Everyone has trouble remembering to take their medications from time to time. Even worse is when you suddenly "remember" your meds, but you can't remember if you actually took them today. You might think, "Sure, I took them this morning... or was that yesterday?" We may joke about this being a "senior" moment, but for people who need to take medications as part of their cancer treatment, missing medications is no laughing matter.
Missed meds can mean that cancer treatment will be less effective. If these medications are needed for managing the side effects of treatment, such as nausea, vomiting, or pain, missing them can put you in for a rough ride. Side effects may suddenly become much worse and you won't understand why if you can't recall whether you took your medications on schedule or not.
Now researchers have figured out a very easy trick for helping people remember whether they've taken their medications as scheduled. The trick? Do something unusual when you take your medications, such as "knock on wood", spin around in place, or pat your head. What you do doesn't matter. Simply adding a "silly" step when you take your meds will help your brain remember more effectively.
The researchers note that, "In extended medication-taking situations, the habitual nature of the task may make it difficult for older adults to remember whether or not they took the medication..." They point out that their research indicates that asking someone to perform a complex motor task, such as patting the head or crossing the arms when taking medications can reduce errors in medication-taking behavior.
There are other ways to track your medication-taking, such as using pill boxes that you pre-fill with a week's worth of medications, or keeping a written record next to your medications so you know exactly what you took and when. These techniques can work very well, but many people find them cumbersome or annoying. If you struggle to use a pill-box or calendar to track your medications, a simple pat on the head may be all you need to get back on track.
