Managing Medications: Medication Storage

Having a back-up supply of medications is especially important during hurricane season and with the ongoing pandemic. We recommend that you keep at least two weeks worth of medications on-hand in case there are any issues with access to certain prescriptions, delays at the pharmacy, or physician office closures. We recommend that refills are requested two weeks before the last dose is to be taken. 
Tips and Tricks:

• Request refills in advance.
• Be mindful of how medications need to be stored (refrigerated, in a dark place, separate from other medications, etc.).
• Be sure to include the full medication name, dosage, frequency, and expiration date when noting a medication if it is separate from its original container.
• There are various containers marked by day, time, and/or color-coded to store and track daily medications. These range from pill bags to small boxes to  daily/weekly/monthly containers. Examples of these containers can be found at your local pharmacy, Amazon, and other retailers. 
• Regularly check medications expiration dates and dispose of them properly when needed. Most pharmacies will have a medication disposal bin. If you are storing a back-up supply, rotate medications out to avoid medication waste due to expiration dates. 

Safe medication storage practices are also very important. Keeping medications out of reach from children and animals can be life-saving. Ensure that medications are in locations that children and pets cannot reach or are locked away. 
Find medication safety information from the CDC here.
Review our related post on disaster preparedness on The Bean: Kidney Empowerment here. 

As always, stay safe!