Store your medications wisely

Is your medicine cabinet so crammed with pill bottles and personal care items that you’re afraid to open the door? If that’s the case, you may be dealing with more than clutter. Your medication may have become stale and ineffective.

Showers and baths create heat and humidity that can cause some drugs to deteriorate rapidly and lose potency before their expiration date. A cool, dark, and dry place is best for storing medicines.

8 tips to keep your medicine supply safe and effective:
1:	Clean out your medicine supply at least once a year.
2:	Discard outdated products, damaged containers, and old supplies.
3:	Check the expiration date often. When a drug passes its expiration date, potency and safety cannot be guaranteed.
4:	Keep all items in their original containers.
5:	Always keep containers tightly closed and away from children.
6:	Discard the cotton inside the bottle. Keeping cotton in the bottle can draw moisture into the container.
7:	Never use a medication that has changed color, consistency, or odor, regardless of the expiration date. Throw away capsules or tablets that stick together, are harder or softer than normal, or are cracked or chipped.
8:	Ask your pharmacist about any specific storage instructions.