Its obvious I know, but it is crucial to take your meds when you are supposed to, and as you are instructed to.

Each drug has a different instruction

In the case of prednisolone,  it should be as early in the morning as possible, so as to replicates what your own body clock does, with your naturally produced cortisol.  Not in the evening before bedtime, as one birdshot friend of mine was doing.  No wonder sleep was difficult!  But prednisolone  should also be taken with food, as it can be hard on the stomach lining and make you sick if taken on an empty stomach.  So  no skipping breakfast!

In the case of immunosuppressants like cyclosporin, tacrolimus and cellcept They must not be taken with a heavy meal, ( I think they recommend an hour before food, or two hours after,)  as food reduces the absorbtion of the drugs and results in your body getting a different dose to the one you think you are giving it.

In the case of cyclosporin, not with anything to do with grapefruit, as that increases the absorbtion of the drug and can have a bad affect on your liver. Beware, this includes juice drinks that have a small amount of grapefuit in them like “Lilt”.  Read the label.

Your doctors should have given you instructions but if you have forgotten what they are you can always remind yourselves with the ones that come with the pill!

I have read several tales of woe from people posting on the birdshot Lefora website about this, and  heard several stories personally of people who skipped their birdshot medication over Christmas and as a result of this,  (or the stress of Christmas itself?)  had a flare!

I am as guilty of it as the next person,  if I find I have run out of cellcept at work, for example, I am easily tempted not to go home to collect the pills I have forgotten,  so that I can take my medication at my prescribed time.

I know from my own experience, it’s just not worth it.  Annie