Hi there,

I hate traditional pill holders, they are ugly and stupid. :p

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to make my own!!

Do you mean pill holders for like every day of the week?

Do you mean dosettes ? Mine is in(dispensible), play on words. And what material would you suggest making a home made one out of ? They are made of hard plastic to keep the pills from crushing, I guess. I don't know.

Do you mean dosettes ? Mine is in(dispensible), play on words. And what material would you suggest making a home made one out of ? They are made of hard plastic to keep the pills from crushing, I guess. I dont know.


In the US - and I don't know that this is the question - it is illegal to carry prescription drugs outside of their prescription containers. I don't know where the pill container is going to be used.

For example, you couldn't carry a pill case with your daily supply of pills in it - you have to carry the bottles with, perhaps, just the pill for that day. Becomes a problem for anyone on diabetes medication (not sure when it will be needed), pain pills, migraine medication.

At your residence it doesn't matter.

That is a silly law because many people need meds throughout the day. We can do this in Ontario.

Our pharmacies provide blister packs of a person's pills for a week covering am pm and evening and anything in between. Of course there is charge for this not covered by OHIP and it is expensive, $90. A month to have the blister packs made and they are delivered on a weekly basis.

I don't have to carry mine round, I prepare a week in advance in a dosette and keep it wherever I am having a meal in my house.

That is a silly law because many people need meds throughout the day. We can do this in Ontario.

Our pharmacies provide blister packs of a person's pills for a week covering am pm and evening and anything in between. Of course there is charge for this not covered by OHIP and it is expensive, $90. a month to have the blister packs made and they are delivered on a weekly basis.

I dont have to carry mine round, I prepare a week in advance in a dosette and keep it wherever I am having a meal in my house.


You can carry blister packs "over here." You just can't carry unlabeled, unidentified prescription drugs. People often carry the bottles to work, drop off a supply there, bring the bottles back.

Pharmacists here will break a prescription into separate, smaller bottles, no problem.

If you never get pulled over for anything you don't have a problem; if you ever get searched, you have a problem, particularly if you are crossing the border.

So if I travelled with my meds, are you saying I would have to bring whole bottles of 90 pills each or less because that is what I get from the pharmacy at a time. I couldn't bring my dosette with a weeks supply, or would the airline let me know what I could bring over the border?

So if I travelled with my meds, are you saying I would have to bring whole bottles of 90 pills each or less because that is what I get from the pharmacy at a time. I couldnt bring my dosette with a weeks supply, or would the airline let me know what I could bring over the border ??


Yes, that's what I'm saying - you cannot enter the US with unlabeled prescription drugs. Pharmacists get requests all the time to prepare a second bottle with a label for a smaller supply of pills.

So if I travelled with my meds, are you saying I would have to bring whole bottles of 90 pills each or less because that is what I get from the pharmacy at a time. I couldnt bring my dosette with a weeks supply, or would the airline let me know what I could bring over the border ??


Here's the news article: "Insider Tip: Label Those Drugs - Insider Tip: Carry your prescription medicine in the original pill bottles with the proper labels or copy your prescriptions and pack them in your suitcase to show customs agents if they ask for them. For domestic travelers, unlabeled prescription medicine will usually not be a problem. You’re much more likely to run into trouble while traveling internationally or returning to the U.S. from abroad. As Rush Limbaugh has so elegantly illustrated for us all, carrying prescription meds without a labeled bottle or accompanying prescription can land travelers in hot water with customs agents."

I haven't travelled abroad since I was diagnosed diabetic and that entails four different meds. So thank you for enlightening me on the protocol.

I havent travelled abroad since I was diagnosed diabetic and that entails four different meds. So thank you for enlightening me on the protocol.


I don't know if you realize this (I think I've posted it) but my husband was a very brittle diabetic the whole time we were married and I'm very familiar with what the medications he carried, what he needed, the getting up during the night when he ran into a problem. He ended up with end stage renal disease.

He was also a Doctor of Phamacy and was always very, very careful that the insulin pen (which he carried in the car or I carried in my purse in case of emergency) was in the package with the prescription label on it. We had one terrible experience when he dropped suddenly and we were at a restaurant and they thought he was intoxicated - I had the pen and the label and so it was taken care of but if he had been alone... I don't know.

Sorry to hear you are diabetic - it's a rough road and I think there should be better education. When I met him I honestly thought, "No big deal. So don't eat sweets." I had absolutely no idea how devastating it can be.

Hoping yours in under good control - honestly.

(So everyone should check to see if they can donate and save a life.)

I am in the health care network and a health care worker so I am okay and in control and feel great all the time. Have a great doctor (who tells me, through her network who I have seen and what has happened) and our local hospital makes sure diabetics start knowing what is in store for them. I am on metformin and have been for three years and that is good. Doc has never had to increase my meds. I only wish I didn't know absolutely what the outcome will be if I don't take care of myself. I am a good cook and love my food and sometimes that can be a downside.

:)

No, I am well educated about my condition. My dad was a type l and had both legs amputated. It is genetic and I was expecting it sometime in my lifetime. I knew before I was diagnosed.

This thread isn't about laws on pills.

And yes, I mean the day of the week ones. Any ideas?

This thread isn't about laws on pills.....

You're absolutely correct about that, Momma! Thread got off-track real fast from the original purpose of your asking the question. If it was illegal to store pills in those plastic, days-of-the-week containers, they wouldn't make them. When traveling abroad, sure a person might need to have all of there pills in the proper, legal containers for inspection purposes.

Enough about that, though.

Are you handy with making things out of wood? Like using a table or hand saw, gluing things together, etc.

Nope, and I don't have access to those sorts of things... I was thinking something along the lines of using something in existence in a different fashion, if that makes sense.

I know that this is kind of far-out, but how about using a small jewelry box then that has a number of compartments? There are also ready-made boxes at craft stores, the compartments of which you might be able to divide fairly easily into additional compartments.

Just some thoughts...

A small jewelry box is still kind of big...

I need something compact for my purse.

I use a very small pill case if I have to take noon pills with me. It is specifically made for that purpose, but doesn't look like its used for pills. Its painted metal, round, about 2 inches in diameter, the top fllips back.

That sounds cute. I have an altoid container... I was thinking maybe something with that...

That sounds cute. I have an altoid container....I was thinking maybe something with that....

Are you concerned that the container would be divided into compartments or not?

Yes, I was going to ask what would be a good way to do that...

The altoid container is perflect. Get some craft paint, sand the metal a bit and paint your own design on it. You don't need the pills separated if you know what you take and when.

I don't... I want them separated. That's kind of the whole premise, I have a bunch of new viamins..

ANy ideas for creating sections? And do you think acrylic paint will stay on the tin without peeling or flaking?

Why didn't you say vitamins in the first place; then you wouldn't have had the responses about carrying meds around and laws regading it. Sheeeeeeeeeeeesh !

No, I can't possibly think of any way of separating a container that small to accommodate vitamin pills.

All those responses were posted before I had the chance to respond. That's why I said this post isn't about pill laws...

I can't either, and that container would be perfect...

Why didnt you say vitamins in the first place; then you wouldnt have had the responses about carrying meds around and laws regading it. Sheeeeeeeeeeeesh !

No, I can't possibly think of any way of separating a container that small to accomodate vitamin pills.


The criticism has nothing to do with you - I asked that personal advice be taken off the legal board (and it was), posts were pulled and so I expected this.

(And it's not just International travel - if you get stopped with prescription drugs out of the container in more than a few States you can be charged with a crime. But enough of beating that dead horse... thanks for sharing the Diabetes story. If more people would come forward people who are newly diagnosed would take better care of themselves. There IS a life after the diagnosis.)

I didn't take it personally. I just didn't think that pill laws were relevant to my question, especially since I didn't specify what sort of pills they were.

Hi CM,
I was thinking maybe you could try this
How to Make Your Own Pill Box - AOL Video (http://video.aol.com/video-detail/how-to-make-your-own-pill-box/706893421)
And maybe attach the caps to your box so you have the compartments for pills.

Never tried this but I think an ice making tray has possibilities of a pill box.If you could cut off the cube shaped parts seperately(or maybe 4 of them) and then attach them inside a small altoid tin(or any other type of box? (random ideas in my head at the moment):)


EDIT::::::::
Here is a wonderful idea-
artEzan: Home Made Watercolour Bijou Box (http://artezan.blogspot.com/2007/04/home-made-watercolour-bijou-box.html)

Do you happen to have those old type audio cassette covers?I was thinking maybe that one has possibilities too.

This one has given me an idea.
Maybe you could actually convert a chocolate box into a pill holder.
I remember seeing a plastic box in the shape of a heart with compartments for each chocolate.This one wasn't very big either,it had just six chocos in them.
Because Ordinary Pill Boxes Are Blah » Yanko Design (http://www.yankodesign.com/index.php/2007/08/24/because-ordinary-pill-boxes-are-blah/)

Fishing tackle boxes or boxes that they put screws in in hardware stores also in the notions department of a sewing department a lot of times thye have small boxes with different compartment... they come in various sizes. Then they could be decorated on the outside the way you wanted them to.

I don't know how many sections you need but I had bought one from Victoria's Secret.. which is super cute... with little "diamond" studs on it... and its small and I keep it in my purse... but it only has 3 sections in it when u open it... dunno if that helps at all.

Who would have thought 'pill holders' would go into four pages ! What is our world, as we know it, coming to.

I don't know how many sections you need but I had bought one from Victoria's Secret..which is super cute...with little "diamond" studs on it...and its small and I keep it in my purse...but it only has 3 sections in it when u open it...dunno if that helps at all.


Oh my goodness, Momma - I had forgotten all about this. In retrospect our exchange(s) are almost funny - :D I guess I didn't know you very well then.

Can I go back and change my posts or is it too late - :)

Oh, well.

Judy:

You can't possibly carry a 90 day supply of 25-30 medications or even a small bottle of 25-30 medications. When I went to the Bahama's, I did have each medication in a small zip lock bag ( 2" x 3") or so and labeled.

Injectables (Insulin etc) had their prescription label with the medication.

I do have a list with all my medications, by condition, when they are taken, doctors and insurance information with me as well. This list is given to each medical provider when it becomes necessary to update it.

I haven't travelled since becoming a diabetic, so I guess it will be a whole new ball game when I pack for Mexico next year. Any advice would be appreciated, of course.

Judy:

You can't possibly carry a 90 day supply of 25-30 medications or even a small bottle of 25-30 medications. When I went to the Bahama's, I did have each medication in a small zip lock bag ( 2" x 3") or so and labled.

Injectables (Insulin etc) had thier prescription label with the medication.

I do have a list with all my medications, by condition, when they are taken, doctors and insurance information with me as well. This list is given to each medical provider when it becomes necessary to update it.


KISS: I've already explained my situation. I've already explained why you don't have to carry 90 pills in a bottle times the number of medications you take.

I'm glad you didn't get turned back at the border. We did. My husband was a Doctor of Pharmacy - he could explain anything anybody wanted to know about his medication, including why it was not in the original container. He could identify medications on sight. We got turned back at the Canadian border. They didn't much care what he knew or didn't know. He DID have insulin pens (in addition to his fast acting insulin) and those would have been allowed in as they were in the original packaging.

Otherwise everyone has to check with the agency that controls the border and decide how to proceed.

I wouldn't put all my faith in my experience and I wouldn't put all my faith in yours.

Thread is already old. Sufficient answers have been given. There is the risk of the thread going off track from the original question even more than it has already.

THREAD CLOSED.