It comes as a disappointment that I am turning 30 and am currently taking more medications than I can keep track of. I didn’t think that would happen until well into old age or, if I was lucky, never at all.
On the other hand, I know that these medications are necessary for my physical and emotional health—and for that I am thankful that such medications are available! At this point, I can’t imagine what my life would be like without them, especially while I am battling postpartum depression and anxiety. Mental illness is no joke.
I am currently (and hopefully only temporarily) taking medication for allergies, asthma, blood pressure, the aforementioned postpartum depression, anxiety, and hormonal birth control. For a couple of these conditions I have to take more than one pill twice per day.
I also take a daily multi-vitamin and fish oil supplement for better health.
Now do you understand what I mean when I say I can hardly keep track of all of my medications? That’s a lot of pills to keep track of!
You can also add in baby girl needing medicine 3x per day for Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and the occasional sickness that requires Infant Tylenol or Ibuprofen. There are so many things to remember! And I only have one child—I’m sure there are other mothers with conditions like mine who have the medications for multiple children to look after.
I take my prescription pills in the morning and in the evening. I’m often left wondering if I have taken my pills already or not. The number of pills I’m taking has gotten to be such a hassle that I even started filling a pill box once per week so that I don’t miss taking any of my pills. Still, sometimes I forget to take my pills at the time that I am supposed to.
Hopefully, someday I won’t have to take the majority of these medications—but for now, it is what it is and it’s important that I take my pills at the correct times and with the correct dosages.
My husband often asks me if I’ve taken all of my pills each day. He worries about me and is concerned about my well-being like any husband should be. That’s what family is about—looking out for each other.
There are a lot of people with chronic conditions requiring numerous medications and the last thing they need is to have to worry about whether or not they’ve taken their medications on time or at all.
I found the Medisafe App for my iPhone in the App Store (also available in Google Play for Android), and I love that the app makes it easy for anyone with a smart phone or tablet to check up on the ones they love to make sure they’ve taken their medications by connecting the patient’s account with whomever needs to watch out for him or her.
Did you know that non-adherence is the cause for 125,000 deaths per year in the United States alone?
Medisafe was created by two brothers whose father accidentally took an extra dose of insulin because he forgot that he had already taken it. It was a frightening experience for all of them and so they knew they had to come up with a solution to the problem that plagues so many people.
Not only is Medisafe a virtual pillbox, but you can also receive “nudges” to take or refill your medications on your Android device, iPhone, or iWatch—a feature that brings peace of mind to the app’s 2 million users. There is also a feature that allows the addition of multiple users; this makes it possible for me to keep track of baby girl’s medications as well as my own.
The app also works as a health coach, educating you about your condition and prescriptions, tracks your progress, and offers tips and coupons. You can use the app to record blood glucose, blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and weight. Imagine how happy your doctor would be if you showed up to your appointment with a record of all of that information—it would make diagnosis much easier and more accurate.
Another handy feature is being able to add doctors appointments to the app, which will also add it to the phone calendar, if you wish. There is also the ability to store your doctor’s name, email, phone number, and address so that you always have quick access to that information. Soon, you will be able to connect with your doctor via the Medisafe app.
Sometimes it feels like we live in a world that is “too connected”, but it’s apps like Medisafe that make us appreciate advances in technology. This app certainly will serve a purpose and be a great benefit to many and certainly holds the potential to save lives.
For more information about the Medisafe app, you can read David Julian’s story in the LA Times and Grace Hayes’ story on the Medisafe Blog.
Do you know someone who routinely forgets to take their medications? How can you see yourself using the Medisafe app?
I received compensation for my work on this campaign. This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.
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