How do you adjust taking medications with seasonal time changes?

JoDee, This is my own opinion as a patient. It is what works for me.

I am on an 8am 8pm schedule because that is best for me to live with. That is what I have set on my phone alarm. I do regularly need to make adjustments because of daily activities. And I am comfortable with adjusting 30 - 60 min when I do this. For example, every Sunday, I take my morning dose at 7 instead of 8.
Whenever I'm surveyed about taking my meds, I always get asked if I have 1) missed any doses 2) been more that 1-2 hours late/early with my dosage.
The aim is to have a stable dose of the anti-rejection meds in our body at all times I was told by someone (?) somewhere along the post transplant a slight deviation here and there would not be problematic.
I choose to keep as close to 12 hour interval as possible. And If I know in advance, I feel more comfortable making 30 minute shifts.

I hope this is somewhat helpful.

@rosemarya it is helpful, thank you! My husband needs to make a decision on what time he wants to take his when he returns to work in a month. He starts at 7:00 and I'm afraid he'll get busy and forget if he stays with 8:00. He has an alarm on his phone, but I can see him thinking he will finish what he is doing then take them and next thing he knows it's noon.
Blessings,
JoDee

Hi JoDee, I am happy that his recovery is leading to his return to a new "normal" life for the both of you!

That is a great question about meds and return to work schedule. I think that I am a bit spoiled because I am retired and can pick my own schedule on most days. I think that he needs to consider a time that will be the easiest for him to adhere to. What if he takes them before he goes to work and then after he returns home assuming he is on a routine hourly schedule. My preference is to take them before I get involved in something, because it can be pretty easy to hear the alarm reminder and then to become instantly sidetracked. My husband and I have a system where I have to tell him, "I took my pills" because I can be easily distracted if I am into a project or something! It is his way of continuing to take care of me.

I would be interested in hearing from some of our members who have re-entered the workforce about how they manage their medication schedule while at work.

@jodeej

I chose the time to take my meds based on what would work for me considering when my lab opened and my commute to work. I ended up choosing 8:15am, I could easily drop by the lab, have a blood draw and get to the office by 8:45 or 9:00. Any earlier and the lab wouldn't be open, any later and I'd have to go to work and leave again.

I have a morning and evening alarm on my phone (which is always with me), I set the snooze button for 5mins, I NEVER press the dismiss button until I have actually taken my pills so every 5 mins the alarm reminds me until I've taken them. When I was newly transplanted both myself and my husband set alarms just to be extra sure.

When it is daylight savings time I inch my times accordingly in the week proceeding until the time switches. I would ask a transplant nurse about this before doing it, they know everything and tailor the advice to your specific situation.

When I travel I set new alarms for the corresponding time zone based on the difference.

You are right to control the factors you can because so many areas are out of our control along the transplant journey.

I travel weekly and normally do good on the morning pills. I noticed a pattern of being late on my evening pills. I now have my phone alarm go off at 8. Many times I'm out to dinner with folks and it becomes a good time to share my kidney journey. Surprisingly, many decide to tell me about medical issues they have. 8 and 8 works for me but if 7 works I would go with it. While I was hospitalized 2x they changed my pill time to 7 and 7 due to shift change.

Or you can move to Arizona where we do not observe Daylight Savings Time!!!

@rosemarya @jodeej When my husband was transplanted, he had been working for his company for 35 years. When he went back to work he determined 8:30 and 8:30 works for him. At 8:30 a.m. is his first break at work, where he eats breakfast and takes his pills. At 8:30 at night the alarm goes off he takes his pills, then goes to bed. He has an alarm on his phone that goes off and increases in volume until he turns it off. A couple of times he has muted it because of a meeting and has taken meds a little late maybe a half hour. We each have small containers to take single doses of our meds in if we will be out somewhere [and it is a standing question "do you have your meds?"]. We look at it as honoring the donor by taking meds in a timely fashion to stay as healthy as possible. Hope this helps, and good luck on going back to work. Although bosses do not have the right to talk to ask, I hope your husband will share with his immediate supervisor about the surgery so that at least someone there is aware if there was ever to be a problem.
Ginger

@amyintucson or Hawaii! We have family there. Lol 😀

@gingerw my husband has been very open with everyone he works with about his surgery, from his supervisors to the guys he manages.
We will see how his schedule goes and decide the best times for his meds.
Blessings,
JoDee

Remember to change your clock.

Daylight Saving Time 2018
(began Sunday, March 11)
ends Sunday, November 4