Emergency stash came in handy!

[catwoman]

Last Friday I drove to Dallas straight from work (in Fort Worth). I had taken my last dose of warfarin that morning in my 7-day pillbox, meant to refill it from one of my extra stashes in my desk at work.
Things were hectic at work -- my only co-worker was out due to his wife having surgery -- and I failed to restock my pillbox.

I got 10 miles from my hotel in Dallas and realized I had no warfarin in my pillbox.

And started praying that my emergency stash pillbox was in my overnight bag.

IT WAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the first time since my surgery that I've had to dip into my emergency stashes I keep in the 2 main pieces of luggage (rolling suitcase and an overnight bag). I've had to do it once for another mechanical valver -- she had been w/out warfarin for 2 days due to a refill snafu (another story) -- and I gave her some out of my judging briefcase during a cat show.

I was so happy that I had been anally retentive about keeping emergency stashes everywhere. I also found extra amoxi, ceph, acyclovir, etc., in my emergency pillbox.

I don't carry the tablets/caps in original containers, just in a large regular pillbox, each compartment marked with a permanent marker with contents.

One lesson: I'll refill the pillbox I carry in my purse in the middle of the week, instead of Fridays.

 

[Bina]

Good thinking ! Multiple stashes.
My purse has a small stash, but if I leave the house without my purse AND pillbox, then I am going to be up the creek.

 

[Mileena46]

Hey! I need to do this! I fear having to be somewhere with no coumadin! Something coming up or some emergency that I haven't allowed for...my pills all stay in my kitchen cupboard! thx Marsha!

Mileena

 

[catwoman]

My emergency stash includes all meds, not just warfarin: regular extra-strength Tylenol, extra-strength Tylenol PM, antibiotics, acyclovir for fever blisters, calcium, an extra generic Fosamax + bandaids.
If I need anything more than that, it probably warrants a trip to the ER.

 

[nngbwh]

My purse has a small stash, but if I leave the house without my purse AND pillbox, then I am going to be up the creek.

I think the best stash spot is to get a ziploc bag and duct tape it on your underwear.
Then you will know for sure it's safe and you will never forget. But if you forget to
wear your underwear then you are up the creek. lol

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I've thought about keeping a reserve supply of my medications in my car but wonder about the effects of temperature,
especially Summer Heat in the South...

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Freddie]

Question is: most of these med that are stashed are only good for a year. Do you have date marked on the calendar in when to exchange them with fresh meds?

 

[catwoman]

Freddie:

Meds are actually good for longer than 12 months. I have a bottle of 500mg niacin caps that's good until March 2013. Labels on most Rxes say to discard exactly one year to the day the Rx was filled. (Is there some magic number about the date???)
I'm not going to worry too much about capsules or tablets.
And, yes, I do replenish my meds. Just pick a date that will stick with you -- your birthday, wedding anniversary, New Year's Day, your valversary or whatever date you'll remember.

 

[Freddie]

That's good to hear Marsha. I just had the thought that if your stash wasn't touched for years and you needed some meds........well you know.

One just has to remember where the stash places are when it does come time to make the switch.

 

[drivetopless]

so smart! thanks for sharing the idea.

 

[catwoman]

That's good to hear Marsha. I just had the thought that if your stash wasn't touched for years and you needed some meds........well you know.

One just has to remember where the stash places are when it does come time to make the switch.

My stash places are:
1. Outer zipper pouch in my overnight bag
2. One of the 2 shoe storage slots in my Rollerboard. (No, I don't put shoes there. I store things like comb, brushes, spa socks, etc. in them)
3. My top desk drawer
4. A small zippered compartment in the bag where I keep my cats' grooming supplies that I take to shows.
5. An outer zippered compartment in my briefcase

There's no need to keep them in my car or anywhere else.

 

[Lynlw]

I keep a 3 day supply of my and some of Don's pills in my purse. They are not in a original bottle, so sometimes I've thought that isn't really legal for all of them, but IF I carried all the differnt bottles around instead of a pill box, I couldn't fit anything else in my purse. I don't travel much so that is usually fine. But this winter during the blizzards, one month my doctor had to close. I was glad i had enough meds for a couple days until we could get new scripts, (on the meds I only get a month supply with no refills). So I've been slowly building up a couple days worth that I have in my strong box, incase something like that happens again.
I am so anal about making sure I have my meds, when I was watching Katrina and those poor people on roofs waiting to be rescued, I was thinking I hope they remeberred to grab any meds they take.

 

[acr]

This is a good thread. When I'm away abroad I take Warfarin on the plane in hand luggage, plus Warfarin in hold luggage. This July we're going to Orlando for 3 weeks, I think I'll have Warfarin in every suitcase!

Ade

 

[COLLEEN S]

Marsha,
How have you been? I haven't been round these parts for a bit! I am doing ok and managing! I had this same thing happen to me and I said "NO MORE" and I went and got some for my car, some pills for my purse and some at home!