Have you ever taken a medication for allergies or pain and then noticed nothing happens a couple hours after? Well, if this happens it is time to think about how your medication was stored. This is especially important during traveling as your medication is more prone to heat. Here are some tips on how to properly store your medication during the warm months.
1. Keep them in a dry, cool space<./strong>
Despite what you may think, storing your medications in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom is a bad idea. This is because the bathroom tends to be incredibly humid which can eat away at the coatings on the pills. Keep them in your bedroom if you have air conditioning, but if you do not, make sure to consult with your pharmacist. Depending on the medication, you may have to keep it in the refrigerator or they may give you special medical blister packaging.
2. Keep the drugs in their original packaging
If your medications came in plastic blister packaging, contract packaging, or has gone through bottle filling, it is incredibly important to keep it as it came to you! This will help cut down the risk of element exposure. If you require specific containers to help you with dosage accuracy, talk to a medical professional to get their opinion.
3. Keep your medications with you
Always carry your medications with you when you are traveling on an airplane. This is because the airplane cabin is temperature controlled, whereas the baggage hold can be incredibly hot. Plus, you will not want to be without your medications if your baggage is lost.
4. Always take your medication with you when you leave the car
This is especially true during the hot summer months. Your car can get exceptionally hot and can damage your medications even if you leave them in there for a few minutes. There are some storage options available to you via medical blister packaging if you are on the road often.
5. Invest in a DIY solution
Grab some reusable ice packs and put them along with your medications in a sturdy bag. Keep it constantly replenished with ice, and you will be good to go! Just make sure to get a doctors note so you can go through airport security without a problem.