Portable pill traveling/pharmacy bag?

December 22, 2015 11:05 PM

I have a seriously ill family member who enjoys travel. He generally has to fill 3-4 gallon size bags with his pills when he travels. He won't need them all on any trip but needs to have access to all in case he needs them. I'd like to get him a bag to make it easier to keep his pills together and organized. He needs to have roughly 40 types of pills with him at any one time - so the little pill holders won't cut it.

I initially was thinking of something like an EMT bag, but they seem geared towards trauma needs - I'm just looking for something to contain pills and keep them as easily organized, accessible, and compact as possible. Does something like this exist?

posted by arnicae to Shopping (14 answers total)

Could you repurpose several sets of the little pill holders? I have one that's got a little tab mechanism that keeps it from opening when it's in my suitcase. Worst case scenario, you could get several of those, label them, and keep them in a small tote.
posted by Tamanna at 11:39 PM on December 22, 2015

Best answer: Plano makes a bunch of different softsided bags designed to hold their adjustable divider storage boxes. For example the 448720 holds 4 - 3750 multi-compartment boxes.

The 3750 won't fit in a gallon bag though so if he's flying that might cause a problem. They do have smaller containers though. Any good size fishing store is going to have a wide selection.
posted by Mitheral at 11:45 PM on December 22, 2015 [1 favorite]

Would something like this or this work?

If he has a cooperative physician and/or pharmacist, he can very likely obtain smaller containers for each of his pills. It sounds like he might need to take Medication 4, Medication 10, and Medication 39 throughout the trip, and need access to Medication 17 and Medication 29 in case of a flare up? In that case, he really doesn't need to be toting around huge quantities of everything. I bet that 40 of the smallest pill bottles would fit in the roll, or 35 with 5 larger bottles, etc.

The major advantage to working with a pharmacist on this is that he would retain the original packaging and labeling, which is helpful for travel.
posted by charmcityblues at 12:14 AM on December 23, 2015 [3 favorites]

A fishing tackle box? Or medium plastic tool box? I've used them both in paramedical work. Also...old camera cases are possible but more stealable.
posted by taff at 12:16 AM on December 23, 2015 [4 favorites]

Another suggestion- If the extras are just for a flare up and it's not international travel where you need the original packaging, could your relo put the "maybe" meds in bead storage containers but carry the "always" meds the usual way?

(Google: bead divider storage.)
posted by taff at 12:29 AM on December 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

One of these? It has 4 compartments and gets great reviews online for its capaciousness.
posted by essexjan at 1:06 AM on December 23, 2015

One thing to consider is that you want to have all the exact medication names and dosages. In an emergency situation, knowing what medications the person takes can be very important. If he takes 40 medications, then what he takes would be clinically relevant. (Not to mention that it's difficult for a patient to remember the exact directions on so many medications.)

I have some relatives in similar situations, I ask them to travel with their medications in their pharmacy bottles. You can ask the pharmacist for smaller bottles with labels. A few ziploc bags isn't a terrible option.
posted by 26.2 at 1:15 AM on December 23, 2015

Seconding using beading as a search term. I have an aunt who travels with her beads using something like this.
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 4:11 AM on December 23, 2015

I was thinking of those briefcases where they have a solid piece of foam inside which is cut in a custom pattern to hold specific items. I tried googling for that and came up with the brand name Pelican. They have cases in all different sizes. Model 1170 is about 8x11 inches - that might work.
posted by CathyG at 4:41 AM on December 23, 2015

I also think that keeping the pills in the pharmacy bottles is important with that many medications. I was thinking a train case would work. Although they are mostly marketed as "make-up organizers", they don't have to be particularly feminine or make-uppy. Something like this would probably do well.
posted by hydropsyche at 5:29 AM on December 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

With respect, having been in the position of your family member, I found the gallon bags really are the best option. They're light, durable, water resistant, flexible for packing (no hard borders like a tackle box or train case) and clear so you can easily see what you have and where. Unless family member has said "gosh I hate these plastic bags I wish I had a nicer packing solution" (not just "gosh I hate carrying all this stuff when I travel" -- you can't fix that problem), I would consider another gift option.
posted by telegraph at 5:54 AM on December 23, 2015 [3 favorites]

Hanging jewelry organizer? Enough room to keep things in original bottles, and have corresponding printed rx info in same pocket. Roll up from bottom for travel. Pockets on this model dont seal closed, though. Love charmcityblues' suggestion for roll up emt kit, but 40$ might be too spendy and small.
posted by enfa at 6:03 AM on December 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

Slightly off topic, but...

My mom takes about 16 different meds daily. I typed up a sheet that lists the meds, when she's supposed to take them, contact info for her primary and secondary docs, chronic conditions and her allergies.

We've been to the emergency room a few times, intake nurses LOVE this. I keep a copy in my wallet, mom has one in her's and a few spares just in case. It's been very helpful.
posted by Marky at 12:15 PM on December 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks everyone, we're getting the plano bag Mithral recommended. I did check with the family member - he says he loves the idea and is extremely relieved, he hates traveling out of ziplock bags.
posted by arnicae at 5:38 PM on December 23, 2015