10 replies to this topic

[JoshLee]

So....I forgot to take my medication about two weeks ago so I bought pill divider box. This morning I woke up around 8 and I SWEAR I took it. But after I woke up again at 9:15 I looked at my pill box and noticed that Monday still had 4 pills in it (I take Tasigna). So I fretted for a while and then I realized that some people take 800mg a day instead of 600mg. So I took another full pill and then emptied out half of another so that tonight after my evening dose I would be at 800 mg for the day..or a little over.....If I did actually "double dose" this morning which I don't think I did, maybe this won't be a big deal? I mean, the water glass was still pretty full and the Monday box was full...But the bottle I store all my Tasigna in sits next to my pill divider so I don't know if I just randomly took my meds out of there? Needless to say...That pill bottle went into the kitchen cabinet. I really HATE when I can't remember if I took my morning dose. The evening is so easy because I know I am fasting for a reason. In the morning, I just wake up and take it and then go back to sleep for a little bit. Sometimes though, I honestly can't remember if it was a dream or not? Here's to hoping I don't drop dead!

[lala]

Hi...here's hoping you don't drop dead....funny!  I think many of us have done the same thing!  I often tell my daughter when I am taking my pills just incase I wonder if I took them!  We all do so many things without really thinking!  I, too, use a pill box........swore I'd never use one of those!!!!  Thought they were for old grandmas!  . I'll let the medical people answer your too much medicine concern......just wanted you to know I chuckled when I read your last line......thinking about the times I wondered if I had done the same thing!!!!!!!!  Lala

[susanlathers]

This is one of the issues of Tasigna I hate,  I feel ruled by when I take my meds and did I eat, will I forget and eat something without realizing it.  I used to take my pm dose at 4 am.  Try remembering that one. Now I have switched to 11 and 11.  2 pills at 11 am and 1 at 11 pm. If I miss the am dose I take 2 at night instead of the 1. I have gotten to the place where if I miss a dose, I miss a dose.  And actually I miss quite a few over a month time.  I am trying to look at QOL.  On Sunday I go out to eat after church and always miss that dose.  If I am doing something really dangerous I hope someone on these boards will draw me up and put me in my place.  I don't want to lead anyone to follow my example if it is dangerous.  I guess I will know when I have my next PCR in Oct.  My goal has been to get the the lowest dose possible but after thinking it over I would rather have the freedom to miss doses if necessary and not worry if I can maintain my PCRU status.

Again I want to say, don't follow my example, follow your Dr.'s

Susan

[JoshLee]

Susan,

     I am no expert, but I do know that it is extremely important that you ALWAYS take your meds. I've heard experts say that even missing two doses a month can really hurt your chances at achieving a good response to these drugs. When I've missed, it has been out of pure confusion and not wanting to double up. I think doubling up is NOT good in general and knowingly skipping a dose is quite frankly, not smart. I don't mean to be harsh, but the half life of Tasigna is like 16 or 18 hours and then it's not really doing anything for you if there isn't more to kick in. I've probably missed 3 times in the 7 months I've been taking it and they have all been due to a situation like this morning. I take that back, I skipped once because I was having extreme leg pain and insomina....But that was due to anxiety I believe. There are people on this board that have never missed in all the years they've been on the drug. Give yourself the best chance by taking your meds ALL the time. If you forget by accident a few times over the years, I bet that won't hurt, but missing a dose every Sunday is not good. Also, you don't have to do it at 12 hour intervals. I definitely used to be really strict, but now I just take it at like 7 and 6 or 6 and 8 or 6 and then at 9. The half life is long enough and I usually take them around the same time...Give or take an hour or 45 minutes.

[susanlathers]

JoshLee

Thanks for your advice.  I will take it seriously.  Last Christmas I was going to have a special week with my whole family, which I have never had.  We were going to the mountains skiing and all sorts of snow fun.  I asked my onc if I could take one dose per day for the 1 week, that would be 400 mg at night and skip the afternoon dose because I didn't want my meds to dictate when everyone else ate meals.  She said ok.  I had been on Tasigna for 6 months and had been PCRU for 6 mo.  It had no negative effect, but I can see if maybe I did that all the time it eventually would.  Although, people who stop the TKI's after being PCRU for  a long time,  if they are going to relapse, take a number of months or years to do so. And then they go back on them and quickly go back to PCRU

  Again, if I am wrong with any of my information, please, someone correct me.  Sometimes I see or hear what I want to see or hear and not what is really being said and I wouldn't want to lead anyone else wrong.

Susan

[Karenin.Hache]

Joshlee,

You're not dumb, you're probaly just forgetting because of stress. If the pill box isn't helping (maybe because you have a pill bottle next to it, or because you refill it thinking you'll remember later), you can add a check list. You can always rely on black and white when colors are fuzzy, hehe! hope this helps.

[Susan61]

Hi:  It sounds like your getting all nervous about when to take your pills.  Your taking them twice a day.  I take my Gleevec once a day with Breakfast, therefore, I never forget to take it.  It does not matter if I eat a early Breakfast or Late breakfast as long as I get my pill in me.  If I take my pill without a meal  I have nausea.

    I believe your taking your Tasigna on a empty stomach.  Can you set an alarm for the proper time to take it.  I think I would get confused myself with taking it at different times.  Try to pay attention to your pill box also.  You will work out a routine for yourself I am sure.

Susan 61

[janner25]

Hi all ~  for what it is worth, I have 'confessed' to my doctor about missing the occasional dose of tasigna (I forget my evening one - not my morning one).  My doctor said as long as it doesn't become a habit - missing one every once in a while is OK.  He said at least you're getting the 1 dose - unlike others who are 1x per day and miss a days dose entirely.

Just thought I'd share .

[sdl722]

I'm on a study so I need to keep a research medication diary where I mark down the times I take my Tasigna.  It is basically a monthly calendar where I write down my morning time and then my evening time.  I find that this helps me keep control of taking my pills.  I find it very useful when traveling across time zones as I mark down the times in both time zones (where I am and where I live) so that I can stay on a relatively normal schedule, even with the time change.  Additionally I receive my pills in bottles (not in the blister packs).  Each morning before leaving for work I put 4 pills into an empty bottle and take that with me to work.  Before I leave work I take my 2 evening pills and have 2 left in that bottle.  The next morning when I wake up I take the other 2 pills and thus empty that bottle.  I then put 4 more pills into the bottle before going to work (and repeat daily).  So I'd know pretty quickly if I forgot to take my pills.  My "challenge" is that sometimes I will take my pills but then wonder if I actually took 1 or two pills.  Since my bottle should only have 2 or 4 pills I can easily check if I didn't take the correct dosage.