Pill Organizer

[Back~To~Amy 307]

I'm in the process of ordering various things I'll need postop. I've seen several people comment about having pill organizers. I've been looking at them on Amazon and there is a variety out there to choose from. Some of them have compartments that divide the pills up by what time of day you take them which made me think of a couple of questions. How many times a day do you take medicine/vitamins? If you bought a pill organizer, did you get one that divides your pills up by when you need to take them or do you just throw all the ones you need to take each day in one pill compartment and pull out what you need when you need it?

Thanks for your thoughts!

[Lissa 2,631]

Because I take Tums for Calcium, I bought a pill organizer with 4 slots. It was the only one big enough to hold the Tums. I only use the morning and bed designation boxes, though. I refill it once a week and take my Vitamins and meds as soon as I get up and right before I go to bed. It works very well for me.

I bought my pill box at wally world for a few dollars. Find one that has separate lids for each compartment and one that is small enough to keep close to where you eat your morning meal discreetly. Mine is white with see through purple lids, unlike some of the neon colored ones I saw. I use a small basket to corral all of the pill bottles and that sits in a cabinet unless I'm refilling the pill box.

Note: Tums is not the generally recommended way to get Calcium for VSG patients. I take Tums because other calcium sources interact badly with some prescription meds that I take.

[kyllfalcon 768]

Pre-op I already had quite a line-up of meds. Post-op, even more! I find getting all the meds in and in the right combinations to be far more of a challenge than getting enough Protein and fluids.

My surgeon provided a long list of supplements with instructions to take this with that, avoid taking this within so many hours of that, and so on. Sheesh!

I take doses of prescription meds plus supplements:

• upon wakening
  
• 2 hours later
  
• 10 a.m.
  
• 4 p.m
  
• 6 p.m.
  
• bedtime
  

I use a 7-day organizer with 4 compartments for the doses to be taken at home. I also use a 2-compartment portable organizer for the 2 doses taken at work (10 a.m. and 4 p.m.).

http://www.amazon.co...5701653&sr=8-22

http://www.amazon.co...35701589&sr=8-6

I have enough organizers to fix up 4 weeks at a time, as I despise the time-consuming detailed job. You may not need so much though.

[MeMeMEEE 206]

I have several -

I have one similar to this that I picked up at wal-mart for alot cheaper - I used this for a week trip to California. http://www.amazon.com/EZY-Dose-Jumbo-Weekly-Reminder/dp/B0000537JQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1335703852&sr=8-3

I have this one that I keep my workday pills in, in my desk drawer, it holds a weeks worth. http://www.amazon.com/Travel-Carry-Compartment-Holds-Actual/dp/B0043W1EYM/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&qid=1335703977&sr=8-23

I have this one I keep in my purse with a day to 2 days of Vitamins in it for when I am out and about http://www.amazon.com/Multi-Day-VitaCarry-Compartment-Holds-Pills/dp/B002CSMYI4/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1335704082&sr=8-8

That being said, I keep all the multis in one slot, all the B12 in one, all the Iron in one, all the Biotin in 1, a few tylenol, a few of my propanalol and protonix in one, the big slot I use for Calcium petites since I take 6 a day. In the long cheapy one I had several slots full of calcium petites.

My schedule looks like this:

1 multi, 3 calcium petites (my multi does not have Iron so I can combine calcium with them) 2x a day

1 Vitamin b, 2 Biotin with first dose of multi/calcium a day

1 1/2 Bifera iron 3x a day

propanalol/protonix 1x a day

So I take vitamins/meds 6 times a day. Remember good practice is no calcium with iron, no iron with ppi. I have what to take when down in my head so I don't really need the ones sectioned by a time. Hope that helps!

[Spirit Fire 115]

I take a number of supplements and, as Sleeve Master idicated, some of the pill organizers aren't large enough to hold some of the Vitamins. The majority of the ones I take are chewable (which somehow tend to be larger) and I found what works for me are little plastic baggies. I get them from Amazon.com

500 Poly Bag Clear Zipper Shipping Bags 3" X 4" approximately $8 for 500 bags. Now, this does not identify WHEN to take each supplement . . . this is something I just "know" and I take them throughout the day. I always have my purse with me so I keep a - day supply of filled bags in my purse at all times. I have been using the system successfully for about a year now.

[Spirit Fire 115]

Oops . . . that was a 3-day supply in my purse.

[Lissa 2,631]

Spirit Fire, (Love the name, btw!) Be careful with carrying pills in baggies. If you ever get stopped and searched by the police for any reason, they can legitimately arrest you for having pills outside their "approved" containers. I seriously doubt they would follow through with the arrest unless it's pain pills, but a friend of mine got hassled a lot by the police at the courthouse over this.

[Jswilbur 42]

So, just out of curiosity, are pill organizers "approved" containers? LOL!

[Spirit Fire 115]

Thanks Lissa . . . that's is something I only considered when I fly. Appreciate your insights on so many of the posts!!!

[Back~To~Amy 307]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I think I like the idea of putting each of my meds/vitamins in one slot. Kinda like one of the holders MeMeMEEE showed me. Also, I understand not taking Iron with Calcium, but MeMeMEEE you say no iron with ppi. What is ppi?

[Mews 37]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I think I like the idea of putting each of my meds/vitamins in one slot. Kinda like one of the holders MeMeMEEE showed me. Also' date=' I understand not taking Iron with Calcium, but MeMeMEEE you say no Iron with ppi. What is ppi?[/quote']

PPI is an acid reducer. I never heard about not taking iron with a PPI. Could you explain why?

[Rainydayz 27]

I would put a pic if I knew how. The one I have has four compartments and each day is a separate container.

I take pills 4 x a day. It's good that I can take a day's worth of pills with me in my purse, BUT the lids don't stay on very well, so I wind up with Vitamins in the bottom of my purse! I try to remember to slip a rubber band over it and that works. I'm looking for a similar one only better made. I think I got mine at Walgreens.

[Lissa 2,631]

Unfortunately, I do NOT know if a pill organizer is an approved container. I don't fly, so I've never had to worry about that issue. I'd rather drive for days than get on a plane. I'm a big chicken. Bwack Bwack!

[Mews 37]

Unfortunately' date=' I do NOT know if a pill organizer is an approved container. I don't fly, so I've never had to worry about that issue. I'd rather drive for days than get on a plane. I'm a big chicken. Bwack Bwack![/quote']

I've never had a problem with a pill organizer when I fly and I put it in my carryon bag. If I didn't bring my organizer I would have like 20 bottles of pills with me. LOL. I've also had to bring shots on the plane and didn't have troubles with those either but I left them in the original box with my prescription labels on them just in case.

[Back~To~Amy 307]

I've never had a problem with a pill organizer when I fly and I put it in my carryon bag. If I didn't bring my organizer I would have like 20 bottles of pills with me. LOL. I've also had to bring shots on the plane and didn't have troubles with those either but I left them in the original box with my prescription labels on them just in case.

I second that I've never had a problem on planes. However, I've only put Vitamins and aspirin in a pill box. RX meds, I always left in their original containers.

~Amy