Adherence

Jun 6, 2004

Hi Nelson, I've been POZ since March of '92. I've been on my current regimen since 1998. It's been a good one for me and generally I feel great. But it just gets tiresome to always take pills. I do terrific for a months then slip and miss a few weeks. I've talked with my doctor and my therapist about this trend. Why is it so difficult for me to just do it and make a habit of taking those darn pills. I've tried different approaches and I always seem to find excuses for not taking them.

Any helpful tricks? Thanks...Rowdy!

Response from Mr. Vergel

Rowdy: Just admiting that you have a problem is a great start! Ummm...I feel your pain :) I have been taking pills since 1988 and sometimes I go through that mental game myself. Now I have to worry about pills and injections (Fuzeon)!

Things that help me: having a alarm watch, using a pill box so that I do not have to open bottles all the time, pre-packaging pills in small plastic bags to take with me, telling my partner to remind me before going to bed, making a habit to take them with my meals, posting notes on the bathroom mirror that remind me that I want to live a full life, reminding myself that there are 40 million people in the world that would love to have my pills, remembering my dead friends, having my pills close to my computer (where I spend a lot of time!), and jsut telling myself that I will not sabotage my health! Most studies show that we need better than 95 % adherence to attain good results, so it takes discipline and lots of self-love!

Good luck and hang in there!

Nelson