Pill Popping and Shopping

I admit, I’ve become one of those people.  Someone who must take her medicine, on a regular schedule, for an indefinite number of years, and yet so frequently forgets to take the medication that makes such a difference on her quality of life.

And for this I must pay… in two ways.

1.  By eating my words. I regularly nag my mother for neglecting to take what we call her “breathing meds.”  She is severely asthmatic and tends to only take her medicine on an as-needed basis, even though her doctors stress the importance of a consistent prevention routine.  I am, officially, a hypocrite in one more way.

2.  By spending money. I need to buy a portable pill case.  Something simple I can carry with me all the time.  Far too often I leave my purse in the car and don’t remember to take my medicine until we’re home from dinner.  By then it’s nearly 8:00 and the mandatory four hour wait between medicine and sleep has me up until the wee hours of the morning trying desperately to sit up and stay awake.

Most pill cases are fairly large and hideous, but I’m looking for  a portable option that reflects my taste and fits my lifestyle.  Although I have yet to place an order, I have narrowed down my options and learned something valuable in the process:

There is a fine line between an ammunition-shaped drug culture reference and a Tupperware party.  And that line is, apparently, a prescription pill fob.

Seriously?!  A stash pendant?

And, with that, I will drag my online shopping away from the shady fringe to a whole lot of stainless steel:

1.  Deluxe Pill Fob Necklace ($5-$10)

2.  Stainless Steel Key Ring Pill Box (about $4)

3.  Harry Koenig Round Pull Box (about $10)

4.  Vial Pill Case – 14 Day (about $40)

5.  Ezy Dose Deluxe Metal Pill Fob Key Chain ($5-$10) similar

6.  e-pill MedMemory Pill Carrier (about $40) not pictured

Which would you select?  Do you have a similar product?  Is there something else you recommend I look into?

9 responses to “Pill Popping and Shopping”

  1. I like numbers 2 & 3.

  2. I’ve tried a few different ones. I find the “cuter” ones (like 3 above) always end up opening in my purse.
    #4 is overkill if you are bringing a “just in case” supply for if you’ve forgotten to take your dose at home.

    I finally just bought a plastic version of #5 at the drugstore. Another thought – plastic won’t make as obvious noise as stainless if you drop it (but you probably aren’t as clumsy as I am…)

    I use the above container for the med that i have to take every day out of my house. I have a phone reminder for it. I also carry a plain-old prescrip bottle (label removed) for pills that I may have forgotten that am, and for pills that I don’t always need but when I need them, I NEED them (pain reliever, muscle relaxant, etc). The prescrip bottle is see-through so it helps me as I dig for what I need.

    Let us know what you end up with!

  3. Gail

    I use a 7 day pill organizer – there are different organizers based on whether you take pills 2x/day, 3x/day or 4x/day. You can carry individual sections with you. I find it helps me keep track of whether I’ve taken the dose that day and as well I’m not juggling pill bottles every day.

  4. Nice! I think my fav is option #2. It seems like a really good idea.

  5. Judy

    I too have been looking for a mobile pill container – I take meds 4-5 times daily. My issue is I have two young children (3 and 6 years old). Therefore, I need a container that locks, for safety. I now use a pill bottle without a label, as suggested above. But I’d like something a little less obvious and able to fit in my purse. Any ideas?? I would appreciate any comments. Thanks!!!

  6. Well folks, tonight I decided to order #2, as shown in the image above. I will be sure to keep you posted.

  7. […] (and some of you) stand corrected.  The pill fob I listed as #2 in my initial pill popping post was a dud.  A cheap, sleek, fairly-feminine keychain, but an awful pill fob.  The lid slides off […]

  8. Sue Ann

    I found your blog this afternoon when out of frustration I “googled”: clutter my house is a mess and I have little energy what should I do first. I found it thoughtful and helpful and I’m so glad you wrote. I am 63 and on long-term disability after teaching grades K-4 for twenty-nine years. I have four wonderful children, two boys six years apart with two girls in the middle. I am fortunate to have five beautiful grandchildren, but I still dream of teaching. My doctor discovered twenty years ago that I have severe obstructive sleep apnea–getting better sleep greatly improved the constant aching I suffered from lack of oxygen while sleeping. I have had years of interstitial cystitis (inflamation of the bladder lining), osteoporosis, firbromyalgia, spinal stenosis, degenerative disk disease, anemia, and recently COPD. The fibromyalgia really flared just before parent/teacher conference and no doubt was related to stress. I loved teaching and being with children daily and couldn’t understand the subconscious stress from having to conference with parents. I am also surprised (even after all these years) that I leave a trail of clutter on every level space. One co-worker, the computer teacher, told me that she would choose me for her child’s teacher because I was so creative and had such a fun and cooperative class, Then she gave me a 2’X3′ box with many cubbies to help me get organized. I have found that if I take live in stride and do what I can when I’m feeling well, I seem to do better than to fight it. Thanks for your bog.

Leave a Reply to Judy Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *