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NewHeart
12-31-2015, 16:44
Being new I asked for advice and I've gotten a lot good stuff! Most of it seems to concern with packing light. I was told to cut out as much weight as I could. One of my biggest issues was I take A LOT of pills every day, 5 times a day. 33139My breakfast, with the pills being the main course! Any how this is what I came up with. (I will add pics when I get it finished)

I tried using my food saver to make small rows of 5 pockets per day. It can't do it. :mad: The old style could. However, I figured out this way and it's cheaper too boot! :sun 3M window insulation film!

First, lay one sheet film out flat. Next, take the double faced tape and create a checker board pattern. I need 5 columns and however many rows I can get. Divide your pills by time of day you take them and place them on the checker board in on row and repeat until the desired rows are filled. Then, take a second of film and place it on top and seal it to the sheet below starting with the middle and work out to the edges. You now have the option the take a hair dryer and shrink it tight or not. Lastly, cut down the center of the rows (not the columns) and separate each day's pills into strips.

So, if you were going to be 10 days in between mail drops you would carry 10 strips. I my case I would carry 15 in case I got hung up on the trail and it took longer to get to the next drop point. Tell me what you think.

atraildreamer
12-31-2015, 17:08
Being new I asked for advice and I've gotten a lot good stuff! Most of it seems to concern with packing light. I was told to cut out as much weight as I could. One of my biggest issues was I take A LOT of pills every day, 5 times a day. 33139My breakfast, with the pills being the main course! Any how this is what I came up with. (I will add pics when I get it finished)

I tried using my food saver to make small rows of 5 pockets per day. It can't do it. :mad: The old style could. However, I figured out this way and it's cheaper too boot! :sun 3M window insulation film!

First, lay one sheet film out flat. Next, take the double faced tape and create a checker board pattern. I need 5 columns and however many rows I can get. Divide your pills by time of day you take them and place them on the checker board in on row and repeat until the desired rows are filled. Then, take a second of film and place it on top and seal it to the sheet below starting with the middle and work out to the edges. You now have the option the take a hair dryer and shrink it tight or not. Lastly, cut down the center of the rows (not the columns) and separate each day's pills into strips.

So, if you were going to be 10 days in between mail drops you would carry 10 strips. I my case I would carry 15 in case I got hung up on the trail and it took longer to get to the next drop point. Tell me what you think.

I would never try to discourage someone from a do-it-yourself solution, (which is very creative), but I think you better take the labels from the prescription bottles with you to prove that you are not dealing/using illegal drugs, if anyone in authority should ask.

Also, some pharmacies will prepackage your scrips in blister packs in a similar manner, along with the typical scrip information. In RI, they are called Med-Packs, and are very popular with long-term care facilities and individuals who need to take a lot of pills, as you do.

4eyedbuzzard
12-31-2015, 17:09
My biggest concern would be if any of your meds are "schedule drugs." Some states have laws that prohibit possessing them outside their original containers. Probably not a big concern, but . . .

EDIT: The other thing, having helped a relative who had a transplant (I fabricated several complex pill organizers for her), is that your meds and/or dosages may change, especially given your level of exertion, fitness, and dietary changes on the trail. If you package them up too far in advance, it may create possible problems in that regard.

kimbur96
12-31-2015, 17:38
My biggest concern would be if any of your meds are "schedule drugs." Some states have laws that prohibit possessing them outside their original containers. Probably not a big concern, but . . .
Most states have laws making it illegal to have your medication in anything but the original labeled bottle. IMHO its highly unlikely that this would be an issue on the trail unless you get busted for something else. But definitely something you should be aware of.

NewHeart
12-31-2015, 18:01
My biggest concern would be if any of your meds are "schedule drugs." Some states have laws that prohibit possessing them outside their original containers. Probably not a big concern, but . . .

EDIT: The other thing, having helped a relative who had a transplant (I fabricated several complex pill organizers for her), is that your meds and/or dosages may change, especially given your level of exertion, fitness, and dietary changes on the trail. If you package them up too far in advance, it may create possible problems in that regard.Both of these are concerns that I had. Unfortunately I need to carry 14 large bottles. Takes up space and add weight. I carry a list of all my meds at all times. Oh well, here I thought I was a genius or something. Guess it's back to the drawing board.

kimbur96
12-31-2015, 18:04
what about something like this:http://www.campdoc.com/pharmacy/

seems like it should meet the legal aspect as every blister pack is labeled

Cheyou
12-31-2015, 18:19
If u get stopped by the cops !! Just show them the giant scar on your chest !! I think they will let u go . I pack my drugs in plastic mini bags .

Thom

NewHeart
12-31-2015, 18:55
what about something like this:http://www.campdoc.com/pharmacy/

seems like it should meet the legal aspect as every blister pack is labeledI'm not sure that will work for me with the insurance I have. I either use their mail order so I can get 90 day supply or go to my local registered pharmacy. Otherwise I pay a much higher out of pocket (2-3 times higher based on the med). I will check though. The other part of this some are supplements to counteract what the meds are doing to the rest of the body and they are not covered. I don't think they can blister pack those in as well.

Slo-go'en
12-31-2015, 19:05
I've seen people pull out gallon zip locks 1/4 full of assorted pills and start picking out various colors and shapes to pop. "Vitamins" I'm told :) Probably not the best method.

I could see using the idea Newheart came up with for the occasional short duration hike, of say a week or less. Beyond that you really need to step up to small pill bottles.

NewHeart
12-31-2015, 19:14
I've seen people pull out gallon zip locks 1/4 full of assorted pills and start picking out various colors and shapes to pop. "Vitamins" I'm told :) Probably not the best method.

I could see using the idea Newheart came up with for the occasional short duration hike, of say a week or less. Beyond that you really need to step up to small pill bottles.The problem with small pill bottles is some of the pills are bigger then horse capsules and they don't hold but 2-3 days. Just got to talk the the pharmacy to see if there is an alternative. Damn, I thought I had a spark of genius.:(

4eyedbuzzard
12-31-2015, 19:29
Both of these are concerns that I had. Unfortunately I need to carry 14 large bottles. Takes up space and add weight. I carry a list of all my meds at all times. Oh well, here I thought I was a genius or something. Guess it's back to the drawing board.
I wouldn't outright ditch the idea - it sounds pretty good. Perhaps talk to your docs and/or pharmaceutical supplier about the situation. Maybe they can do something regarding duplicate labels etc. From what I understand these laws usually only affect the "Schedule 1 through 5" drugs (mostly all pain killers) that are often abused. And the reality is most of us at our age don't get regarded with much suspicion by law enforcement - especially if you have a zipper on your sternum. ;)

NewHeart
12-31-2015, 19:38
If u get stopped by the cops !! Just show them the giant scar on your chest !! I think they will let u go . I pack my drugs in plastic mini bags .

ThomLMAO, which one? I got one down the middle and one on each side under the collar bones and six round ones on the belly! It looks I've been to a war zone.

RangerZ
12-31-2015, 20:45
I've seen people pull out gallon zip locks 1/4 full of assorted pills and start picking out various colors and shapes to pop. "Vitamins" I'm told :) Probably not the best method.

I could see using the idea Newheart came up with for the occasional short duration hike, of say a week or less. Beyond that you really need to step up to small pill bottles.


I like his idea and may try it the next time I go out for a week or so.

I currently use small ziplocks. I told my wife I wanted small ziplocks and she got 2"X3", I was thinking smaller. I cut them in half and put tape across the bottom with the ziplock and fold the cut part of the other half over and tape it - one's AM and the other is PM. Yeah I know its work to set up but I've got 100- to use. It works for me. Bottles would get bulky.

I've done two week business trips this way. I'm already set up for a week vacation in Florida this week - forecast 40s in Pittsburgh, 70s in Jacksonville.

Rolls Kanardly
12-31-2015, 23:11
The smaller ziplocks can be purchased at arts and craft stores. Walmart has a smaller one that is 1" x 2".
The pharmacys I go to not only put the script on the bottle but also print out another one along with the price and some other information. I would not have a problem with taking my meds in a zip lock along with the seperate script cut/folded to fit the size ziplock bag you would chose to use.

Rolls

hobby
01-01-2016, 10:03
see if a pharmacy in your area is providing "Medicine on Time"
www.medicine-on-time.com
Even if you don't get your meds from that pharmacy(must use mail order), they can package them in bubble strips by dosage time along with your supplements
Will cost you a few bucks, but will meet your needs and be legal with proper labeling
just another idea----

atraildreamer
01-01-2016, 17:23
[QUOTE=Rolls Kanardly;2029198]The smaller ziplocks can be purchased at arts and craft stores. Walmart has a smaller one that is 1" x 2".The pharmacys I go to not only put the script on the bottle but also print out another one along with the price and some other information.[/QUOTE

Easy-Dose Pill Pouches are available everywhere...about $2 for 100.

33146

Stick the extra label on the pouch.

Mudsock
01-02-2016, 00:11
With diabetes and other age related issues, I take pills three times a day. The largest quantity is in the evening. I did not want to carry the pill bottles for some and cardboard packs for others. Thirty days of medication is 13 oz. as packaged from the pharmacy. The pill bottles are not waterproof. I sorted the pills into daily quantities and placed each day's pills into those small pill ziplocks available in the pharmacy at Walmart. Thirty of those ziplocks with the daily doses inside completely filled a small plastic Jiff peanut butter jar. One bag went into my shirt pocket each morning. Empty bags went into my food trash bag at night. I kept the drugs in my cuben fiber food bag and hung it each night.

I printed the prescription numbers for all of the drugs, along with names of the over the counter drugs with dosage and ailment lists for the latter on waterproof paper and put them in my hiker wallet along with my emergency contact numbers. The pages for my trail guide were also printed from the PDF file onto that waterproof and untearable (TerraSlate) paper. FYI: I found that alcohol would wash away the laser print with a bit of scrubbing.

I figured that the chances of getting caught with my prescription drugs and being persecuted were small. Most law enforcement people are reasonable and remain polite if we are polite and well mannered. The drugs are common and I and/or my defense attorney could easily prove that I have the ailments and prescriptions, so no jury would ever convict me - if it were to ever get that far. A trip to any Walmart with a pharmacy would produce both the prescriptions and identify the pills. Having the bottles with the prescription label on the bottle does not prove that the pills in the bottle are the ones on the label. I have gotten through the US border with Mexico several times declaring the pills when packaged this way. They always asked me if I was carrying drugs. I always told them yes, prescription drugs for . . . They didn't even want to see them. They expect old people to be on medication. We are boring.

Rolls Kanardly
01-02-2016, 01:28
[QUOTE=Rolls Kanardly;2029198]The smaller ziplocks can be purchased at arts and craft stores. Walmart has a smaller one that is 1" x 2".The pharmacys I go to not only put the script on the bottle but also print out another one along with the price and some other information.[/QUOTE

Easy-Dose Pill Pouches are available everywhere...about $2 for 100.

33146

Stick the extra label on the pouch.

I just love American merchandizing. In the arts and crafts department the little zip locks are bead pouches and in the RX department they are pill pouches. Same price too.
Rolls

The Wanna Bs
01-02-2016, 03:05
I am trying to imagine packing 3 months of medications into the backpack. Perhaps this is where the bounce box comes in handy? Then I am still a little concerned about how I am to get the next three months worth. These are questions that I don't see answered in the journals. My guess has always been that other thru hikers don't need the meds that my husband and i will need to be carrying with us due to our various issues. I am thinking of forgetting the vitamins for the hike an hope the fresh air and walking due the work they were designed to accomplish.
How do previous thru hikers that take meds handle keeping supplied thoughout the hike?

NY HIKER 50
01-02-2016, 11:07
I can see you have a problem. One of the biggest concerns is keeping the meds dry. I use a waterproof match case re purposed as a drug container and I use more than one depending on the ones I have to carry. Never had a problem. You may need a bear vault or a Nalgene container to carry all of these meds. I keep my cell phone in one along with other items that I need to keep dry. It works well.

BillyGr
01-02-2016, 15:02
I am trying to imagine packing 3 months of medications into the backpack. Perhaps this is where the bounce box comes in handy? Then I am still a little concerned about how I am to get the next three months worth. These are questions that I don't see answered in the journals. My guess has always been that other thru hikers don't need the meds that my husband and i will need to be carrying with us due to our various issues. I am thinking of forgetting the vitamins for the hike an hope the fresh air and walking due the work they were designed to accomplish.
How do previous thru hikers that take meds handle keeping supplied thoughout the hike?


Vitamins wouldn't be any issue as those are available in just about any larger store (from supermarkets to pharmacies to general merchandise stores - even places like $ General and such will carry some) and finding one of those every few weeks would be easy enough.

For the prescriptions the bounce would make sense (maybe keep one older bottle for each medicine and then split the 3 months worth that way, the current supply in the older bottle and the rest in the one it comes in)?

For the second 3 months, it would probably make sense to get all your prescriptions through one of the larger pharmacy chains or other store (Target, Walmart) that have branches everywhere, so that you could simply go to the nearest location (even if that meant taking a couple days off) and get the resupplies there, as they can transfer things from one store to another.

What's really funny is the previous posts about rules that require prescriptions in original labelled bottles when just about any store that has a pharmacy sells those boxes to separate medicines by day or meal. Seems strange that they are allowed to offer those when they obviously go against the rules?

hobby
01-02-2016, 15:14
For the second 3 months, it would probably make sense to get all your prescriptions through one of the larger pharmacy chains or other store (Target, Walmart) that have branches everywhere, so that you could simply go to the nearest location (even if that meant taking a couple days off) and get the resupplies there, as they can transfer things from one store to another.

The prescriptions can be transferred just as easily to a small independent pharmacy...probably quicker/better service also. Every small town may not have a chain pharmacy, but most have an independent.

Rolls Kanardly
01-02-2016, 16:20
Pharmacy's will mail to almost any address and should be able to do a partial fill. Doubt if they would ship to a post office or mail drop.
Rolls

handlebar
01-02-2016, 22:37
I use squares of Glad Wrap and tie the day's pills up in it cutting off the extra. Only two of the 7 pills are RX, the others are supplements. One can take a photo of the prescription bottles for any LEO's that are anal about carrying in "original" bottles. Most people with any number of RX count out the pills in one of those 7 day pill cases, so just about any elder violates those prescriptions.