How to Keep Medications Safe in a Montana Winter
Winter in the Bitterroot is hard on medicine too
Most people think about protecting their pipes, their car battery and their tomatoes when the cold sets in. Not many think about the bag from the pharmacy sitting on the passenger seat.
Most medicines are designed to be stored at room temperature, roughly between 68 and 77 degrees. Short trips outside the house are fine. A few hours in a parked car in January, or a delivery left on the porch overnight, can be a different story. Some medicines lose strength when they get too cold. A few should never be used after they freeze.
Here is what Hamilton, Darby, Corvallis and Victor residents should know before the real cold arrives.
The car is the biggest risk
A parked car in a Bitterroot winter cools down fast. On a clear night or a windy afternoon, the inside can drop below freezing in well under an hour. The most common way medicine gets damaged is simple: someone picks up a prescription, then stops at the grocery store, the post office and a friend's house, and the bag sits in the car the whole time.
A few easy habits help:
Make the pharmacy your last stop before heading home
Bring the bag inside with you if you have other errands
Keep medicines you carry daily, like an inhaler or EpiPen, in an inside coat pocket or purse, not the glove box
Never store backup medicine in the car for the whole season
Porches, steps and mailboxes
Deliveries and mail order prescriptions can end up sitting outside. A package on a shaded porch in December may get as cold as the air around it.
If you get prescriptions delivered:
Bring the package inside as soon as you can
Let your pharmacy know when you will be home so the timing works
If a delivery sat out overnight, check the contents before using them
Healthcare Providers Inc. delivers to Hamilton, Darby, Corvallis and Victor. If you are going to be out, give us a call and we will work out a time that keeps your medicine out of the cold.
Which medicines are most sensitive?
Some medicines handle temperature swings better than others. The ones to watch most closely in winter are:
Insulin and other injectable medicines. Insulin that has frozen should not be used, even if it looks normal after it thaws.
Liquid medicines and suspensions. Liquid antibiotics, cough syrups and similar products can separate or change consistency.
Eye drops and ear drops. Some are suspensions that may not mix properly after freezing.
Inhalers. A cold inhaler may not spray a full dose.
Epinephrine auto injectors. These are meant to stay at room temperature and should not freeze.
Creams and ointments. Some can separate or change texture.
Diabetes test strips and meters. Very cold strips and meters can give inaccurate readings.
Our next article goes into these in more detail.
Signs a medicine may have been damaged
After a medicine has been exposed to cold, look closely before you use it. Warning signs include:
Cloudiness in a liquid that is normally clear
Clumps, crystals or flakes
Separation that does not mix back in when gently rolled or shaken as directed
A change in color, smell or texture
Tablets that are cracked or crumbling
Some damage is not visible at all, which is why it is always worth asking. If you are not sure, bring the medicine to the counter before you take it.
Storing medicines safely at home
Inside the house, the goal is a dry spot with a steady temperature.
Keep medicines away from drafty windows and exterior doors
Avoid spots right next to heaters, wood stoves or heating vents
Skip the bathroom cabinet, since shower steam adds humidity
A bedroom dresser drawer or a kitchen cabinet away from the stove usually works well
Keep everything in the original labeled containers
Store medicines up high and out of reach of children and pets
If a medicine needs to be refrigerated, keep it in the main part of the fridge, not against the back wall or in the freezer section, where it can freeze.
When to call the pharmacy
Call or stop by if a medicine was left in the car or outside, looks different than usual, or if you are not sure how a specific medicine handles cold. We would much rather answer a quick question than have you take something that may not work the way it should. In some cases, we can help you check whether a replacement is needed.
Your pharmacy in Hamilton
Healthcare Providers Inc. is an independent pharmacy at 1900 North 1st Street in Hamilton, serving the whole Bitterroot Valley. Walk in with any question during business hours, no appointment needed, or call (406) 363 6203.
