Storing CF Medication On The Go

As a busy mother, I spend a lot of time multitasking and rushing out the door to some engagement or errand I have most certainly forgotten. In the midst of making sure my son has everything he needs, I sometimes overlook my own needs such as remembering to take my morning pills or inhalers after my morning treatments. A lot of times those steps in my care are done on the go as I go about my day. Here are some of my tips for storing CF medications on the go safely without weighing you down during your busy day.

Grab and go pills

In all the years of pill-popping, the biggest time saver and most helpful tool for storing CF medications has been a lucky find from Amazon.

This pill organizer has been so helpful keeping me on track without forcing me home. Firstly, by separating my pills by day and time, it makes it obvious if I have forgotten. Because this organizer has seven removable boxes, each labeled with a day of the week, it’s perfect for going mobile. (There are many other similar organizers on the market to meet your needs).

Often, I’ll remove the day from the tray and throw it in my bag to be taken later with a meal or snack if I have forgotten, especially considering I am on Trikafta. If I happen to be out all day, I don’t have to worry about missing my evening pills--they are right there waiting for me!

At the end of a week, I’ll often have to do a treasure hunt through my house and bags looking for all seven days of the week. Initially, I worried about losing some of the boxes, but somehow, someway, I have managed to keep track of them all for years. This item has worked wonderfully for me!

Keeping your stash supplied

Another way I make sure I have the medications I need on the go is with the help of what I call my “stash”. My stash is a supply of medications I keep in my purse or diaper bag always. My stash includes: a bottle of enzymes, Tylenol or Ibuprofen, a couple inhalers (both rescue and steroid types), insulin and pen needles for CFRD, and snacks for low blood sugars. In addition, if I happen to be on home IVs at the time, I have an extra saline and heparin flush with alcohol pads to flush my port (I can’t tell you how many times that has come in handy).

These supplies exclusively live in my bag so that I don’t have to run around the house gathering what I need like a hot mess.

Periodically, I make sure to replenish my stash and make sure nothing is expired or unsafe to use. My stash gives me the assurance I have the medications I need without the extra mental and physical load of gathering everything.

Storing CF medications safely

Medication safety is pretty simple when it comes down to it. You just have to remember to store your CF medication out of the “extremes”. Extremely hot and cold temperature, as well as moisture can make medications lose their effectiveness and stability--which isn’t good.¹ It’s important not to store your medications, especially enzymes, in your car even though it can be a convenient place of storage. It’s best to keep medications dry and at room temperature so they work as effectively as possible to keep you healthy and stable.¹

How do you navigate storing medications on the go? Share your tips with the community in the comments below!