Medication adherence is a phrase that addresses how well someone complies with the drug therapy that has been prescribed to them. We have many reasons that we might have trouble complying with medications.
Reasons We Lie To Our Doctors
Nobody usually plans to be non-compliant with their drug therapy, when their doctor tells them how important it is for them to follow a certain course of action. “Stop smoking” or “stop drinking” are probably the most frequently defied orders when a doctor implements lifestyle changes, because of the fact that they are both highly addictive substances that might require an entire course of therapy just to stop. Besides that, the need to stop eating certain foods is a close second, in the face of a new diabetes diagnosis.
Drug, alcohol, and food addictions are not that easy to stay compliant with, and many people struggle with that. Taking your medicines every day shouldn’t be as hard to stick to, but some do have a little trouble.
If there are side effects that bother you greatly, you need to talk to your doctor about why you have been non-compliant with the drug regimen that has been prescribed for you. If there are sexual side effects (lack of sexual impulse or inability to maintain an erection/adequate lubrication, or side effects of weight gain or extreme thirst or hunger, these are problems that cause quite a lot of non-compliance.
A talk with your doctor about these kinds of side effects is the right path to take, instead of lying to your physician about the fact you don’t take the drugs. There is often a secondary course of action that can be taken, hopefully with less severe side effects. By lying to your doctor, you’re only hurting yourself, which is both silly and potentially dangerous
Why Consistency Is Important
The drug plan that has been laid out for you comes from very carefully laid out plans that take into account your medical issues, your gender, weight, and all of the other medicines you take or might be allergic to. Taking pills on time, in the correct dose, for as long as the doctor says that you need to, is very important.
Although missing a dose once in a while, or not taking a pill at the exact time of day it is usually taken is not usually a big deal, the consistent missing of doses, or taking less than you should (or more), among other habitual problems, will eventually add up to bigger problems. At best, you might have minor symptoms of a problem that should be easily handled with a medication. At worst, you could be playing with life-threatening problems like heart arrhythmias, or consistent, dangerously high blood sugar levels. This isn’t acceptable to your doctor, or to anybody who loves you. This can be seen as self-harm if you knowingly neglect to take your medicines when it's clear that you are causing yourself to get more sick as a result of your behavior.
You might need to consult with a psychiatrist or a counselor if this self-harming behavior continues to cause you to be sick when you should not be. If this is a question of simply forgetting to take doses because of a busy schedule, you are in luck – because there are ways to remember your medicines that are entirely painless.
Easy New Ways To Stay Compliant
If medication adherence has been an issue for you, maybe you should try a Hero medication delivery system. Hero will store, sort, and administer your medicines to you at the correct times.
The app that runs the Hero will notify you of your pill times via your smartphone or computer. If you have a caregiver, it will notify your caregiver, as well, to prevent any missed doses, double doses, overdoses, underdoses, or any other problems caused by being confused by your schedule, or because you simply have a hard time keeping track of your schedule. Check out Hero’s website for details of how it works, or give them a call today.
The Hero system might be a life-changing step you can take that will make you and your family happy and less anxious about your ongoing health.
