Pretty (efficient, compact?) pill case recommendations, pretty please!
July 16, 2019 6:23 AM   Subscribe

Hope me find a good pill case(s). I need multiple, so might end up with a couple different kinds. I’d like each one to be aesthetically pleasing in some way, and would love them to be compact, organized, and portable if possible.

Up until a year ago, I’ve never regularly taken any pills in my life (only situationally, ex. Antibiotics). Within the last year I’ve accrued 4 daily pills (one batch in morning and one batch at night) and have two more prescriptions as needed. I find it nearly impossible to keep track of which ones I’ve taken, where my stash is, and how to separate them out for easy access in case my normal routine is disrupted (ex. I like to have one stash in my daily commuter bag, one in my room, one in my overnight bag, etc).

Beauty is really important to me and that might sound stupid but oh well. I find it hard to have those ugly orange pill bottles as my main vehicle because with 6 different prescriptions, they end up being an eyesore in my room, and when they’re in my bag they take up valuable space. Again if I keep them only in those bottles too, I get extremely panicked if I lose one of the bottles (or even the idea of it).

My ideal case(s)would be:

— Pretty/aesthetically pleasing (my go to pattern is cool toned florals but I’m open to other interpretations!)
— Holds multiple pills easily
— Has space for the actual scrip info somewhere in the case, with a “key” of sorts (so I don’t get confused between the round apricot pill and the round orange pill. And also in case of an emergency, so that a medical professional would have a way to know what they all are).

Again I might need multiple cases for the different “stashes” I like to have, so am willing to consider different combinations of options from the criteria listed above. Also if you just have general pill management tips I’m open to that too.

PLEASE do not suggest that I consider being on fewer or no meds. Other than that I’m open to all your pill management suggestions. Thanks in advance.
posted by seemoorglass to Shopping (16 answers total) 16 users marked this as a favorite
 
I've seen pretty and small (eg 1" round, 1/2" tall) pill boxes at my local pharmacy. They are very similar to the one I inherited from my grandmother, which has three spaces inside.
posted by jb at 6:31 AM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]


Best answer: This seems to cover all of the bases.
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 6:35 AM on July 16, 2019 [6 favorites]


Best answer: A style conscious friend created these colorful pill wallets to deal with her need to carry many medications and later added the pouch version that holds/hides the orange bottles. I'm not sure about space to hold the scrip in the pillfold version, but if you shoot her an email she is usually quick to reply.
posted by mattamatic at 6:37 AM on July 16, 2019 [4 favorites]


Best answer: 7 day pill cases are useful, and the kind with a flat lid means you can stick a piece of paper / sticker / trimmed post-it note on the inside of the lid with whatever information you want. Buying 3 or four of the small flat kind might work for you.
posted by DarlingBri at 6:37 AM on July 16, 2019 [2 favorites]


Best answer: The term you want to search for is "pill case clutch". Tons of different options are out there, most of them are sized for AM and PM for a week, and are just a pill case tucked into another bag sized for it so you can slip your key documents in there too.

I totally get wanting to have your meds look pretty and be well organized. I don't think it's stupid at all. I keep my medications in a really big shoe box (meant for big boots) that I have wrapped in some really funky retro rainbow fabric and carefully edged with blue ribbon because it's a silly joke about my "happy pills". I suggest having a central location for all your medications where you also store copies of your scrips, that will fit your different travel cases and those orange bottles. A file box will hold files with the relevant papers and be large enough to fit everything else, and you can wrap it in gorgeous paper or stamp it to match your decor.
posted by Mizu at 6:40 AM on July 16, 2019 [6 favorites]


I got the pink one from Port and Polish (I think on another Mefite's recommendation), and I love it! It's nice and slim, but the interior dividers are a good size. If you don't need the mirror, you could tape a key to underside of the lid.
posted by Mouse Army at 6:49 AM on July 16, 2019 [3 favorites]


I have a gorgeous industrial looking one from Etsy, although it doesn't fit wanting to have the rx there. Browsing there may be helpful for more aesthetically pleasing ones.
posted by cobaltnine at 7:05 AM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]


I absolutely get this desire.... and have completely failed to get what I’ve wanted.

This might not apply to you at all but in the case that it might be pertinent here goes; everything nice makes it harder to see at a glance if I’ve taken the right meds. Because of the underlying health condition I take the meds for I end up checking semi frequently. Everything that gets in the way or offers even a little friction rubs the I-hate-being-this-way button in a bad way.

I personally have settled on two plastic drugstore 8day pill cases that get stashed in an organizer I like that has one clear side. I think timbuk2 originally sold it as a toiletries case. I then spend money regularity on nice messenger bags to cart my crap in.

I hope this isn’t your problem but if it rings a bell I will be watching the thread for great suggestions :)
posted by mce at 8:19 AM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]


I really love enamel guilloche pillboxes. It's hard to find one that's divided and not super expensive, though.
posted by limeonaire at 8:27 AM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]


Best answer: These all look like great solutions for carrying pills in day-to-day life. Just on the off chance you are planning on any international travel in the future, I should throw out there that when you travel internationally be careful to only bring your medication in the original ugly orange containers that have your name and the name of the medication on them. You don't want to run into customs people who can't tell if you have needed medication or illicit drugs on your person.
posted by past unusual at 9:10 AM on July 16, 2019 [3 favorites]


Best answer: They still do make pillboxes in that enameled style - that's what I have from my grandmother (and I'm pretty sure she bought it only a few years ago, and probably from a pharmacy). Here are some examples from Amazon. (And apparently, here's my grandmother's.)

Most of these that I have seen are very small and really only would carry one-day's worth of pills; I use mine to carry emergency medication (in case I forget to take it at home) and a couple of pain-killers. Mine is also too small for some larger pills/capsules.
posted by jb at 9:13 AM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]


This is basically the one I use (same colors but I don't think it has the logo?) My pills mostly look different enough but you could fold up a card with a description in the larger compartment. The sections are a good size without the whole thing being huge.

I don't know if you have any control over when you take the pills (most of mine are vitamins so they're flexible) but I've had a lot of luck remembering to take my pills by having a regular case that lives in my nightstand - those get taken first thing as soon as I wake up.
posted by brilliantine at 9:45 AM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]


I also have the pink one from Port and Polish, seconding it would work.
posted by ellieBOA at 11:09 AM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]


I love these little pinchable tubs for my emergency stashes that live in my purse, luggage, etc. They can be labeled, too.
posted by ocherdraco at 11:55 AM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: thanks everyone! These are some great suggestions.

I inadvertently wound up with darlingbri’s suggestion on a shopping trip today- I happened to be at the dollar store and found exactly what she described. I got 3, and I’m going to tape a two sided piece of paper inside the clear lid - on the outer face, I’ll make my own watercolor design that pleases me, on the inside I’ll neatly write out a key for myself.

I’ll make sure to hang on to the original scrip bottles for general stash and for possible airline travel.

:)
posted by seemoorglass at 3:53 PM on July 16, 2019 [3 favorites]




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