Using Pill Boxes Doesn't Mean You Are Getting Old. Getting Ready for a Knee Replacement 1

© Marsha Musselman. All Rights Reserved. Two types of daily pill boxes
Midland, Michigan
March 12, 2017 12:33pm CST
Using daily type pill boxes doesn't mean we're getting old but that we need to keep our medications straight. My mom used one of these for years and it was helpful for her. I didn't think I would ever need one because I mostly take vitamins and then as the need arises I also take meds for allergies, sinus, colds and migraines I don't take the majority of those daily. But, now that I've had the knee surgery I have several more medicines to keep track of. For a period of time the doctor will put you on some type of blood thinner to minimize blood clots which are a possibility after most any surgery. Rather than giving me a coumadin type pill, I'm taking one full strength aspirin daily. I also have a medication that's a nerve blocker that I take in the morning and at bedtime, and then there's the narcotic pain pill. It's recommended to stay ahead of the pain. You are monitored closely so that you don't get addicted to this type of medicine. In fact, my insurance won't give me a refill until I'm completely out even though I only have five pills left. I don't know that I really need it anyway since I've had minimal pain from the surgery itself. But, my ankle swells a lot and along with that my toes will swell also. That makes it difficult to walk. For some reason walking will reduce the swelling of the toes. I began using the pill box container that belonged to my mom a few days after I was home from surgery because it was difficult to remember what pills I'd already taken. My sister also gave us the pill container that's under the other one. It has sliders for doors, whereas the other one has individual tabs that open on the side. I found that the smaller slots were hard for my fingers to get open. In the beginning it was okay, but now after using it for a few weeks, my fingers are getting tired of doing the work. I'm switching to the slider variety. You put your pills in each section the same way. When you take the morning dose you just push the slider down. You can close it until later and then slide it a bit further. I think it will be easier on my fingers. Not everyone needs these types of containers to keep their pills straight no matter their age. if I didn't have surgery and once I no longer need all these pills, I'll probably put the pill container aside once again. I found early on that I was screwing up my doses. Twice I took the pain pills too close together and other times I forgot to take them at all. I also keep a notepad of the last time they were taken so that doesn't get out of whack either. After this month I'm guessing I won't need the pain pills and may be just down to the aspirin for another month or so. Do any of you use pill boxes like these and have you ever seen or used the slider variety? If any type of surgery is in your future you may want to consider getting one of these types to be ready upon your return from the hospital.
12 people like this
11 responses
@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
13 Mar 17
I've used a pill box for a few years now and it really does help. I fill it up for a week and on the day that I need to refill the box, I can call the pharmacy with whatever has run low so they can delivery a new batch. I like doing it this way so I don't have to think about which pills I need to take when. And no, I have never seen the slider variety, but the next time I'm in the pharmacy, I'll have to take a peek to see if they do have them! Hope you heal up well so you can stop the pain pills!
2 people like this
• Midland, Michigan
13 Mar 17
I should have saved the pills for this week as I'm almost out and things are beginning to ache more. I'll get more pulls for tomorrow though. The slider variety should be easier to open for my joints. I can see if my sister remembers where my mom got them. When we helped her sort them we did a months at a time so she had all sorts of sorters, lol.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
13 Mar 17
@CRK109 she had quite a few, but as her eyesight continued to fail she increased the weeks.
@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
13 Mar 17
@MarshaMusselman wow, a whole month would be nice! With my pill box, I could do two weeks if I wanted to. And that's about it!
1 person likes this
@Namelesss (3368)
• United States
13 Mar 17
It's good to hear your knee is doing well after surgery Marsha. Those pill boxes have been a life saver for me, they really help me keep my husbands meds straight. He has to take so many I'd go crazy trying to remember them all. I haven't tried the slider one but I may after reading this. He needs a new one and I don't like the one he has now, it hurts my fingers to open it. I know what you are saying about the pain pills. You need them for a while but you definitely don't want to become addicted to them. I went through that with my mother, it was really sad.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
13 Mar 17
@Namelesss Well that's sweet, Elaine. Sweet in that you're here to keep up with the rest of us that got to know each other on the B site. I'm hoping to redo some of my tutorials that did well with search engines on bubblews and put them possibly on hubpages or maybe even ehow, but I'm not sure yet and I wasn't able to save many of them so I'll have to start from scratch. You probably work outside the home too I'd imagine?
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
13 Mar 17
I forget to take pills, I don't expect any problems with addiction. I took two before bed last night and two more before pt this am. I maybe was taking them a bit more than I should have been because I didn't read the whole label where they say not more than a certain number in a 24 hr period of time, which I know I did more than that. Half the time I don't feel the need to take them as the pain level is very low, unless the knee is aching from pt or from me massaging it to minimize scar tissue taking over. I also have a swollen ankle and once or twice my foot and toes were swollen. I talked to the joint camp person at the hospital just a bit ago about that and she said just as long as it went away and wasn't constant it should be a concern. When the foot or toes are swollen it makes it harder to put my weight on that foot for walking but oddly enough each step I take makes it more manageable and eventually it lifts completely. Those only swelled up a couple of times though. The ankle swelling comes down with I have it up high. Even with the extra pain from the swelling in the ankles, I don't feel that the pain pills really help eliminate that enough, so why bother? I am getting a refill, but may do the 2 in the am and 2 at night and one every eight hours otherwise and see how that goes. I know that if pain can be minimized at night then your body can heal better. I switched to the slider type solely because I was having a hard time opening each of the other ones almost all day long. I thought my husband would like it so he could do two weeks worth of pills at one sitting, but he didn't want that newer type, which benefited me in the long run. Since you're not here a lot, do you have blog you write on or other means of making something with your writing?
1 person likes this
@Namelesss (3368)
• United States
13 Mar 17
@MarshaMusselman Seems to me you're doing everything right. You need to manage the pain in a way that works for you. Just watch that swelling, if it swells and you can't get it to go down see the doctor. That's been one of the issues with Dino and his diabetes makes it worse. I know moving, walking and stretching are all great for the swelling just watch your step so you don't fall. You know I worry about you. I'm glad you are not the addictive type, I'm not either. My mother was due to life-long chronic pain and my husband is also, somewhat but not as bad as mom was. Honestly I don't write anywhere anymore. Now just doesn't seem the time. I check in here and that's about it. I would like to find a site that just pays straight up for creative writing but I haven't had time to look as I stay pulled in so many directions these days. I need to earn something as the bills just keep piling up but pennies don't help. I stay here simply because I love you guys so much I want to keep up with you all. Hugs, Elaine
1 person likes this
@shaggin (71573)
• United States
16 Mar 17
I am so forgetful that my mother has bought me so many of these pill containers over the years. I would just forget to look at the container and forget the medicine anyway. I can see how they can be helpful though in case you are not sure if you took them that day you could see if that days amount is empty or not.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (71573)
• United States
16 Mar 17
@MarshaMusselman I have taken my meds at night for so many years now that I rarely forget them anymore.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
16 Mar 17
Maybe you need to wear it around your neck, lol. It won't do much good if you forget to look inside. Did you ever try to keep them near your computer area where you'd see them more often?
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
17 Mar 17
@shaggin Well, you didn't say that you've since figured it out, lol. Glad that you worked out what works best for you. I keep my vitamins near my desktop computer and that helps me take those somewhere during the day but it doesn't matter if they're taken at the same time or not. I got a new bottle of pain pills and am taking less than I was before. Some days I'm going to try to quit taking them altogether and see how I do. I will need them before pt, I do know that.It's only that and the aspirin that I take at a certain time of the day, but I'm going ahead and putting the vitamins in the slot right now too. Whether or not I continue with the container once I'm back to work remains to be seen.
1 person likes this
@divalounger (5851)
• United States
16 Mar 17
So it was a knee you had replaced?? A bit harder than a hip--I hope you are feeling better and better with each passing day!
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Mar 17
@MarshaMusselman I expect that will continue for a while--good for you--keep doing your pt
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
16 Mar 17
I'm doing a lot better than others have and probably worse in certain areas. My knee went funky even more than it already was last July. It took until Feb 27 for my surgery, so I'd been limping for almost the whole time. I'm pain free as far as the surgery is concerned and as far as the arthritis of course, but I'm dealing with the stretching of the knee when doing the exercises.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (454987)
• Switzerland
13 Mar 17
My mother had one when she needed to take pills at a precise hour of the day several times a day. I neer used one.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (454987)
• Switzerland
13 Mar 17
@MarshaMusselman It's surely a useful box to have in case of many pills to take.
• Midland, Michigan
13 Mar 17
I'm only using it now, when I'm done taking the extra pills I'll probably stop. I do have non-narcotic pain pills that I use when working as a cashier. Whether I'll still need them or not remains to be seen, but I probably will put this pill box away in case it's needed in the future.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Mar 17
I've had a pill box for some time. I wouldn't want to miss it. It's a great help!
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
15 Mar 17
Once I no longer have to take the extra pills I'll probably save it for when I will. I may have to note somewhere the spot I put it in.
@BelleStarr (61050)
• United States
14 Mar 17
I just one with 28 days and so does my husband. We both just take our pills once a day and this allows me to fix a month at a clip.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
14 Mar 17
My husband would love that. He takes too many that wouldn't work for him now. Maybe one day.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
13 Mar 17
It just makes good sense to use a pill container if this helps someone take their meds or vitamins on a regular basis. No one can remember everything if they have a busy day.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
13 Mar 17
For some types of pills it may not matter too much if something is missed, but as we all grow older and especially for those with extra health issues many have more meds than they want to have to deal with. My husband used to keep all his pill bottles handy on the top of the counter no matter how often I put them into a cupboard they didn't stay there very long. I got him using the pill container most of us have seen before and even though he still keeps it on the counter, it's less messy looking. Now we're both a little happier on that score.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
12 Mar 17
They are very useful thing to use so that you know when you have taken the pills and when the next ones are due!
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
13 Mar 17
exactly. When I found I mixed them up twice over several days I decided to use it. For the pain pills I take notes also
13 Mar 17
oh my gosh, i think i need a box because i'm getting so forgetful. i just realized reading this that i forgot to take my blood pressure medicine this morning... now it is probably too late in the day. grrrr
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
13 Mar 17
Do you just take one dose a day? For most pills they usually say to take them as soon as you remember unless it's close to the next one due. If your pharmacy is still open, and many are, you can call the number on the pill bottle to ask them. You still have to look in the containers to see if any pills are there. I missed one last night because my pain pills were used up and I didn't have the refill yet. I forgot that I had one due yet last night. Mine wasn't a big deal though and I'm almost done with them anyway.
• United States
13 Mar 17
I think a pill box is a very sensible idea, regardless of age. I don't have one as I'm not taking a lot of pills right now, but I'll probably invest in one eventually.
1 person likes this
• Midland, Michigan
14 Mar 17
When my sister began giving them to me I didn't want more things to add to the clutter but those have come in handy
1 person likes this