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Special K
03-24-2013, 13:53
For those of you carrying more than one type of pill (prescription or otherwise), do you keep them in little plastic bottles, or do you combine them all in one ziploc bag?

And, if in one ziploc, and traveling for months at a time, does the sun degrade them in any way?

handlebar
03-24-2013, 14:02
I tie daily doses of pills (vitamins, baby aspirin, RX's) up in pieces of Glad Wrap, then keep in zip lock. ASAIK, they didn't degrade.

BirdBrain
03-24-2013, 14:04
For those of you carrying more than one type of pill (prescription or otherwise), do you keep them in little plastic bottles, or do you combine them all in one ziploc bag?

And, if in one ziploc, and traveling for months at a time, does the sun degrade them in any way?

You can buy pill ziplocks at many dollar stores. They come in packages on 50 for a dollar. I package each days amount in these tiny bags. I take many suppliments, so this suits me. If you are only taking only one or two different pills, the tiny ziplocks may be overkill.

Special K
03-24-2013, 14:13
Is there any harm in mixing them together?

Rocket Jones
03-24-2013, 14:33
That's something for your pharmacist to answer.

Theosus
03-24-2013, 15:12
Is there any harm in mixing them together?

Medically, probably not if they don't get wet, ask the pharmacist. Legally, maybe. In South Carolina, and many other states, it is illegal to carry prescription medicines not in their original prescription bottle (that way the cops know who the pills really belong to). Yes, people do go to jail for it. Illegal prescriptions are a big problem.

I doubt the cops are going to catch you with them on the trail. However, if someone were to go to town, get drunk, act stupid and get locked up, while they are doing an inventory on the pack and find the pills...it would make a bad day worse.

At the very least, you'll probably have a smartphone or camera with you. Take a photo of your pill bottle with the prescription info, and leave it on the phone. It may save your bacon, it may not. But it doesn't cost anything and it's no extra weight.

leaftye
03-24-2013, 15:24
For each day, I have a pill bag for all the pills I'll take.

Coosa
03-24-2013, 15:35
I thought I'd get my Dr to write a prescription statement listing my Meds and dosages and that any questions about my Meds should be directed to him.

But I put mine in the little pill zippies ... Do Not Mix a Vitamin or any other pill with a Liquid Filled Supplement. And if you take 'gummie' vitamins/supplements, keep them separate from your solid pill form medications/vitamins/supplements.

I prefer the liquid filled Ibuprofen and they stay in their own snack sized zippies inside a larger sammich size zippy.

Coosa

Old Hiker
03-24-2013, 15:43
I have a Rx pill for memory problems that stays in the original container. I'm supposed to take 10mg per day, but the Dr said I could take one every other day or so for several months with no problems. After that............... I don't remember what he said may happen.

I-bu and tylenol in one small bottle. Clari-tin in one small bottle - very necessary - supposed to be once per day, sometimes it was two per day. 6 Imodium in the original blister pack - never used. Took Prilosec and Tums for stomach problems - never used . My acid reflux seemed to disappear while I was on the Trail.

Geez - looks like half my pack was meds !!

FatHead64
03-24-2013, 16:20
Unless someone knows of a problem with mixing some of the pills together, I wouldn't worry about that so much. However, sunlight is a completely different matter. Most pill bottles are either opaque or of that "brownish" plastic, either of which is designed to protect from UV exposure. If you read the fine print, or the paper the pharmacist gives you along with your prescription, you are supposed to protect from direct exposure to sunlight. I imagine the ziploc is fine, but it should be buried inside out of the sunlight. FWIW, I work for Pfizer. There may be exceptions, but I doubt it.

Special K
03-24-2013, 16:36
Thanks all!

Slo-go'en
03-24-2013, 18:18
I keep my drugs in 35mm film canisters, though a lot of people use Altoids tins.

Dogwood
03-24-2013, 18:48
Since some of my pills look the same and I take a lot I separate the ones that look alike into separate snack baggies and put all the baggies into one larger heavier duty Ziploc. This goes into my food sack and I count the wt of my pills into my trail food wt. I write down on small slips of paper what's in each baggie noting pharmaceutical name, daily dosage, total number days supply I have, and what individual pills look like. Since my pills which are almost entirely supplements are not in their original containers I do this not for myself but mainly in case any LEOs might question what I have. Yeah, it can happen as I just found out again at Carlsbad Caverns NP in NM when detained for 30 mins by two NP LEOs. You should see some of the glances I get when I pull out my supplement bag. Heard one elderly couple snicker to each other, "he's one of those, one of those druggies" as she tightly clenched her pocket book pulling it over her shoulder. Didn't help I hadn't taken a shower or shaved in 10 days. Could have taken it further with a wise arse remark like, "ohhhh, I really see pretty colors with the green pills, want one, man?" Instead I said, "they are just vitamins and blood thinners."

I don't carry anymore than 14 days supply and since I store them deep in my pack I don't believe any of my pills are noticeably affected by the sunlight. Specific prescription drugs can be affected by sunlight so ask the pharmacist about that. Outfitters sell all manner of screw top cases, plastic jars, etc to store pills and other stuff in.

MuddyWaters
03-24-2013, 19:10
Little tiny ziplocks from the Craft store, 0.03 oz each.

BillyGr
03-24-2013, 19:21
Not specific to hiking, but:

Had a bottle of Ibuprofin in the car arm rest over the summer - the outer coatings must have softened a bit since they formed into a pill block - no real harm to the pills once they were unstuck from each other.

Regular medicine in the pharmacy container - after a week at camp (fairly humid) I could notice a bit of softness to them - so it could be moreso with longer exposure on a hike.

imcrazy
03-24-2013, 19:32
For those of you carrying more than one type of pill (prescription or otherwise), do you keep them in little plastic bottles, or do you combine them all in one ziploc bag?

And, if in one ziploc, and traveling for months at a time, does the sun degrade them in any way?

My wife went to rite-aid and bought little bags in the pharmacy department and put the day on the bag and then put am then pm.That way my medicine was kept separate and easy to do.

Special K
03-24-2013, 19:54
... You should see some of the glances I get when I pull out my supplement bag. Heard one elderly couple snicker to each other, "he's one of those, one of those druggies" as she tightly clenched her pocket book pulling it over her shoulder. Didn't help I hadn't taken a shower or shaved in 10 days...

Too funny! :D And it doesn't help having a trail name like "Special K". Good thing my father decided to change his trail name from "Mainiac" to something else. We may have invited some unwanted visiters.

Anyway, I have IB, Tylenol, Aspirin, Multi Vitamin mixed in one ziploc bag (only a small amount of each and all hard cap.). Antibiotic I will keep in its own container since it is a scrip. I appreciate all the suggestions. All good!!

prain4u
03-24-2013, 20:34
It really all depend upon the KINDS of medications and how and where you package them. etc.

Many pills are absolutely fine being mixed together and carried in the various methods already suggested--some other medications might not be. (When in doubt--consult a pharmacist at a not-so-busy time-----so the pharmacist can really think about the issue and give you his/her undivided attention).

Some general medication issues:

I would have some slight concerns regarding condensation or small amounts of dampness forming in some types of containers. HOWEVER, this would mostly be ON THE TRIP TO the AT--while traveling in planes, cars, buses etc.--especially over long distances. Here is my rationale: Factors such as significant changes in elevation or altitude, significant changes in humidity and air temperature, and where you keep the pills in a particular vehicle MAY-in SOME cases--contribute to condensation forming INSIDE the pill container. Such factors might even contribute to moisture being "pulled out' from some gel types of capsules. Face it, the cargo holds of many commercial vehicles (and most car trunks) are definitely not the most climate controlled places. Therefore, keeping medications in the passenger area of vehicles is probably better than transporting them in car trunks or in cargo holds of commercial vehicles. Keeping medications in the passenger area of the vehicle won't eliminate all potential condensation issues--but it will greatly reduce the issues. Ironically, plastic bags and other extremely air tight/water tight containers MIGHT actually contribute to the condensation problem by trapping IN the moisture.

--On the trail, another issue is pills bouncing around inside of the container while you walk (even in ziplock bags if packed loosely and poorly). As the pills bounce around, some types break down and crumble as they rub against each other and as the hit the walls of the container for 6-12 hours daily (day after day). Thus, you wind up having only pill crumbs or pill powder in the container. It is easy enough to prevent the problem--just take steps to limit the amount of bouncing around that the pills will do inside the container. How you do that will vary from container to container. You are smart people. You will figure it out. For some containers, things like cotton balls will help reduce the bouncing around of the pills. (Note: Some people will warn against reinserting cotton balls into a pill container due to a fear that the "contaminated" cotton ball will introduce germs from your hands into the pill container. I don't have such worries).

--If a medication is very important to your health and safety--you might want to think twice about putting all of that medication in the same container and same location. You would be in deep trouble if that one (and only) medicine container became lost, stolen, was left behind during a break, fell into a water source, had fuel or insect repellant or sun screen accidentally leak on it in the pack--or if the medicine container was carted off by an animal. (I have seen each of these things happen to real people). There aren't many pharmacies located out in the middle of the woods where you can pick up replacement medications. (If you split the medication into 2-3 containers--and then put all of the containers in the same place---you haven't eliminated very much of the problem)

Dogwood
03-24-2013, 21:19
Too funny! :D And it doesn't help having a trail name like "Special K". - Special K

At least you weren't hiking with Molly, Spice, Roofie, Flake, and BigGreenBud. Throw you in there and I'd feel like I'm back at the LimeLight in NYC .

gunner76
03-24-2013, 22:06
I put mine in small Zip Lock bags and label AM and PM and then place all of the little bags into a larger zip lock bag. I also keep a little note book with my Dr names address and phone #s along with the meds and dosages along with Insurane data and emergency (wife) contact number.

richmondhokie
03-25-2013, 10:01
I have a Rx pill for memory problems that stays in the original container. I'm supposed to take 10mg per day, but the Dr said I could take one every other day or so for several months with no problems. After that............... I don't remember what he said may happen.




I guess I am the only one with a warped sense of humor that caught this........but then I am guessing you likely forgot you even posted this.....

Special K
03-25-2013, 15:09
Nope. Your not the only one with a warped sense of humor. :D

On the other hand, you never know what pills people take for REAL. My MIL takes pills for memory.

rusty bumper
03-25-2013, 21:46
I carried 4 different medications on my 5 month hike on the AT: multivitamins; baby aspirin; and 2 different blood pressure meds. Each of the 4 meds was in a separate mini-ziplock, and all 4 of those were kept in a sandwich sized ziplock. I started out with a 6 week supply of each, and replaced it every 6 weeks with another batch. I carried one of those 7 day plastic pill boxes that I replenished out of the zip lock bags every week. Worked great for me! BTW, the meds never saw the sun...they were buried deep in my pack all day long.