Pill Manager for Short Term Medication

Have you ever been prescribed pills for a short time, say 1 week, and have it stressed that the pills must be taken at regular intervals because you need to keep the medication on an even level in your system. So you have to get up at 6am to take a pill and then you get a glass of milk and then you pat the dog etc. As you return towards your bed you suddenly wonder if you took the pill. You were advised not to double them and not to miss taking them at the appointed time. Did you take them with the milk? You remember pouring the water to take them but you don't remember putting the pill in your mouth so you go back and look all over for a neglected pill and can't find one. You return to bed but you are not sure. You can save yourself the consequences of morning fog by putting together a pill manager.

You will need a hole punch

Good quality adhesive tape

card stock

small amount of duct tape or very strong magnet

and a non-porous work surface (I used my kitchen counter)

I apologize for the shadow in most of my pictures.

On the card stock, going horizontally across the page, rule as many lines as you have pills. If you have more than about 20 lines, you might want to create 2 managers. The lines should be at least the diameter of the pill wide.

The using the radius of the pill as a guide place a vertical stripe down the page the width of the radius plus about an 18" or more. Then draw a second vertical like and a third these could be 3/4" to 1" wide.

Enter the date and time of the first pill on the first line in the second column and continue on down the column. You could used a marker to draw a distinctive line between the days.

Using the third line as a guide trim the card stock to the correct width and length.

Using the first vertical line as a guide punch holes on each line, centering the punch on the vertical line.

Measure the length of the card stock.

Mine measured 7.5 inches.

Taking the sticky tape, cut off a length that is twice the length of your card stock plus about 3" or 4".

Fold the top 1" under the length of tape with the non-sticky sides together and press the 1" tab onto the counter top. Then extend the tape along the counter and turn under another tab at the other end and press it onto the counter top.

The length will be sticky side up.

Carefully place the card stock, right side up, onto the sticky tape leaving. The most important thing is to have the sticky tape under the punched holes.

Now take the pills and insert them into the holes. If you are using thinner card or a smaller hole,you will find that it is important to press the pills onto the sticky tape.

When all of the pills are lodged in a hole, release the turned under tab at the bottom of the length of sticky tape. Carefully bring the tape up and over the pills. You don't have to press hard. When you have placed the tape over all of the pills, cut the tape to leave a tab about 1.5" above the first pill. Turn the top half of the 1.5" under to stick to the sticky side of the tape, giving you a tab.

Now you can mount the manager on the refrigerator door etc by taking the top tab which up until now has been steadying the manager to the counter and attaching something that has strong adhesion like duct tape and attach the duct tape to the tab and stick it onto the refrigerator. Attach a small piece of tape to the bottom of the manager.

When you take the first pill, pull the tab down far enough to reach the pill and make note of the actual time that you took the pill after you have actually swallowed the pill and before you pat the dog or do anything else. You will easily reassure yourself that the pill is gone by checking the chart so you can go back to bed in peace.

I intend to mark and arrow in place of the time if I have to take a pill with me. I keep a small round container and will make a small note as to the time to take it in the container.

I have included a picture of my first idea.

You can also attach the manager to the refrigerator with strong magnets, I think but I haven't tried it myself. I think I would use the regular tape and magnet together if I didn't have duct tape.