Mia: Forgetting and remembering to take medicines – Interruptions to usual routines
Listen to patients and health professionals speak about their experience with taking multiple medicines.
Mia
Female
Age at interview: 30
Number of medicines: 12
Cultural background: Israeli-Australian
If Mia remembers to take one medicine, she remembers to take all of them. She found this easier when she lived in the country and had less to do.
I have little phases where I get on top of it. Probably the best that I ever was, was when I was in Bathurst studying. I didn’t know a lot of people in Bathurst. I was at home studying a lot of the time. It was too cold to go outside and there was nothing to do. So I ended up in a bit of a routine and I took my medication. So I probably should have a slightly more boring life and that would help. That's probably when I have been the best with them but it's like you could kind of compare it to when someone says, I am going to have to start eating right and exercising, it goes in phases like that. I go I am going to start taking my medication and I stick to it for a little while. I am really good about it and on top of it every day but as soon as one thing gets in the way, you have a big night out and you are hung over and it's all out the window, the same with the healthy eating and the exercise. They tend to go together for me. If I am busy exercising and eating right, the medications are all there. I fall off the wagon with everything.
The Living with multiple medicines project was developed in collaboration with Healthtalk Australia.