Managing medications isn’t always straightforward, and that was one of the first things that came up when Emma Maxwell and I got on a call to discuss it.
For anyone juggling multiple prescriptions and supplements, the challenges are very real. Missed doses, mixed-up schedules, and long medication histories can all cause unnecessary panic, which is why finding the best medication tracker app is so important.
A conversation with Emma Maxwell
Emma, a chronic illness advocate living with endometriosis, mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and ADHD, told me how med tracking became essential for her daily routine. She’d tried notebooks, pen-and-paper logs, and other pill reminder apps, but none worked the way Guava does.
As someone managing ADHD as well, I resonated with a lot of her experiences and wanted to share both her perspective and a few of my own tips for taking advantage of Guava’s medication tracking features.
For us and many others, a solid medication tracking app is about a lot more than just convenience–it makes it possible to get through the day without falling behind. Emma shared that,
“Med tracking in Guava is something that I use every day, and it's something that I need.”
Here are a few of the reasons why:
1. Flexible reminders for complex medication schedules
One of the biggest things Emma and I talked about was the importance of flexibility. Guava lets you set reminders that fit your regimen, whether it’s something simple like a pill every morning at 9:30, or something a bit more complicated, like a med every three days, every four hours, or a schedule that switches on and off week by week.
“If I didn't have Guava, I wouldn’t be able to hold myself accountable.” - Emma
She explained,
“The reminders make sure I stay on track, especially with my new meds, which I take every three days. Instead of racking my brain trying to remember which days to take them, I just rely on reminders in the app.”
ADHD can also make sticking to med schedules really difficult, even when it’s necessary. As someone who also has ADHD, I know this struggle well. A strategy I use is adding unique emojis or titles to my reminder notifications–if it catches my eye, I’m less likely to ignore it.
2. Logging any and all medications (without limits)
Emma also emphasized how frustrating it is when apps only let you log meds from a preset database. She said,
“I feel like I couldn’t use other apps because I couldn't log my specific things, or my medication didn't come up because it isn’t common, but this doesn’t happen in Guava.”
Guava lets you type in anything you’re taking, whether it’s a prescription, supplement, or treatment. If you sync your patient portals or upload records, your prescriptions will even appear automatically. Plus, there’s no limit to the number of medications or treatments you can log.
This is part of why we both see Guava as one of the best medication reminder apps–it accommodates unique treatment regimens.
3. Staying organized with med groups and Guava Tags
Emma also told me how much easier it is to stay organized now. With Guava, she can group meds by morning, afternoon, or night, by condition, or whatever category makes sense. That way, nothing gets lost in a long list, and she doesn’t have to remember it all on her own.
Pro-tip: Caregivers can set up Guava accounts for the people they care for and manage their medication reminders from their own phone.
She’s also started experimenting with Guava Tags, which are NFC-enabled stickers that let you log meds just by tapping your phone. Whether on a pill bottle or somewhere in the kitchen, they make it easy to track not only medications but also things like food, symptoms, or caffeine intake.
I keep a Guava Tag on my computer so I have a tangible reminder to take my ADHD meds every day (alongside my medication reminder in Guava).
4. Utilizing custom medication lists
Because of her long list of conditions, Emma shared how hard it can be during appointments to remember every medication she’s ever been prescribed. In these situations, she now has lists in Guava with all the relevant details and data-backed insights that she can pull up when she needs to advocate for herself. As she put it,
“It’s really nice to have proof of past meds not working with the exact dates and symptom logs.”
That kind of data can shift the dynamic with providers, turning vague memories of medications and their effects into concrete evidence that can resonate with physicians.
5. Connecting meds with symptoms and side effects
Emma was especially excited about the Insights feature. Tracking meds is one thing, but being able to see how they connect with symptoms like pain, fatigue, or mood has given her a clearer picture of her health.
“The insights are so valuable because it’s clear when your pain goes up or down with a medication,” she explained.
This makes doctor visits more productive for her. Instead of saying, “I think this med helped,” she can point to patterns that show exactly what’s been happening.
In my case, I was able to use Insights from my medication and symptom logs to help my psychiatrist adjust my dosage when I wasn’t getting enough sleep. I could show him my sleep data synced in Guava from my Apple Watch, my medication adherence, and statistically significant correlations between the two.
6. Staying ahead with the pill counter
Finally, we talked about how stressful it can be when you run out of meds. For some ADHD meds, it can take days to coordinate between doctors and pharmacies before finally picking up your prescription.
I rely on the pill counter to avoid disrupting my entire routine, which has admittedly saved me from many moments of last-minute panic. By entering how many pills I have left and logging each dose, I get notified before I run out.
The best daily medication tracker for real life
After chatting with Emma about our experiences, it’s clear that Guava means a lot more to us than a typical medication reminder app. For her, it’s become the best app for staying organized with medications, giving her structure where she needs it while staying flexible enough to fit real life. For me, I can say that Guava is one of the few tools that genuinely helps me manage and understand my ADHD, as well as my overall health.
Whether you’re managing a chronic condition, supporting someone else, or just trying to stay consistent, Guava makes med tracking feel simpler and far less stressful. Plus, it’s free.
