Since I started taking HIV medications in 1999, I’ve been very good at not missing any doses. Even during my extended period of week on/week off (2003-ish to 2013-ish), I was diligent about remembering which day was the start day for another week of pills. On average, I’d guess that I missed about one dose a year...

Well, since the COVID-19 pandemic started, I’ve probably missed eight doses. My glorious run of being a responsible positoid has come to an end, or at least a noticeable bump in the road. You’d think it would be easy to remember to take your pill (or pills) when you are on lockdown, but the change in daily routine has definitely made it a little harder to stay on top of my game. On the plus side, I’ve been taking more walks then I ever have, and my FitBit has heaped praise on me. Thank goodness I’m not wearing a “PillBill”, or whatever they’d name the pill-taking equivalent. 

If I were, it would be pretty pissed at me.

Well, I don’t need a PillBill or a TallySally to understand the flaw in this new blind spot that I’m experiencing. I’m fortunate that my viral load has been undetectable, which means there’s no way for me to transmit HIV to Gwenn. (INSIDER’S TIP: Great sex would be the only way.) But I am certainly more likely to see my viral load rise if this pattern continues. So, what have I done to try to topple this latest of challenges?

Here’s a couple of simple ways I’ve negated the odds of missing more doses.

- Continue to use my Pillbox: Even though I’m not leaving the house, it’s good for me to have the pillbox sitting right where I have my first meal of the day.

- Double Check: It so happens that I eat in the living room. Where I watch TV. So I’m taking a look inside regularly until I have two months of adherence under my belt. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve either thought I’d missed, or taken, my meds and been wrong.

Have you been experiencing the same thing this year? If so, let me know in the Comments below. Any tricks of the trade are certainly appreciated.

Positively Yours,
Shawn

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