Where Should You Store Your Migraine Meds?

Each day, millions of migraine patients around the world take medications to bring relief during their most painful episodes or as part of a preventive treatment strategy. Depending on the type of treatment, these medications may be herbal remedies, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines or prescription drugs, and they all have something in common: Their effectiveness can be compromised by improper storage. ID-100205944

Not all migraine medications will require the same storage precautions. Most OTC medicines will include an insert, a label or other type of documentation that outlines the best practices with regard to storage. When it comes to prescription medications, however, informational inserts may not always be available. Pharmacists sometimes include storage guidelines in the same label that includes dosage and administration, but this is not always the case.

The following tips can help migraine patients make the right decisions with regard to keeping their medications safe and intact.

Choosing the Right Place at Home

The kitchen and bathroom are often the first choices for medication storage at home, but they also happen to be the worst. Most migraine patients think about the convenience of cabinets and sinks when choosing bathrooms and kitchens, but these two places present the following problems:

They are subject to drastic changes in temperature that can easily affect the integrity of medications.
They are places where humidity can build up easily.
They are high-traffic areas where curious children may be able to get their hands on the medications.

Most OTC and prescription migraine medications can be safely stored in a place where they are kept dry and are not exposed to sunlight or warm temperatures. A drawer in a bedroom dresser or a desk are good options, and they are even better if they can be locked.

Some migraine medications can be safely stored in a refrigerator as long as they are kept in a container that keeps air and moisture out. Capsules and liquid medications are ideal candidates for refrigerator storage.

Organizing Migraine Medications

Some migraine patients who are prescribed various pain relief and preventive pharmaceutical treatments may find themselves a bit confused and overwhelmed by all the different pills and dosages. Effective treatment of migraine conditions requires careful management and organization, particularly with regard to medications.

There are two basic methods to organize migraine medications. Writing down all the dosages in a notebook or in a migraine diary is one approach. A more efficient method involves a pill drawer or medication organizer with multiple compartments that can be labeled with the proper dosage. Some medication organizers have built-in alarms or make use of a mobile app that allows patients to manage their dosages and set electronic reminders.

The most important aspect of medication storage that migraine patients must keep in mind is that they should direct any questions they may have in this regard to their physicians.

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