I Was Taking Up to 10 Medications a Day. This Pill Organizer Kept Me on Track.

Before my brain tumor diagnosis, I didn’t give a second thought to how I organized my medications. Taking pills didn’t consume my life because, for the most part, my main maladies were monthly period pain and low blood sugar. But in the fall of 2021, as I entered the world of illness and chronic pain, I had to make many adjustments — including how I managed the sheer volume of pills I had to take every day.

At first, I avoided pill boxes altogether, taking my medications directly from the bottle, but that proved cumbersome because I was still getting used to taking eight to 10 pills daily. I tried other methods, like relying on a calendar to remind me what pills to take when, laying my pills out the night before, and using a basic seven-day pill organizer. But I was still forgetting to take my medications some days, which was frustrating because I knew missing doses could set me back by a week. Dealing with chronic illness was already challenging, and missing doses created a vicious cycle: wanting to manage my condition but feeling defeated because I wasn’t doing a good job at managing my medications.

Top pick

This pill box isn’t subtle, but it will hold all your pills, including ginormous gummy vitamins and supplements.

Then I came across the rainbow-colored Bexeen Extra Large Weekly Pill Organizer, a top pick in Wirecutter’s guide to the best pill boxes. The different colors for each day made me more engaged in taking my medication on schedule, and the AM and PM compartments kept me and my many pills organized. But most important — and what set this foot-long pill box apart from every other one I tried — the extra-large compartments are spacious enough to hold even my largest pills, regardless of how many are added to my regimen.

I also find it convenient that the pill compartments are removable; each one snaps in and out of the base, making carrying and traveling with my medications much easier. I can easily take a day’s worth of pills, or even several days’, with me in my purse.

The other pill organizers I researched or tried fell short in one or more ways. The Bexeen organizer stands out for its sturdy construction and pretty cool design. The labels are also large, which I appreciate because I’m short-sighted. The transparent compartments help prevent me from making any mistakes while adding my pills, warding off an accidental overdose.

Still, it has a few downsides. The packaging doesn’t include instructions for how to remove the pill box from the base. I tried a couple of times but finally had to watch a YouTube video to figure it out. While it seems simple enough, it takes a bit of effort; people with chronic pain or a weak grip may find it difficult to open the latch.

Recently, I went to a doctor’s appointment, and relief washed over me because my levels were stable — a direct consequence of taking my medications consistently. I may not be the most organized in every part of my life, but because of this tool, I’ve at least gotten this area squared away, and I feel confident that missing pills will never again be a recurring issue.

This article was edited by Claire Perlman and Kalee Thompson.