Citizens Memorial Hospital | Vitality | Spring 2021

Medicines can be wonderful, powerful things. They can treat and even cure illness. They can help us live healthier and longer lives. But in order for our medicines to work, we need to take them as directed. That can be difficult if you’re one of the many people who take multiple medicines. It can be hard to keep track of what you’ve taken in any given day. And it’s easy to get confused. Here are some tips to help you more easily manage your medicines. Try them, and see which ones work best for you: » Take your medicines at the same time every day. This can make it easier to remember them. » Time your medicines with other daily activities, like brushing your teeth. » Ask others in your household to help you remember to take your medicines. » Stick colored labels on your medicine containers to help you remember which medicines to take in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening. For example, blue can be for morning, yellow for afternoon and red for evening. » Ask your pharmacist to recommend pill containers divided by days of the week. Or your pharmacist might even be able to put timer caps on your pill bottles that beep to remind you it’s time to take that medicine. » Keep a calendar near where you store your medicines. Write down every time you take a dose. » Put a reminder note on something you see often, like your refrigerator or bathroom mirror. » If you’re using a pill container, refill it at the same time each week. For example, refill it every Sunday night after dinner. STILL HAVINGTROUBLE? If none of these tips seems to work for you, talk with your doctor. Let them know you’re having trouble keeping track of your medicines. Working together, you may be able to come up with a solution. Finally, never stop taking any medicines unless your doctor tells you it’s OK to do so—even if you’re feeling fine. Your medicines may be the very reason you feel better. If you don’t think one of your medicines is working—or it is too costly for you—let your doctor know that too. They may be able to prescribe something else. Source: American Heart Association Dispose of unused medications safely Stephens Pharmacy has partnered with Sharps Compliance, Inc., to combat prescription drug misuse by providing solutions to dispose of opioid painkillers and other unused medications safely. The MedSafe ® drug collection and disposal receptacle is located in the Stephens Pharmacy lobby for the safe, anonymous disposal of medicines and controlled substances. Stephens Pharmacy is owned and operated by Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation and is located at 1100 S. Springfield Ave., Bolivar. It is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. “We receive many calls from customers asking how they can safely dispose of unused or expired medications,” says Mariah Hollabough, PharmD, system pharmacy director at Citizens Memorial Hospital and CMH Foundation. “We are happy to offer this service to the community.” Medications that can be placed in the MedSafe are prescription controlled and non-controlled drugs, over-the-counter medications, and liquid medication bottles of less than 4 ounces in a resealable plastic bag. Illegal drugs, needles/syringes or sharp containers, medical devices or batteries, aerosol cans, inhalers, chemicals, mercury-containing devices, radiopharmaceuticals, and liquid chemotherapy drugs and cytotoxic drugs are not accepted. The receptacle is secured as required by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration guidelines. For more information, call Stephens Pharmacy at 417-326-2416 . MEDICATIONS How to manage your medicines 6 VITALITY Spring 2021