go to your local chemist and they will make you up a webster pack, it's a cardboard piece of paper and it has all your pills in it,from breakfast to night and each dosage you take, so you don't forgot and if you do, you look at the pack it will tell you.

http://www.webstercare.com.au/products/multi-dose-webster-pak.asp?section=ca

Or get ya a little pill container that has 7 days.....one side for mornings, one for evenings....................think they even have them with morning, mid day and evenings.................its the only way I can keep all my pills straight.....and I still occasionally forget to take them:(:(

I have a pill container, but never got into a good routine of using it. My meds have been changed so many times that I'd have to empty it and start over mid week.

The real problem is that I'm trying to function with unmanaged and increasing pain while attempting to gather my arsenal for an in person disability application on July 7th. I have several other things that wouldn't have overwhelmed me before, but seem too much to deal with, now.

I can't think straight or complete anything at this time. It's a good case for disability, but bad for preparing.

Thanks for the suggestions,

Cherry with a very, gentle hug

I can definitely relate to how you are feeling!

Pain meds ... specifically narcotics ... can take a toll on your mental functioning. When all this started for me 11 years ago, first it was vicodin, then kadian (extended release morphone), followed by Oxyncontin (eventually up to 240 mg a day .. I think ... can't really remember if it was more than that), after that they implanted a medication pump that fed dialudid directly into my spine. After an overdose caused by the doctor's aid increasing my dilaudid feed too much, I made them take it out and had a dif. doctor switch me to morphine. By then, I didn't even recognize my own personality ... and neither did my family. I finally decided I would rather live with pain then live my life in a fog, so my primary care helped me taper off the narcotics. It took 2 years to complete the taper and that was 2 years ago. Believe me, there were times I thought withdrawal was worse than delaing with the fog, but I peristed.

Now, I have percocet for the days I abolsutley can't handle ... I take 1/2 of a pill once or twice a week at the most, but in relaity I was so accustomed to the narcotics that my pain is really not any worse off them than it was on them. I had heard about "narcotic pain" but never really believed it until I experienced this transition myself.

I am not trying to preach and say getting off the pain meds is the right answer for everyone ... as I realize everyone is different. But if this post helps anyone with the decision to get off the narcotics after long term use, then it is well worth my time to write it.

While still on the narcotics I started having signs of liver damage, which now no longer exist. Since I am not a drinker, it was obviously the meds that caused it. In fact, one of my brothers, who also deals with chronic pain, now has kidney failure. Unfortunately he remains on the narcotics, afraid his pain will worsen if he stops them. The truth is that your brain gets so accustomed to the narcotics that it can actually start sending out pain signals just to make sure the narcotics keep coming ... or at least that is how "narcotic pain" was explained to me.

I am far from 'pain free' as my pain starts around a 6 every day and, on a good day, only hits an 8. I even sprtained my ankle once while on pain meds and didn't realize it until the whole ankle and foot were twice their normal size ... my Dr. said it was the worse sprain she had ever seen, but I never even felt it, yet my back pain still hit an 8 on a daily basis back then.

I wihs you the best of luck! Healing hugs being sent your way!

Sorry about the spelling errors in my post ... where is spell-check when you need it?! LOL

My memory is not the greatest so I got a weekly pill container and I found out really how many times a week I forget my pills at least twice a week. Now these are my regular pills not my pain pills I dont think I could forget those even if I tried. It is my BP And thyroid and paxil pill that I am always forgetting but since I got the pill container it has helped in the long run.

I just keep it where I can see it everyday and it can help you remember where you are on the pill taking. You could put your pain pills in there since you forget them it is worth a try

Yup...going to dig out the pill container today. I never forget the pain meds, but have been known to take extra because the pain is still there and I'm sure I didn't take it!

That could get me in trouble.

I MUST have my pain meds in a daily pac. If not, I'd have no idea what I have and have not taken!! My brain is mush right now between the pain, pain meds, treatment meds I'm taking and stress!!! I hope some of this clears after I finish my tx. but it was pretty bad even before I started these new meds.

i take realtiliy low dose i do not exspeariace brain fog somtimes when the pain becomes intense i get where i cannot think good hugs minnie

Cherry I have a suggestion for forgetting weather or not you took the pills situation. Buy a daily pill box with am, mid day and pm on it if possible.and in the morning seperate the whole days meds. So you don't overdose.

It's not just pills that I forget. I will start to do something....or go about doing something else thinking that I have done what I had started to do...and realize that I had not done it because there the done thing sits undone...I am beyond undone....so it's brain fog, is it? I can't remember....lol....

Or the "classic". walk into the room and forget why so you go back to where you were so you can remember.
But those were the good ol days.
Since taking Klonopin I am having trouble remembering something that happened the day before.
If it is something I really need to remember I have to write it down.

Yup...memory and concentration are shot. Most of the time, I'm in so much pain that I can't do what's staring me in the face. Or I'll start something and suddenly be overcome with exhaustian and dizziness that I have to leave it and quickly lie down.

I'm paralyzed with so much I need to do to prepare for disability and then starting to see my savings disappear to pay bills...I'd like to crawl in a dark hole and stay there.

Cherry... hardly recognizable

Cherry, I used to be that way...I would get weak and overcome with exhaustion.
I would start getting ready and would have to stop and lie down for periods before I could keep going.
This went on for years.
I started accupuncture and that part has gotten better.
I know right now financially, you are struggling but I thought I would mention it as something for the future for hope.
You are overwhelmed, but things change and you will see better days.