[Dr. Mel]

Ok, I have never been one for taking *meds*, or vitamins. There, I have confessed. As a nurse, I'm great of taking care of others, but obviously lacking on it for myself (but hey, I'm working on that!).

My question is to all about how people do their vitamins and get into a routine. While off work, I had all day to plan this out. With going back to work, it has been more of a challenge. I'm open to suggestions!

My surgeon requires:
2 Viactiv chews (with D & K)
2 Centrum adult chewable vitamins
Iron
Vit C
B12 500-1000 mcg sublingual
Thiamin 100-200mg

I have added Biotin in the mix twice a day (only 300 mcg) and Devron chewables 2 or 3 times a day.

At my follow up, he added Urso twice a day and Prilosec once a day.

Right now I'm trying to get in the Vit C and iron first thing in the morning for better absorbtion. I'm then, before leaving the house, trying to get in my Prilosec. I'm thinking about trying to do that in the evening though, before bed. I'm doing my first round of calcium, multivitamins and the rest at work before lunch. I'm then doing the rest when back home after eating.

Thing is, I feel like I'm constantly taking pills! I don't know if anyone else has better "mojo" or "groove" when taking these and I'm open for suggestions. Is there a way I can simplify?

My fear is that if I get up late, or running late getting home, I will forget something I'm suppoed to be taking. I KNOW the importance of taking all the supplements. The B vitamins and protein are the ones that scare me the most. Have to have them for the muscles and mental status. I'm a nurse practitioner and I have to be clear headed!

Thanks in advance....
Mel

[kiwi-leelee77]

I have been told a definite no-no to combine the iron and the prilosec (thats losec for reflux aye?) at the same time or within 2 or so hours of each other as they kindof cancel each other out or something. I split my pills into morning, a couple at noon and the rest at night. I am a struggler when it comes to pills. sometimes my throat just closes up and i cant get anything down. I also suffest taking most of them with a drink you like, for me its usually my coffee or my juice (1/4) water (3/4) mix. That way i wont gag on the water as well!! lol
def split them up where you can

[Dr. Mel]

Thanks...that confirms that I need to move my Prilosec (yes, for acid) to the evenings...
I had thought about the Vit C and iron mid-day, but when I first get up, trying to get the largest amount down doesn't seem to *work*....
Thanks for your comments!

[laughingpainter]

I've split mine up into morning and night. I've stopped taking my generic "prilosec" (wasn't aware the was a problem with prilosec and iron) because I no longer have the acid reflux. There are pills that I have to take twice a day, children's vits and vit D and the gull stone med) so I take half in the morning. At night I have to take my wellbutrin and another anti depressant (they put me to sleep) so I just take the other half of my vits at night.
Sometimes I forget or am just not able to take them, unexpected overnight at my son's, so I just wait until the next time that I can take them. Once in a while I get so exhausted during the day that at night I forget to take my meds and perscripts, I just pick up where I left off.

[SummerBreeze]

Morning:
1 Multi womans vitamin
1 citracal calcium citrate petite
1 prilosec
B 12 cherry dops

Night:
1 Potassium
1 5000 mg biotin
1 citracal calcium citrate petite

I dont have to take iron...
Also I bought one of those big weekly pill boxes so I dont forget to take my pills, I know some people who work that carry them with them...good luck !

[kiwi-leelee77]

Originally Posted by laughingpainter

I've split mine up into morning and night. I've stopped taking my generic "prilosec" (wasn't aware the was a problem with prilosec and iron) because I no longer have the acid reflux. There are pills that I have to take twice a day, children's vits and vit D and the gull stone med) so I take half in the morning. At night I have to take my wellbutrin and another anti depressant (they put me to sleep) so I just take the other half of my vits at night.
Sometimes I forget or am just not able to take them, unexpected overnight at my son's, so I just wait until the next time that I can take them. Once in a while I get so exhausted during the day that at night I forget to take my meds and perscripts, I just pick up where I left off.

Heya. I was very bad about my pills the first year and a half...very bad. Reading your post sounds like it was me..lol I have fixed that problem though.
As I am also on large amounts of painkillers (inc anti-inflams and codeine) and with all my other stuff (inc amytrip at night), I was struggling badly. what I did was this:
I got an empty pill bottle with a child proof lid that would fit ALL my daily meds. I then keep it with me all day, wherever I am so I never find myself without them. I also have a bottle in my handbag with 4days worth of meds in it in case my son has to go to hospital (I just swap them around every so often with the fresher stuff) as I have been in the emergency room or surgical ward often enough with out my meds that it was a concern. Now I am never without them and the pill bottle is small enough that no one knows.
Give it a try, I hope it works for you as well as it has for me.

Good luck!

[SummerBreeze]

Originally Posted by kiwi-leelee77

Heya. I was very bad about my pills the first year and a half...very bad. Reading your post sounds like it was me..lol I have fixed that problem though.
As I am also on large amounts of painkillers (inc anti-inflams and codeine) and with all my other stuff (inc amytrip at night), I was struggling badly. what I did was this:
I got an empty pill bottle with a child proof lid that would fit ALL my daily meds. I then keep it with me all day, wherever I am so I never find myself without them. I also have a bottle in my handbag with 4days worth of meds in it in case my son has to go to hospital (I just swap them around every so often with the fresher stuff) as I have been in the emergency room or surgical ward often enough with out my meds that it was a concern. Now I am never without them and the pill bottle is small enough that no one knows.
Give it a try, I hope it works for you as well as it has for me.

Good luck!

Kiwi I was told we needed to take prilosec forever, cauae out lil pouch can get an ulcer easy...so please ask doc..or others chime in on this one please ?

annie~

[kiwi-leelee77]

same here, we all changed to the generic version when the govt stopped subsidising the proper Losec and 99% of my surgeons patients started having bad tums within a week. So I am on ranitidine which came before losec i think and Ive had no worries, esp a concern with the max anti-inflams a day I have to be very watchful.
Yes "you" should take it everyday. The office has said that all his patients are on it for life. (If the generic isnt working, try another type)
Better safe than sorry? I hope this helps

[Dr. Mel]

Thanks for the tips. I carry a small pill bottle now to work so I have them mid-day. I think I will put the iron, Vit C and biotin mid-day. The doc said he didn't want too many swallowed pills in at one time because of getting stuck. I'll get it figured out.

Thanks again all...

Mel

[kiwi-leelee77]

Originally Posted by Dr. Mel

Thanks for the tips. I carry a small pill bottle now to work so I have them mid-day. I think I will put the iron, Vit C and biotin mid-day. The doc said he didn't want too many swallowed pills in at one time because of getting stuck. I'll get it figured out.

Thanks again all...

Mel

Hey mel...me again..lol Def a good idea to space them out in the first 6-12 mths or so.