Adherence
Support to take medication as prescribed. Everyday.
Adherence
Support to take medication as prescribed. Everyday.
Remembering to take your medication made simple.
We understand that there are many reasons why someone might not take their medication as prescribed by their doctor and are here to help.
Whether it is due to side effects, affordability, or not understanding the medication treatment we’ve got you covered. Life can be hectic and sometimes people even just forget.
Helpful Tips:
- Set an alarm or phone reminder to take your medication (you may want a second reminder set for later in the day just in case you are busy during the first)
- Get free text reminders sent to you from TheSexYouWant.ca – available at thesexyouwant.ca/reminder
- Time your medication with a regular activity in the day (caution with timing with meals if you need to take your specific medication on an empty stomach or with food)
- Have a calendar and cross out the day when you take your medication in case you are worried about taking it again
- Always consider having a back-up method to remind you
- A week or more before travelling check to see if you have enough medication for your trip plus additional in case of delays
- We offer a FREE weekly medication organizer (dosettes) at our pharmacy that you can put your medication into each week.
- We can package your medication into 100% recyclable organized packs for you that include your HIV treatment as well as any other medications, over the counter items, and vitamins you are taking (there is no additional fee for the packaging service)
- Sign up for our FREE auto-fill service and we can remind you when your medication is due, let you know when you are out of refills, contact your doctor for refills, and ship out medication to your door before you run out of medication.
- If you want to talk to us, experienced HIV pharmacists are available via text or call at 416-420-1250 7 days a week until midnight. We are always here for you and offer personalized care.
Barriers to Medication Access
Side Effects
If you are experiencing symptoms and are concerned it might be due to your medication it is important to speak with our pharmacists and your doctor. Many medications may have side effects early on but often get better or go away in time (usually the first few weeks). Always remember that any severe or highly concerning symptoms should be addressed as soon as possible by seeking immediate medical attention (eg. local hospital).
Affordability
If you are paying out of pocket for any medication related expenses and it is a challenge, give us a call at 416-420-1250 so we can walk you through your options.
You can also schedule a video discussion with a pharmacist on our app or visit us during our on-site pharmacy hours (if in the Toronto area).
We take time with our patients and never rush you – and have found additional savings solutions for many patients who have transferred to our pharmacy. This includes manufacturer programs that you may have not been alerted to.
We are available by phone, email, or text 7 days a week as well at 416-420-1250.
Understanding your medications
It is important to take your medication as prescribed – whether it is for HIV or any other medical condition. Regularly missing doses or stopping HIV treatment can reduce the effectiveness of medication, increase the risk of medication resistance, increase the risk of transmission, and can have negative short and long term health outcomes. Even if your medication has suppressed the virus and/or you have reached an undetectable status, stopping medication will result in the viral load to increase again.
Studies have been performed to determine if medication could possibly be taken less frequently (ie. 4 days a week). While some are promising, at this time it is recommend to take your medication every day as prescribed unless advised otherwise by your HIV specialist.
PrEP With Us
Most pay $0 With PrEPSaver
* The Injectable PrEP option is not part of our PrEPSaver Program.
Not sure if PrEP
is right for you?
Health is very personal and we feel it’s important to provide information to help you make a well-informed decision about PrEP. If you will ever have a possible exposure to HIV it is something to consider – especially if not always 100% sure of a sexual partner’s status.
