I missed a whole day of my chronic medicine. Do I need to do anything?

For most chronic medicines, restart at the next scheduled dose and carry on as normal. For HIV, TB, blood thinners, contraception and epilepsy medicines, contact your clinic or a pharmacist for advice specific to what you take.

Does it matter what time of day I take my tablets?

Consistency matters more than the specific hour for most medicines. Some have real timing requirements — with food, on an empty stomach, or at night — so keep to whatever you were told, and keep it the same each day.

Health library

Using medicine safely

You missed a dose — now what?

The safe general rule, the medicines where it matters most, and why doubling up is almost never the answer.

The general rule

For most medicines taken on a regular schedule, the standard guidance is straightforward.

If you remember and the next dose is still a good while away, take the missed dose now.
If it is nearly time for the next one, skip the missed dose entirely.
Take the next dose at its normal time.
Do not take two doses together to catch up.

The leaflet in the box gives the specific answer for your medicine, and a pharmacist will answer the question over the phone in under a minute. Both are better than guessing.

Where a missed dose matters more

HIV treatment. Consistency is what keeps the virus suppressed and prevents resistance developing. Take it as soon as you remember unless it is nearly time for the next dose, and speak to your clinic if you are missing doses regularly — they would far rather help than have you stop.
TB treatment. Missed doses are the main driver of drug-resistant TB, which is far harder to treat. Tell the clinic; they will work out how to get the course completed.
Antibiotics. Finishing the course as prescribed matters. Take the missed dose when you remember and continue — do not stop early because you feel better.
Blood thinners such as warfarin (Cipla-Warfarin). Both missing and doubling are risky. Follow the specific instruction you were given and contact the clinic if unsure.
Contraception. The rules differ by type and by which week you are in. Check the leaflet or ask a pharmacist the same day, and use additional protection until you know.
Insulin and diabetes medicines. Never take a double dose. Check your glucose and follow the plan you were given.

Missing doses often is a system problem, not a discipline problem

If you regularly forget, the answer is rarely to try harder. It is to change the setup so that remembering is not required.

Attach the dose to something you already do without fail — brushing your teeth, the kettle going on, locking up at night.
Keep the medicine where that thing happens, in sight, rather than in a cupboard.
Use a weekly pill organiser, which also shows you at a glance whether you took it.
Set a reminder that repeats, and put a second one on the days you are out of routine.
Line up your repeat collections so everything runs out at once, rather than making several trips.
Tell someone in the house what you take and when. A second pair of eyes catches a lot.

Common questions

I missed a whole day of my chronic medicine. Do I need to do anything?: For most chronic medicines, restart at the next scheduled dose and carry on as normal. For HIV, TB, blood thinners, contraception and epilepsy medicines, contact your clinic or a pharmacist for advice specific to what you take.
Does it matter what time of day I take my tablets?: Consistency matters more than the specific hour for most medicines. Some have real timing requirements — with food, on an empty stomach, or at night — so keep to whatever you were told, and keep it the same each day.

Sources

Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Medicines ListNational Department of Health, South Africa

Last reviewed 4 August 2026.