Another lesson learned ..... did I or didn't I take that daily antihistamine pill due in the regimen I started one recent weekend when the pollens worsened my reactions -- sneezing, sinus drainage, eyes watering, nasal stuffiness when I try to sleep, to name a few unpleasantries. I recall noting directions said to allow 24 hours before taking the next pill as I was holding the pill bottle.
Suddenly, the phone had rung from a number I had, coincidentally, been thinking of calling myself, not some obvious unwelcome sales promotion. S'pose that was ESP as I've experienced quite a few times before with phone calls through the years. But, I digress -- that's quite another topic. That catch-up phone conversation with my friend ended after a reasonable time with all pertinent topics covered, questions answered.
A couple hours later, I happened to think -- "Did I take that antihistamine pill?" I remembered holding the pill bottle, but did I take that pill just before answering that phone call? I'm not sure, but I don't think so. So I took a pill. Then, I started to have second thoughts. "What if I took a pill before?" I reviewed the directions and read again what I remembered -- definite instructions "do not take another pill for 24 hours"!
Oh, my gosh! What if I had taken a pill earlier and this one only 3 hours later -- is that an overdose -- and what could happen -- what should I do? Obviously, this called for an Internet search which brought up -- "Call poison control!"
Referring to a more specific product link, I read the side effects I could experience -- "nausea, dizziness" and more unwelcome symptoms, plus "call your Doctor if you experience these". Also, the description said if no complications I would just have to ride along with them 'til they were out of my system. So, I settled back, to await my fate.
Fortunately, many hours passed without my having any of those side effects indicating I had not taken two pills as I had been concerned I might have done. I've never had this kind of pill quandary previously and I don't want it again. Another time, maybe I should make a little note on my calendar when I take that pill.
I wonder if others ever find themselves in a dilemma over whether or not they took a pill they wouldn't want to overdose on?
Yep. (-:
ReplyDeleteI've have a special wall calendar for the sole purpose of noting down what time I take over-the-counter medications, some of which are antihistamines, Tylenol and Tagamet, all of which I would not want to accidentally overdose on and all of which I take on an as-needed basis.
For years, I had have a pill case for vitamin and herbal supplements which have been pared down to a multivitamin and a daily dose of vitamin D3. Although my memory is good enough for most things, it doesn't work well when it comes to remembering whether I have taken an over-the-counter pill or vitamin supplement or not. I am fortunate in not needing to take any prescription medication (-:
My tested allergies include mold, house dust, trees, grass, weeds and various foods. From the late 1970s to some time in the 1990s, I was given weekly allergy shots. The allergy doctor said not to worry about the food allergies. The allergy shots helped with the environmental allergies but I continued to be susceptible to severe sinus infections every spring (pollen) and fall (mold -- Western Washington is exceedingly moldy!). It was only when I eliminated the foods that I was allergic to that the sinus infections ceased.
In addition, in 1987 I was able to identify that sugar aggravated my allergies. When I eliminated sugar from my menu, my health in general improved immensely. I have gone for years without sugar and then experimented with it, hoping that I could eat it again. Each experiment brought a return of chronic health problems that resolved when I stopped eating sugar.
Thank you for bringing up the topic of memory and allergies!
Your comment has me wondering about the cause of all too frequent bouts with sinus infections I’ve had
DeleteI certainly do. Par for the course for Seniors like us.
ReplyDeleteI’ll certainly be sure to make a note of such pill intake in the future as I don't want such concerns in the future.
DeleteI have not had issues with taking pills, but I do find that I need more and more to write things down, so that I either don't forget to do something in the first place or do it twice!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have a good system.
DeleteIf I were taking just one pill, I would write down the time I took it on a slip of paper by the pill bottle. It is easy to get side tracked and not remember. Now that I am taking a raft of pills, a pill box is my savior. Mine has slots for morning, noon, eve and bedtime.
ReplyDeleteRegardless, isn't Dr. Google a great help?
I guess I just got rushed with the phone call.
DeleteI have a weekly pill case so I can stop myself from making that mistake.
ReplyDeleteI have a system for any pills I take regularly i’ve successively used for years, but this antihistamine is just an occasional periodic pill I sometimes use for just a short time, maybe only 2 or 3 sometimes.
DeleteI only take two pills (one for blood pressure, the other vitamin D) and I always taken them immediately after breakfast, so I know I've taken them. But if I had a whole stack of pills, I'm sure I would get very confused about whether I'd taken them.
ReplyDeleteYou’d likely develop a system if you had several more pills as you seem like you would do this.
DeleteWhen I've been distracted, like you were, I have had that happen. If it's an over-the-counter med, I usually just take it. I figure those have a built-in fail-safe. I'm probably going to be okay. If it's a prescription I've been taking all along, I skip it, figuring that its levels have been built up in my system already, and one missed dose isn't going to be the difference maker.
ReplyDeleteI do that with prescription meds, too, skip them if uncertain for some reason, though doesn't happen often.
DeleteI do that all the time and it's always a question -- better double or not one.
ReplyDeleteWe all seem to have encountered the problem one time or another. Fortunately, doesn't happen often for me.
DeleteIn my case I usually take double.
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DeleteI use those pill boxes that have the day of the week on them and I can check to see what I have taken. Stay safe.
ReplyDeleteI think those pill boxes can be helpful especially for regular pills and i have a system similar to that, too. In the situation I experienced here the pill was not part of my regular regimen which contributed to my problem
DeleteI too was going to suggest a pill caddy, I use one for my dog’s allergy pills, which he takes every day. My pill habits, however, are more like yours, and I only take allergy pills as needed, so I suspect I would have been in exactly the same situation if I had been interrupted. Glad it turned out OK.
ReplyDeleteGood to have a system for our pills and our pets, too.
DeleteFabulous blog
ReplyDeleteThanks.
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