Take care in storing meds, supplements together
DEAR DOCTOR: I take nine medications and dietary supplements per day. I use a pill container with slots for morning and evening, and it covers a two-week period. Can these meds and supplements be safely stored together? Do they lose potency if stored in the container for two weeks? DEAR READER: With nine pills to take each day, you should make sure that each of the medications and supplements is necessary. If your prescriptions have been written by more than one doctor, check with your pharmacist regarding duplications. It’s possible for the same prescription to be filled both with a brandname drug and a generic drug.
Your pharmacist also can advise you whether any of the meds you are taking have potential for adverse interactions. Let him or her know about all of the dietary supplements you’re taking. While supplements don’t require a prescription for purchase, they can adversely interact with prescription drugs.
Assuming your medications and supplements have been cleared for potential interactions, it’s fine to store them together. Any powder or residue from the pills or gel caps is small enough not to make a difference. As for potency, two weeks is a short enough time that, as long as you follow the storage specs of each pill, they should be fine.
How medications are stored affects how well they work. Humidity, light, air and heat can have a negative effect, degrading certain ingredients in pills. Not only can improper storage make medications ineffective, in certain cases the chemical changes that take place can be dangerous.
While the majority can safely be stored at room temperature, read the literature that accompanies them to be sure. Keep your meds in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight and any source of heat or moisture. Avoid bathrooms, with fluctuating humidity from showers and baths, or kitchens, with humidity and heat. Instead, consider a dresser drawer or a closet shelf. Be sure they are clearly marked and safe from pets and children.