Never miss a dose again with these 4 medication tips and tricks!

Whether you’ve entered a time of busyness and constantly being on the go or you’re adjusting to a major life change, it’s common to experience moments of occasional lapses in your daily routine, becoming disorganized or accidentally having something slip your mind. However, if a persistent feeling of disarray is disrupting your important habits, like remembering to take daily medications, your health could start to be affected too. Gundersen Pharmacy is here to help you maintain your routine and make medication management simple and easy in any season of life! Read on for the top 4 medication tips and tricks to staying on track with your daily prescriptions.

Top pharmacist-recommended tips and tricks for medication management

1.    Pill boxes

Avoid missing doses of medication and help keep yourself organized each day by using a plastic pill box, also called a dosette box. There are several varieties of boxes and affordable options on the market to fit a wide range of needs and preferences. Some helpful features commonly included are separate compartments for each day of the week, day vs. night dose sections, color coding and stackable containers. Each compartment typically has space to hold several pills, which makes managing and keeping track of multiple medications easy and convenient. Pill box organizers are also great for traveling and times when you are in a different environment or out of sync with your usual routine. 

"If you don’t find a style you're looking for, ask Gundersen Pharmacy for other options,” suggested Erika Brown, lead pharmacist at Gundersen Pharmacy’s Holmen location. “We offer different colors and sizes of pill boxes for all preferences. If you want one for traveling or for your cabin up north too, we can order as many as you need!”

Did you know that some medications at the pharmacy have different packaging options for added convenience and organization? 

Talk with your Gundersen pharmacist to see what options might be available for your prescriptions! One example is blister-style packaging where pills are arranged in a pack and pushed through a seal for each dose to visually identify if a previous dose was taken.  

2.    Gundersen Pharmacy app 

Download the Gundersen Pharmacy app on the App Store or Google Play and instantly have access to convenient, on-demand prescription management right at your fingertips. You can track and refill prescriptions, set customized Pharmacy refill reminders, find your nearest Gundersen Pharmacy location and more—all within the app. You’ll also be able to view each prescription in a list along with its details, such as the prescription number, dosage information, quantity, refills left and expiration date.

Do you have prescriptions at other pharmacies? 

No worries! You can easily transfer them over to Gundersen Pharmacy within the app or the Gundersen Pharmacy web portal. 

3.    Mail & home delivery

Don’t want the hassle or inconvenience of going to the pharmacy to get your prescription? We understand, and we’ve got you covered! Gundersen Pharmacy can mail eligible prescriptions to your home free of charge. Home delivery is another free-of-charge option for residents living in Holmen, La Crosse, La Crescent, Onalaska and Friendship. It doesn’t get more convenient than that! Contact your local Gundersen Pharmacy to learn more and get your next refill scheduled for mail or home delivery. “Mailing prescriptions is very convenient,” said Erika. “People’s lives just keep getting busier, and it’ll save you precious time at the pharmacy.”

4.    When in doubt: Talk to your pharmacist 

Don’t forget—your Gundersen pharmacist is here to answer any questions you have about your prescriptions. They can help you explore the best and most convenient options for making medication management simple, so you’ll never miss a dose again! Also, if you are a Gundersen patient, the pharmacist can refer directly to your patient records when needed for the added peace of mind that they have a thorough understanding of your health condition. And, if you have questions about any over-the-counter medications, your pharmacist can help with that too and will identify the most effective combinations that work in tandem with your prescription medications.

Not sure what questions to ask? 

Check out this helpful article: Navigating your prescriptions: 7 questions to ask a pharmacist
 

How to help kids take medicine

Your pharmacist is also a valuable resource if you have children who struggle with taking medications. Some prescriptions qualify for different flavoring options that add a more appealing, kid-friendly taste or have additional tools that can help eliminate spills and mess, such as special droppers or syringes. When all else fails, sometimes a bribe can do the trick, such as offering a sticker or small treat (ex. one mini m&m candy) to ‘reward’ your child and incentivize them to take a dose of their medication. Some medications can also be mixed into food and drinks, such as applesauce or milk, to help them go down easier for your child.

“I have two kids of my own and one on the way, so I understand how hard it is to give medications to kids—especially the icky tasting ones,” Erika expressed. “It can also be a tough experience when you’re running on little sleep. Getting the right medication at the right dose will help your child feel better sooner, and those extra tips a pharmacist can provide will definitely help too.”

Make sure you talk with your pharmacist and get their approval first before trying anything new or different from the instructions prescribed for you or your child’s medications. Some methods may not be safe for all prescriptions, and some medications should never be mixed with other items, like certain over-the-counter medications. Your pharmacist will be able to advise on the best, safest practices for your specific medications.  

To learn more and find contact information for your nearest pharmacy location, please visit the Gundersen Pharmacy online or check out the following pages:

• Gundersen Pharmacy hours by location  
• Gundersen Specialty Pharmacy for rare or complex health conditions