For people with Diabetes, storing medicines in a correct way is vital. Proper storage not only ensures that your medicines don't lose their effectiveness but also enables you to be organised and up to date so that you are compliant with your prescription, even while travelling.The safest way to store medicines is in its original packaging as it is air tight. It acts as an additional safety measure for storage and protects its quality. When managing multiple medicines, one tends to sort out one's weekly medicines by removing them from their original packaging and placing them into pillboxes.Pill boxesThe use of pillboxes is highly recommended as it helps you adhere to your medicines.However, the pillbox will still solve its purpose of adherence if each pill is still in its original packaging. Pill boxes are available for sale at pharmacies and online shopping sites. Pill boxes are also available with timers which can be custom set according to your medication schedule. If your pill box does not have a timer, you can set alarms as reminders on your mobile phone. You can make your own pill box at home using empty jewellery organisers or small containers. Depending on your medicinal requirements you should have two to four slots for each day of the week.Pill cutterIt may happen that your doctor prescribes taking 0.5 mg dosage of your medication in the morning and 0.5 mg at night but that medication is only available in 1 and 2 mg strength. Discuss with your doctor if you face this issue. This is where a pill cutter comes handy. Pill cutter is also anessential tool for people whose prescription does not match available dosage parameters. A pill cutter effectively breaks the 1 mg pill into two equal parts or the 2 mg pill into four equal parts to take the required dosage. Most pill cutters will be made from plastic, and the inside will have a blade on top and two pieces of plastic that stick up to form a triangular shape where the pill goes. A rubber-coated plastic inside is available to hold the pill in place as you cut.5 steps to use a pill cutter• Remove the pill from its packaging• Line the pill up so that the centre of the pill is in line with the centre of the splitter. This will ensure that the blade cuts the pill exactly in half.• Press down firmly on the pill splitter until the lid is completely closed. Keep the splitter still so the pill doesn't move around as you cut it. Close the lid completely so the blade cuts through the entire pill.• To split a pill into four parts, simply place the half pill you have just cut and repeat the process.• Remove the half pill from the splitter and take as per your doctor's instructions. Store the other half in your regular medicine bottle and take it for your next dose rather than splitting a new pill.Note: Speak with your doctor if your medication is safe to split. It is important to understand that a pill cutter cannot be used with a capsule. Avoid cutting pills that are delayed-release, long-lasting, or contain a mixture of active ingredients.10 simple tips to ensure effective storage and use of medication• When you start taking a new medicine, read the medicine label or speak to your pharmacist about any special storage instructions.• Store medicines in a cool, dry place without direct exposure to the sunlight.• Temperature, moisture and light cause medicines to lose their quality and efficacy• Systematic and labelled storage is essential to avoid taking an incorrect medicine. Verify the appearance of your medication before ingesting it. Do not intake medication whose colour, texture or even odour has changed.• Shake the vial of insulin before using it. Avoid injecting it if the liquid remains cloudy even after shaking it or if there are visible deposits or flakes in the vial or cartridge.• In case of emergencies, efficient labelling helps others easily administer the correct medicine to you.• Carry your prescription along with a letter from your doctor stating you have Diabetes and need syringes or injection devices and insulin. This will ease your way at security checkpoints.• When travelling overseas, find out in advance about the applicable prescription laws.• It is important to stick with the exact brand and formulation of insulin that you have been prescribed. So, travel with extra supplies.• Speak to your doctor in advance and ask him/her to suggest alternative brand names with the exact formulation in case you run out of insulin and your regular brand is not available.
For people with Diabetes, storing medicines in a correct way is vital. Proper storage not only ensures that your medicines don't lose their effectiveness but also enables you to be organised and up to date so that you are compliant with your prescription, even while travelling.The safest way to store medicines is in its original packaging as it is air tight. It acts as an additional safety measure for storage and protects its quality. When managing multiple medicines, one tends to sort out one's weekly medicines by removing them from their original packaging and placing them into pillboxes.Pill boxesThe use of pillboxes is highly recommended as it helps you adhere to your medicines.However, the pillbox will still solve its purpose of adherence if each pill is still in its original packaging. Pill boxes are available for sale at pharmacies and online shopping sites. Pill boxes are also available with timers which can be custom set according to your medication schedule. If your pill box does not have a timer, you can set alarms as reminders on your mobile phone. You can make your own pill box at home using empty jewellery organisers or small containers. Depending on your medicinal requirements you should have two to four slots for each day of the week.Pill cutterIt may happen that your doctor prescribes taking 0.5 mg dosage of your medication in the morning and 0.5 mg at night but that medication is only available in 1 and 2 mg strength. Discuss with your doctor if you face this issue. This is where a pill cutter comes handy. Pill cutter is also anessential tool for people whose prescription does not match available dosage parameters. A pill cutter effectively breaks the 1 mg pill into two equal parts or the 2 mg pill into four equal parts to take the required dosage. Most pill cutters will be made from plastic, and the inside will have a blade on top and two pieces of plastic that stick up to form a triangular shape where the pill goes. A rubber-coated plastic inside is available to hold the pill in place as you cut.5 steps to use a pill cutter• Remove the pill from its packaging• Line the pill up so that the centre of the pill is in line with the centre of the splitter. This will ensure that the blade cuts the pill exactly in half.• Press down firmly on the pill splitter until the lid is completely closed. Keep the splitter still so the pill doesn't move around as you cut it. Close the lid completely so the blade cuts through the entire pill.• To split a pill into four parts, simply place the half pill you have just cut and repeat the process.• Remove the half pill from the splitter and take as per your doctor's instructions. Store the other half in your regular medicine bottle and take it for your next dose rather than splitting a new pill.Note: Speak with your doctor if your medication is safe to split. It is important to understand that a pill cutter cannot be used with a capsule. Avoid cutting pills that are delayed-release, long-lasting, or contain a mixture of active ingredients.10 simple tips to ensure effective storage and use of medication• When you start taking a new medicine, read the medicine label or speak to your pharmacist about any special storage instructions.• Store medicines in a cool, dry place without direct exposure to the sunlight.• Temperature, moisture and light cause medicines to lose their quality and efficacy• Systematic and labelled storage is essential to avoid taking an incorrect medicine. Verify the appearance of your medication before ingesting it. Do not intake medication whose colour, texture or even odour has changed.• Shake the vial of insulin before using it. Avoid injecting it if the liquid remains cloudy even after shaking it or if there are visible deposits or flakes in the vial or cartridge.• In case of emergencies, efficient labelling helps others easily administer the correct medicine to you.• Carry your prescription along with a letter from your doctor stating you have Diabetes and need syringes or injection devices and insulin. This will ease your way at security checkpoints.• When travelling overseas, find out in advance about the applicable prescription laws.• It is important to stick with the exact brand and formulation of insulin that you have been prescribed. So, travel with extra supplies.• Speak to your doctor in advance and ask him/her to suggest alternative brand names with the exact formulation in case you run out of insulin and your regular brand is not available.
