Medication changing shape and sometimes colour…….

A day in the life

Come on pharmacists, help us out here. How are we suppose to remain independent if you keep changing our tablets – it simply confuses and I keep thinking I’ve put the wrong tablets in my dossett box…..
I get the same prescription every month, which the pharmacy has made very easy as I no longer have to order from the surgery – I just pop in when I need it. So that bit you made very useful for me.

However, each the month the boxes and the contents can look very different😳

Same tablet, totally different shape and colour....
Same tablet, totally different shape and colour….

This is not so helpful and makes it very confusing, especially if the dossett box contains an overlap of one month to the next.
I realise it’s could be the manufacturers at fault as well, but if only every Donezepil could look the same and come in the same box it would make life so much easier

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If I’m having a bad day and look at the tablets, I get very confused and think I’ve put the wrong tablets in the box.This is even more confusing if they actually look the same as the other medication I take. Some have the dosage written on, which helps sometimes, sometimes they’re totally blank, which doesn’t help.

Can they not be standardised? Or maybe just pur them in plain boxes for those who have difficulty?

Doesn’t seem much to ask………….😔

About wendy7713

On the 31st July 2014 I was diagnosed with Young Onset Dementia. I may not have much of a short term memory anymore but that date is one I’ll never forget. I’m 58 years young, live happily alone in Yorkshire, have 2 daughters and I’m currently still in full time employment in the NHS. However, I’m now in the process of taking early retirement to give me a chance of enjoying life while I’m still me. I've started this blog to allow me, in the first instance, to write all my thoughts before they’re lost. If anyone chooses to follow my ramblings it will serve as a way of raising awareness on the lack of research into Alzheimer's. It will hopefully convey the helplessness of those diagnosed with dementia, as there is no cure – the end is inevitable. However, I’m also hoping I can convey that, although we've been diagnosed, people like me still have a substantial contribution to make; we still have a sense of humour; we sill have feelings. I’m hoping to show the reality of trying to cope on a day to day basis with the ever-changing environment that dementia throws at those diagnosed with the condition. What I want is not sympathy. What I want is simply to raise awareness.

16 thoughts on “Medication changing shape and sometimes colour…….”

  1. I do so agree, when I went to collect a prescription for Asasantin Retard (red and yellow capsules) taken twice a day since 2004 I was given Clopidogrel a pink film coated tablet taken once a day. The pharmacist said he had taken advice from my doctor but noone consulted me!

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  3. I get my medication delivered weekly in a dossett box each medication has a label and if they change to a cheaper alternative, and sometimes colour, the label clearly states this. The only thing I don’t like is that it takes away one afternoon a week that I have to be at home until it is delivered. When I lived just outside Leeds I used to get 28 days supply at a time 4 boxes of 7 days, now it’s a weekly delivery but if I went to the chemist they would give me the full 28 days supply in one go as they have to fill the prescription as written.

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    1. It’s just money. Your chemist will give you the cheapest version one unless you demand you specify the ones you want. Don’t accept ones that you can’t cope with. If necessary, show them the problem.

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  5. Excellent point Wendy. You’d think that, especially with that type of tablet, they’d have thought of that, wouldn’t you? I wonder if there’s any way of giving the company feedback, maybe through your doctor or the pharmacy.

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    1. Sadly they seem to be on the side of the drug companies.I could have it all delivered in blister packs, but then it gets confusing if I’m taking trial medication as they can’t include that…….

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  8. This is so true Wendy..I can see how this could cause confusion and another area which could be improved so if there is a way that you can offer some feedback to the drug companies, then it can only be a good thing. It is not really an issue for my Dad as my Mum organises all his medication for him as he isn’t able to. He also has to be reminded to take his medication each day, otherwise he would forget to do so. I hope your sleeping is getting better and you haven’t come out in spots after one of your trials has now finished. I loved your post about Billy, must have felt strange without him. Best wishes, Martin x

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  9. Us too! Although for a couple of years now we have had the pills made up into weekly memory boxes by the pharmacist – laid out by day and time. That helps me 🙂 (P is well beyond even being able to cope with that). The boxes are free – but they also change shape and material and now (at least to my mind) seem to be laid out backwards with ‘bedtime’ at the top of the day and ‘breakfast’ at the bottom. Still better than juggling packets and bottles though.

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