t take the oral medications that I could have injections but I don’t want that cause that will scare me even more. Like I don’t really want it in any form but everyone wants me to have it and I am trying to take it I am it is just really hard. 

[Snowie]

It sounds really hard for you @Eden1919 

I'm sorry you are going through all of this.

[Eden1919]

@Snowie  Thanks 

[Eden1919]

I am still really struggling with this. It is really stressing me out to the point that I want to scream. Like I just want to stop and not have to deal with it anymore. I don’t even know what to do. Maybe I am just really tired idk I just feel really bad and I am not coping with this.