View Full Version : Vitamins/pills
direwolf
04-11-2013, 21:23
Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on vitamins...bring them, not bring them? if so, how do you store them - I am worried if I have a ziploc of them, they will get wet and begin to dissolve....
Thanks!
I use prepackaged supplements from Jigsaw Health. The AM and PM doses are in sealed packages and you can add them to your bounce box or mail drops. I use Jigsaw Ultimate, but the Jigsaw Complete package is very good as well. As a recovering chronic Lyme patient, I think supplements to support the somewhat limited diet of a thru-hike is a good idea to keep your immune system strong.
I take multivitamins, Advil, Advil pm, electrolyte capsules, caffeine pills and glucosamine. Pack them in tiny zipper bags. Only had one problem on a very cold day. I fell and the electrolyte capsule cracked from the cold. Never had them get wet despite waist high or swim stream crossings.
At home, I use tiny ziplock bags that I find at Walmart in the jewelry section. They have great snack size bags too in that section (labeled for jewelry).
On the trail, I like a bag that seals a bit better. I found some good tiny bags on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ezy-Dose-Disposable-Pill-Pouches/dp/B000B56IFU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365736076&sr=8-1&keywords=pill+ziplock+baggies
wcgornto
04-11-2013, 23:23
They won't get wet in a Ziploc freezer bag.
maybe clem
04-12-2013, 06:40
I prepackaged them and sent them to me in my mail drops. I used those mini ziplocks you can buy at craft stores. I have to keep B vitamins separate, they seem to melt the other vitamins.
Blue Mountain Edward
04-13-2013, 01:07
Bring vitamins and tylenol and bring enough to share. Ziplocks never kept my pills or food dry. Always liked the Dead song Dire Wolf.
SunnyWalker
04-13-2013, 11:02
Direwolf: I am 60 and am on six different meds. Also I take Vitamin "I" (ibuprofen) and one-a-day vitamin. I put the main supply of all these in a bounce box. I am planning on carrying up to two weeks worth (while on CDT) in my pack. This is because I cannot get stuck out somewhere, unable to get to my bounce box. At Wal-Mart in the RX section where they sell little plastic boxes labled "Sun-Mon-Tues" etc., you'll find for sale a little pkg of tiny ziplock bags. They measure about 3 inches by 2 1/2 inches or so. I put a day's worth in each bag. Then all those go into a Ziplock Freezer Bag. Hope this gives you some ideas. (Except the Vitamin "I", a bunch goes into one little baggy.)
direwolf
04-13-2013, 11:47
Thanks for all the input, I'll for sure do something with all these suggestions. Leaving in 11 days so got to figure it out!
On long trips I will take vitamins packaged in a ziploc.
Remember ... Remember ... Remember
If you have Prescription Drugs ... And they're not in the Original Container ... You Could get in trouble with the Law.
I was just told by a Nurse that Anyone can report another person for having Prescripts in an Unauthorized Container.
However, another friend stated that she gets her Pharmacy to give her Prescripts in Blister Packs and not plastic "bottles"
Check with your Doctor ... Or Local Authorities ... Do Not Take My Word For It.
I found this online to a question about the legality of carrying pills in a pill box:
No, it is not illegal. Generally all that would be required to defeat the charge would be to provide copies of the prescription for all pills in the pill box.
So ... Original Container for Prescription Meds OR proof of Prescription from Dr or Pharmacy.
Coosa
http://ChasingTheTrail.blogspot.com
Remember ... Remember ... Remember
If you have Prescription Drugs ... And they're not in the Original Container ... You Could get in trouble with the Law.
I was just told by a Nurse that Anyone can report another person for having Prescripts in an Unauthorized Container.
However, another friend stated that she gets her Pharmacy to give her Prescripts in Blister Packs and not plastic "bottles"
Check with your Doctor ... Or Local Authorities ... Do Not Take My Word For It.
I found this online to a question about the legality of carrying pills in a pill box:
No, it is not illegal. Generally all that would be required to defeat the charge would be to provide copies of the prescription for all pills in the pill box.
So ... Original Container for Prescription Meds OR proof of Prescription from Dr or Pharmacy.
Coosa
http://ChasingTheTrail.blogspot.com
In this day and age of digital cameras it would be easy enough to take a pic of the bottle with the script visible, I would think it would hold off problems with the LEO's. And unless you are on some heavy pain med it is unlikely you would ever catch any flack. IMHO I like the idea of double bagging, some of my meds do come in blister packs, I would recommend putting them all in your cook pot or other container to protect them from crushing, while hiking.
Lumberjack2003
04-13-2013, 23:08
I used the freezer bags to protect my pills, money, camera, etc... They worked perfectly.
I use the little waterproof containers that blood test strips come in for diabetics. I peel of prescriptions from the original bottles and put them on the test strip bottles. These little bottles have an attached pop off lid and are easier for me to use than the baggies. My wife is a diabetic so I have access to lots of the bottles.
FatHead64
04-14-2013, 07:45
One other thing - don't forget that many meds are sensitive to UV (sunlight) exposure. That is why they are typically in those dark orange-ish containers. Be careful to keep them out of the sunlight - especially if stored in transparent ziplocks. I speak as an employee of a big pharma manufacturer.
atraildreamer
04-14-2013, 16:42
At home, I use tiny ziplock bags that I find at Walmart in the jewelry section. They have great snack size bags too in that section (labeled for jewelry).
On the trail, I like a bag that seals a bit better. I found some good tiny bags on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ezy-Dose-Disposable-Pill-Pouches/dp/B000B56IFU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365736076&sr=8-1&keywords=pill+ziplock+baggies
These are way overpriced! WalMart has them for $1.59. Most drugstores carry them.
Has anybody had success prepackaging all the meds, suppliments, vitamins (except Vitamin I) into tiny daily ziplocks - 6 months (or the limit of current prescriptions) worth for inclusion into boxes? SunnyWalker, is it working?
I agree that the test strip vials are useful. I put some matches in one, ran it through with the wash multiple times, and they stayed dry. Using the vials would reduce bulk since most of the pill bottles are empty space.
Like others have said, carry copies of prescriptions, get advanced prescriptions from your doctor and take advantage of a national chain pharmacy's computer systems.
I'll answer these same questions for the umpteenth time. IMHO, no one through the internet can definitively tell you if taking YOUR vitamins onto the trail is right or wrong FOR YOU. Too many variables and unknowns involved.
I take about 18 different supplements(really not vitamins in the strictest sense) in pill, tablet or capsule form each day for heart health, circulation and oxygenation, joints/muscles rebound, anti-inflammatories(all non prescription), brain and liver functions, and one of the most important things, for thinning my blood. This is true whether I'm on a long distance multi-month hike or I'm not hiking. I'm supposed to be on a heavy regiment of prescription blood thinners but instead choose to address this from a holistic or alternative homeopathic non-prescription total lifestyle perspective.
I like mailing myself resupply boxes one about every 3-4 wks and include up to about a three wks supply of supplements prepackaged into baggies and sized to have enough until my next resupply box.YES, this takes some planning; knowing how you hike helps with this planning. Since carrying this many supplements may attract other's attention(like LEOs) I label on a separate little post it note what I'm carrying - name, how many days supply I have(content), total # of pills/dosage per day(mg/g, I.U.) plus individual pill dosage, appearance(small beige capsule, large white tablet, oval off white pill, gel capsule, etc). I know my supplements well though so I do this mainly as a precaution in case I'm asked by LEOs. More on this in a sec. Coosa does bring up a good pt. I separate some pills that look alike or liquid gels into separate snack ziplocs and place everything into one larger ziploc or opsack and store it in with my food in a highly WR or WP stuff sack. Even with this many supplements for a 3 wk supply it never amts to more than a lg sandwich bag in size. I've been doing this for more than 7 yrs now with no problems as to the storing supplements. However, though I think nothing of it pulling out a big bag of supplements, it has gotten me detained twice for an hr or so by LEOs. Once in a restaurant and once being extensively hassled by Carlsbad NP LEOs. After openly describing each pill, what I take them for, dosage, etc and being totally honest with LEOs and having NOTHING further to conceal they have always been convinced that I'm being honest with them. LEOs are OFTEN experts at knowing when someone isn't telling the truth! If I was to be taking prescription meds to the trail and taking them out of their original containers(which I probably would) I like 4 Bears idea of taking some pics of the pills you are carrying next to the bottles with the info clearly noted on the bottles in the pics or having that info on hand so LEOs could check up on it if they are so inclined. This would be wise especially if you have prescription pain killers, psychtropics, narcotics, etc.
Also, unless you are taking very few pills to the trail I don't like storing my supplements in hard boxes or containers. They tend to be more volumous and ceretainly less compressible(non-compressible?) taking up entirely too much volume in my pack especially when the hard containers are almost empty. The heavier duty ziplocs work great.
Does anyone carry Doxycycline for Lyme? If so, how much and (assuming no "regular" physician,) how did you obtain the script?