Medications - In Boxes Or Not?

[joko]

just curious but when you buy a bottle of medicine or some tablets or tube of cream or some such, do you store it in the cardboard box it came in?
or do you throw it away?

i have noticed my parents and sister store it all in the original boxes, even though they have become battered etc, whereas the first thing i do is 'unpack' it all and bin the outer packaging - unless its absolutely necessary.
i may keep the box for a bit if its been prescribed but i dont usually put it back in the box

[Baldric]

Bin the packaging ASAP

[boxtops]

Depends what it is, generally I keep the boxes - they're easier to stack in the medicine chest in a box than in a tube or drum. Most of my medication comes in foil strips in an outer box - they'd go all over the place without the box.

[pixie373]

Yes, i keep everything in the original boxes. Apart from anything, if you need to show paramedics, ambulance crew, etc. you want as much information as possible.

[chelle7272]

Tablets I keep in the boxes if they are in strips.
Tubes or bottles I don't keep the packaging bu may keep instructions if it is not a regular medication and info may be needed.

[EcclesCake]

Personally I sling packaging.

And sometime after I open a drawer looking for some ointment for my big toe and wonder is this big toe ointment or boil on my bum ointment.....I then wish I hadn't thrown away the packaging!

N.b. the above cases are examples and not real life situations ;-)

[boxtops]

Same as if you need to take medication abroad or away from home on holiday - better to pack it in the original box, even if you have to squash the box to do so.

[ummmm]

In the boxes.

[Mamyalynne]

In the boxes as a rule.

[woofgang]

I sling packaging unless its something out of the ordinary or prescribed or I have never used it before and need the full instructions. Tablets are labelled on the back of the blister packs these days

[nannybooby]

In the boxes , ooh but don't you hate those depress and turn bottles , they are the bane of my life.

[woofgang]

Nanny, you don't have to keep the tablets in them, save small jars like mustard jars, stick a label on and decant the tablets.

[nannybooby]

ooh woolfie ! I don't keep them in those fiddly bottles anylonger than I have to and I now ask for them to go in a box instead if its from the dispensary.

[Eve]

Depends what it is. My repeat prescription is quite a bit and it saves a lot of room to bin the packaging (paper recycling does very well!). Most of my items are regular and are clear if in blister packs. I tend to pop them in those sealable clear kitchen food bags. Much less of a faff getting out what I need too and easier to see what I'm looking for and how much is left.

I have a little box out where the current blister pack being used of each of my meds is then just have inhalers/spray and bottled tablets on the side.

[barba]

I always keep it because sometimes on the box it's written what is the medicine for (I mean not on each medicines there is some note exept the name). I think it's useful and it's wasting your time the next time you will use those medicines.

[joko]

i would keep it if it was the only place the dosage/ instructions were written, but generally they have it on the actual item as well.

or if i use the item often then i wont need to know dosage

i have a drawer full of meds and i discard all boxes etc and put them in sandwich bags, along with any other similar meds - such as all painkillers in one bag, anything for allergies/asthma in another etc

takes up much less space too

[wolf63]

I go through phases of keeping the boxes and then decanting them to see through bags. I haven't found the perfect way of doing it yet.

I get about a carrier bag of drugs each month or so and some of the boxes are only half full. I discard some of the boxes and try and squeeze the dugs into the remaining boxes.

I also have one of those little weekly pill tray thingies. If I don't sort them into the tray there is a chance that I will miss a pill popping session.

My brother sent me a shoebox full of Xmas presents last year - I have most of my drugs stashed in it. It is twice the size of a shoe box that I have for myself.