Help with remembering to take meds.

[outbackrob]

I waited until I had several cups of coffee to post this this morning, but I still can't make sense of it. I want to check to see if a medicine cabinet door has been opened (at all) during three specific times a day. Basically, if the time of day is between 9AM and 11AM, (3 & 5, 9 & 11PM) has this cabinet door been opened at least once? If false, change a light to red. If true, leave light as is or change it back from red.

This assumes I have a virtual device called MEDS and the cabinet door is never opened except to take meds. Is this logical?

{Reset MEDS to TAKE}

If the time is 6AM

OR IF the time is 12PM

OR IF the time is 4PM

OR IF the time is 8PM

AND IF MEDS = TOOK

Change MEDS to TAKE

{Set MEDS to TOOK}
If Med Cabinet is changed to OPEN

Change MEDS to TOOK

Change LIGHT to White

{Were Meds Taken?}
IF Med Cabinet is CLOSED
AND IF Time is between 9 and 11
AND IF MEDS = TAKE
Change LIGHT to RED
(Same for other times)

[outbackrob]

Well that was easy. Perhaps I had too much coffee. I know this is really basic stuff, but It's been while. That's my story...

[ericg]

Is there such a thing as too much coffee?

I assume you have EasyTrigger (doesn't everybody?).

I would define a single EasyTrigger schedule PillSchedule that covers 9-11 AM, 3-5 PM, and 9-11 PM. (Or whatever you need)

[Event Pills Taken]
IF Door Opened
AND IF The time is in this schedule time range: PillSchedule
THEN Set device MEDS to TOOK
THEN Set device LIGHT to OFF

[Event Enter Scheduled Pill Period]
IF The time enters PillSchedule time range:
THEN Set device MEDS to TAKE
THEN Set device LIGHT to WHITE

[Event Leave Scheduled Pill Period]
IF The time leaves PillSchedule time range:
AND IF MEDS has a value equal to TAKE
THEN Set device LIGHT to RED

I don't think your problem was quite fully defined, and I took some liberty with the LIGHT control. (White is an invitation to take pills, off means no action currently needed.) But I hope you will find this a useful architecture for your events.

[outbackrob]

My reply was lost.....

... But I hope you will find this a useful architecture for your events.

THANK YOU! It is always good to see someone else's approach. Much appreciated!!

[logman]

Sore subject around this household. I'm the world's worst at keeping up with the double-handful of crap I have to take everyday.

Best solution I've found? www.pillpack.com

Meds come in a roll of packets that are labeled with date and time of day to take each packet. You can also have vitamins, fish oil tabs, aspirin, happy pills or whatever else added to the packets that you want.

Of course, I still have to remember to open my desk drawer and get the next packet off the roll. So I'm going to copy ericg suggestion above and use a door open/close sensor to monitor my senile faculties.

--Barry

[outbackrob]

...Of course, I still have to remember to open my desk drawer and get the next packet off the roll. --Barry

THAT is my problem. I found myself having to count the amount of pills in a container to see if I had taken it yet! LOL! I also use Medisafe. Its an IOS app that can bug the crap out of you to take your meds. Between the two, I am 100% for the last week!!!

[RoChess]

Those medicine dosage implants were big in the news a decade ago and supposed to revolutionize long term medicinal care. There are now a few 5-year implants available that slowly dissolve and FDA is approving new use-cases each year, so you could inquire with your doctor.

Seeing as you are probably rightfully paranoid to remind yourself to take them, why not automate the delivery vs reminder, just don't ask the doctor for a Z-Wave model

[outbackrob]

Seeing as you are probably rightfully paranoid to remind yourself to take them, why not automate the delivery vs reminder, just don't ask the doctor for a Z-Wave model

Currently there are too many different meds. It would have to look something like Pic 1. But later, if I could meld the next two together......

[RoChess]

Was thinking more internal delivery ones, such as Nexplanon for women. Tiny matchstick sized implant that goes under the skin in the arm and delivers "the pill" automatically for 3-5 years without having to swallow medication each day.

More to the point it would be something like: https://phys.org/news/2019-06-remote...lant-size.html

The benefit of an implant is that dosage size can be shrunken immensely as it is added to your body stream directly versus absorbed through the stomach. In the Nexplanon case that tiny matchstick is capable of delivering same amount of medication that 1825 pills would require.

Personally would only consider an implant if the medicine had to be injected daily with a needle like insulin, otherwise I'd opt for the HomeSeer reminder as well

[JohnBoy70_99]

I had the same issue - I can’t remember a minute later if I popped the pill I was supposed to take or not for the day. I solved the problem a few years ago with a low tech approach, I got one of those 7 day plastic pill containers. My pills are only once a day but I suppose you could use 4 of those containers for 4x a day, just label one as 9am, etc.

[outbackrob]

I already have too many foreign bodies in me from a glass shard, a pencil lead or two, a rock chip, a BB, etc etc etc. I'll stick to the pills....

...Personally would only consider an implant if the medicine had to be injected daily with a needle like insulin, otherwise I'd opt for the HomeSeer reminder as well

AGREED!!!!

FWIW, this light reminder is working well. It is sort of annoying so my wife will also remind me to take my meds when the red light is on.

[logman]

I already have too many foreign bodies in me from a glass shard, a pencil lead or two, a rock chip, a BB, etc etc etc. I'll stick to the pills....



AGREED!!!!

FWIW, this light reminder is working well. It is sort of annoying so my wife will also remind me to take my meds when the red light is on.

Yes, working good for me too. After 3 minutes if I haven't noticed the light Alexa chides me with "Hey Stupid, don't forget to take your meds.... It's sort of pitiful that you need me to remind you.... I guess next you'll be needing me to wipe your butt and maybe blow your nose too??"

--Barry

[RoChess]

It is sort of annoying so my wife will also remind me to take my meds when the red light is on.

She must love the light