A prescription dose schedule tells you exactly when to take each medication. In Looms, the schedule appears on each prescription and links directly to the dose reminder system.
Reading the schedule
- Dose — the amount to take each time (e.g. 500 mg, 1 tablet)
- Frequency — how often (e.g. twice daily, every 8 hours, once at bedtime)
- Timing — specific times if required (e.g. with food, 30 minutes before eating)
- Duration — total course length (e.g. 7 days for an antibiotic; ongoing for a chronic medication)
- Special instructions — 'take with food', 'avoid alcohol', 'do not crush'
Setting up reminders to match
Open the prescription and tap Set reminder. Looms will pre-fill the reminder times based on the prescribed frequency — twice daily defaults to 8am and 8pm, for example. You can adjust the exact times to match your routine. Each reminder sends a notification with a Mark as taken option so you can log doses without opening the app.
What happens if you miss a dose
General guidance: take the missed dose as soon as you remember, unless it's close to the time of your next dose — in which case skip it and continue as normal. Never double up to compensate. For specific medications (particularly anticoagulants, immunosuppressants and hormones), follow the specific advice in the patient information leaflet or ask your pharmacist.