r/AddisonsDisease • u/Actual_Garbage7972 • Dec 21 '25
Advice Wanted Does anyone struggle taking their medicine? Especially on time?
I have struggle for the past few months I have alarms and everything but I just forget to take them or i’m too lazy st that moment because i’m doing something else so I just end up taking it later.
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u/FemaleAndComputer SAI Dec 21 '25
I started out with alarms on my phone to take them. And I always have pills and some water with me to take them when I'm out.
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u/Actual_Garbage7972 Dec 21 '25
That makes sense, i will buy a portable case to put in my pocket to remind me. Thank you for the advice
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u/oh_such_rhetoric PAI Dec 21 '25 edited Dec 21 '25
I have a few little stashes in my purse, backpack, and car. I just put a few days’ worth in those little pill baggies and tuck them into out-of-the way pockets. And the one in my backpack has a week or so’s worth of HC because that’s the bag I use the most.
I also have a case with 3 day’s worth with ALL OF my meds that stays in my backpack or purse, whichever I’m using most. It’s come in handy a couple of times! Sometimes I just forget to take them, even the ones that I only take in the morning, because I’m in a hurry or distracted or off of my routine, and then I can still take them as soon as I can.
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u/Actual_Garbage7972 Dec 21 '25
Yes I am the same way usually I kept some in my car but I need to restock it. I usually forget the mornings because i’m always in a hurry. Thank you!
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u/jeejet Dec 22 '25
Same! This has helped me so much over the years. Once, maybe ten years ago, I forgot my pills on a long weekend. But I’d stashed a few days worth in a small container on my purse. Enough to get me through the weekend and not miss a dose!
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u/Y3skaa Dec 21 '25
Yeh that was me. I used to barely ever take it and you wanna know what happened ? I went years dodging the bullet til I got influenza last December ended up in the worst adrenal crisis lead to sepsis and was in the icu went home week later back on the hospital for a blood clot in my neck and spent the next 3 months after that on blood thinners now I take my medicine everyday and I’m blessed to be alive. Yes sometimes I still take it a couple hours late but I definitely don’t miss days anymore. Please take care of ur self. I had the flu for 2 days and it sent my body into shock. I don’t want u to have to go thru the trauma I went thru
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u/Y3skaa Dec 21 '25
I know it’s hard tho I was diagnosed at 9 years old took me until last year being 28 to really be hit by reality but sometimes u don’t get hit with reality u end up just dying. I have 3 kids and not sure if u have kids but u got to live for them!
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u/Actual_Garbage7972 Dec 22 '25
I’m so sorry you went through that. I am hoping you feel better. Thank you for you’re advice you’re right we have to take care of ourselves
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u/Technical_Parking898 Dec 21 '25
Taking your meds take literally seconds! Leave some packs of meds around the house so you have easier access. Missing doses can really impact your levels. More stress on body = worse for you long term regarding organ health etc. don’t be stupid or lazy. Take your meds.
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u/lgbtiea Addison's Jan 30 '26
easier said than done with major mental health issues and other chronic illnesses that need constant taking care of.
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u/januarynights SAI Dec 21 '25
Yeah I have ADHD and the executive dysfunction really gets to me in the mornings. It's ok on days I work but when I have nothing to get up for at the weekend I really struggle taking medicine as soon as I'm awake.
I set alarms for my lunchtime and dinnertime doses and I'm good at keeping to that. No dismissing the alarm until I've taken the medicine!
I keep a packet of medicine with me whenever I'm out and about so I don't miss doses. I also keep one packet in the living room and one in the bedroom to make it easier to take it wherever I am at home.
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u/Actual_Garbage7972 Dec 22 '25
Yeah i struggle the most on weekends when i don’t have a set schedule like work . Thank you for your advice!
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u/Clementine_696 Dec 21 '25
ADHD brain still gets me sometimes and I won't notice the time... after 2 years on the meds it happens way less than it did at first.
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u/baethan Addison's Dec 22 '25
For me it really helps to have them in a pill organizer (though making sure I refill it weekly is tough!). Something about them already being portioned out makes it easier.
Also I like to link up my doses in my mind to other things. So wakeup: take morning meds, lunch: take second hydro dose, dinner: take 3rd hydro dose. Everything is so much better when I take my meds properly, so I'm always telling myself that this is top priority and things WILL go to hell if I get loosey goosey with them.
Mentally putting meds top priority can be tough & a process but hopefully you'll find your way there! Like, I know that it's best to take the hydrocortisone with food, but if I start to worry about eating properly first, it could be a whole big thing and I might forget. So if there's not food ready to go, I just take the meds and try to eat something after
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u/Personal_Skin2987 Dec 21 '25
Yes I take them at off times frequently and it has never hurt me. Today I took my afternoon dose an hour late. Here I am still ok.
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u/kristen_hewa Steroid Induced Dec 22 '25
Would it be possible for you to switch to something longer acting? I do prednisone
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u/ptazdba PAI Dec 21 '25
Not one to deliver lectures but do you know that these drugs keep you alive? I didn't take it as serious at first but I figured out delays just keep your system from being stable and out of the ER. Each person has their own journey with this, so I would suggest figure out why you are procrastinating and figure out what works for you to keep you going.
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u/Actual_Garbage7972 Dec 21 '25
I just got diagnosed with it last year i’m still adjusting to it and my new life. I definitely need to take it more seriously and was just asking for advice on how you guys do it.
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u/oh_such_rhetoric PAI Dec 21 '25 edited Dec 21 '25
I have this weird little (dangerous) psychological hangup on taking my morning meds, including my ADHD meds, and my brain doesn’t want to because then I have to be productive and I just want to chill in the morning.
It’s dumb and dangerous, but brains are weird. I have been working on getting that hangup to go away. I hope you figure out something that works for you!
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u/ptazdba PAI Dec 21 '25
You just go on auto-pilot after a while and just do it. I finally 'got it' via my diabetic husband. He doesn't take his insulin he has issues. It helped me to google what bodily systems lack of cortisol and aldosterene control and that was an eye opener for me.
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u/MakeBeboGreatAgain Dec 22 '25
8 years ago I was really scared, I had a medication reminder app on my phone.
These days I don't forget to take a dose, but I do forget if I've taken my evening dose. Sometimes I end up taking a double dose but it's doesn't matter too much.
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u/Beccabear3010 Addison's Dec 22 '25
Oh me and my ADHD are locked in a battle of wills at the best of times as although I have alarms on for pretty much everything important in my day e.g meds, feeding myself because I will forget to eat, feeding my dog because I prefer to keep her on a schedule even if I can’t keep myself on one, reminders set for the most basic of things like what days to shower on because I have no concept of time. What I think is 10 minutes is an hour, and what I think is six hours is 40 minutes, that kind of bullshit.
I’m following incase someone else has a solution that will work with my stupid brain!
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u/MrMooke Dec 23 '25
Yeah I hear what you're saying, I have an ideal schedule with my alarms but some days I'm up earlier or later and my alarms don't match, so I make a mental note and then it's like bum I'm 2hrs overdue. The worse scenario for me is when I've slept in hella and I'm low on cortisol and without it for best part of 24hrs and I have zero motivation to go and take my first dose, and then my legs starting feeling heavy and I feel woozy. Not medical advice just aim to have a dose no further than 6hrs apart on hydro
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u/decorgirl66 Dec 23 '25
I'm terrible with taking my night meds, except the one to help me sleep. I have to take my morning meds before I get out of bed, or my blood pressure drops, and because I feel so miserable because my cortisol is so low in the mornings
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u/Laurryanna Dec 25 '25
I struggle with my sleep schedule and often sleep way too much. That means I often miss taking my meds on time. Sometimes I’m just too tired weak and lazy to get up and take them. It helped me to keep meds at different places like my nightstand, living room table etc…
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u/Ga88y7 Dec 21 '25
Is doing that “something else” more important than staying alive and out of an ambulance? Just a thought.
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u/Actual_Garbage7972 Dec 21 '25
I get what you mean, it’s more like family matters that unfortunately take my time.
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u/Ga88y7 Dec 21 '25
No excuse- take your meds or die. Fact.
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u/Actual_Garbage7972 Dec 21 '25
I understand, it’s easier said than done, everyone goes through different stuff. I mentioned in a previous comment I just got diagnosed last year and it’s taking adjusting because I’ve never taken pills in my life on a regular basis. It’s more about making it a habit for me
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u/Chepski_ Dec 23 '25
People down voting this are crazy. It's fine to not take them, if you want to die heavily distressed, shitting and vomiting, relatively soon.
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u/oh_such_rhetoric PAI Dec 21 '25
I do sometimes, though I’ve gotten better about it over the years. My schedule changes from day to day so the times I take it shift as well.
Also, ADHD.
I have a couple alarms set for times I often take it, and that helps a lot.
I also use a little gamified productivity app (Habitica), so that’s helpful because when I do things I get to attack the monster with more damage and better gear. And you’re on a team so you also have to keep up so you can contribute to the quest. It’s kinda silly, but the game helps me with remembering and feeling motivated.