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Good habits, bad habits...

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Good habits, bad habits... Empty Good habits, bad habits...

Post  Mini Tue Feb 08, 2011 1:21 am

I find that since I get more often painless migraines these days, I get those predrome symptoms: like lack of concentration, forgetfulness, irritability etc, etc. and when this happens I am constantly in panic that I forgot something, that I need to take some medicine or other, or that I have forgotten some apointment.

Because of this, I find it useful to develop certain set habits; like first thing in the morning I wake up and have have some herbal te,a since I feel very dehydrated during the night - I keep it in a thermost by my bed, so I don't even need to get up.

Then I wash my face, brush my hair and go downstairs to get a piece of toast (so I do not take my medicine on an empty stomach) then make a pot of coffee. This is is my brekfast. I then take my medicines with toast, and sip coffee slowly as I watch TV news.
My days are not very well organised, but I try to keep to certain routines and habits, otherwise I cannot rely on my memory, specially of I have migraine or feel unwell. .

I also have some bad habits, like being hungry at night (which is bad for me) especially just before midnight (even if I have regular meals during the day) - difficult habit to break. BTW my weight is steady, no problem there. I also sit badly when I read (and I read a lot), or when working on my computer. Bad habits, difficult to break.

I like to be spontaneus, I live in the moment, so working on those bad habits is difficult. Remembering which medicines to take when, is really hard work. The only way to deal with it, is to have a strict routine and habits, but this is not as easy as it sounds. BTW notes do not wor for me, I immediately loose them, and I am easily distracted, by my friends, because they who mean so much to me.

Any tips how to break those bad habits, any tips how to develop more good ones?

Mini
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Post  CluelessKitty Wed Feb 09, 2011 1:30 am

I find it helps enormously to have those marked pill dispensers because this way you can easily see what you took and when.

I only need one for now, marked just Sunday to Saturday, and into each box I put my Topamax which I take before bedtime, once a day.
This way I know if took it or not,
as opposed to how before I tried to just mark it in the calendar right after swallowing the pills
but sometimes I was distracted prior to doing it, unfortunately, and then I couldn't remember for the life of me.

In the box you can clearly see - if it's full, you didn't take it, if it's empty you did.

If you take multiple medications, there is a number of pill dispensers or organizers out there for multiple medications that are divided into different daytime, hours, and even automated ones with alarms to remind you
if you tend to be forgetful!


I always meant to buy a separate dispenser and add hours on it with permanent marker
to know at what time I took my last pain relief in case I couldn't remember that during a M episode...

The problem is you can't b/c M may happen at all hours,
but I figure these pill dispensers can be bought at a dollar store so why not buy enough to make all the hours
and use them whatever's convenient at the moment- say a M strikes at 7AM, so the next dose I can take four hrs later- so:
~ I start putting the next triptan at 2 hrs later - at 9AM and the next painkiller four hrs later- at 11AM
and so on..

This way whenever I wake up, I don't have to figure it all out anymore, at least.

Risa
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Post  CluelessKitty Wed Feb 09, 2011 1:34 am

Oh, and one more thing - I couldn't live now without a large wall calendar.
I tend to scatter all the notes around the house, so I lose lots of dates and appmnts which can be really bad.

For a good while now I got into habit of immediately writting down whatever appointment, date, meeting I have wherever, and with whomever, so I won't forget.
And it works!
No more double dates with friends, no more missed dr appointments!


cheers

Risa

ps.. well, not unless I screw it up anyway and write it down all wrong affraid
Smile
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Post  Mini Wed Feb 09, 2011 5:14 am

Thank you these are all good ideas, the problem is I cannot find any of those pill containers which are big and flexible enough. I have tow kinds but not reallly working for me, for example will not be big enough to put some of my Neurontin (they are quite big and at night at take three) plus anything else.
So, I gave up on them.

This is why I am trying to get myself into ceratin habits so I can do things on "automatic pilot" like my morning ritual. Middle of the day gets messed up though doing different things, easily distracted and suddently "it is 5pm!" feeling and I forgotten my mid-day pill.

I do use calendar on my laptopa lot, for my appt, and it works quite well, since there is also e-mail reminder I use to give me warning, when the next appt is coming.
BUt I must remembe to enter them, in the fisr place.

I also think of starting a new habit - like little walks every afternnon, no matter what.
I spent much too much time indors, specially in winter time, so it is useful to get myself going again, but when I do, I often feel that I am wasting time. since I should be doing somehing else more useful.

I do not rate physical exercise very highly on my list of priorities - I think it is grossly over rated, but I think a little stretching of our muscles outside can be invigorating (in moderation).
I like it mostly because I live in a beautiful area, and I enjoy watching the beauty around me, but do not do it often enough.
Mini
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Post  CluelessKitty Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:45 pm

Thank you these are all good ideas, the problem is I cannot find any of those pill containers which are big and flexible enough.

Have you tried Googling?

There is quite a number of pill containers that I am sure would accommodate your Neurontin easily,
if you only really wanted to.
For example this one:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I understand though, it simply might be not as important an issue, and not exactly what you are looking for.

Risa
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Post  Mini Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:47 pm

Now, this one looks impressive, like it might do the job. I like the division in 4 daily compartments, this would be useful.
I better start Googling. Thank you.

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