Geisinger – Is Your Medicine Cabinet Fully Stocked?

Stocking up on medicine cabinet essentials means you’ll be ready to tackle any cut, sprain or illness.

Have you checked out your medicine cabinet lately? You might expect to find bandages, and maybe some Tylenol^® or cold medicine. Or is it lacking a few essentials because someone used them up or tossed them out? Staying fully stocked is smart.

If you have the right supplies in your medicine cabinet, you can treat everything from headaches to bee stings.

Cleaning out your medicine cabinet

Before you hit the store to stock up on first aid supplies, peek at what you have. Start by taking everything out of your medicine cabinet. Set aside any expired or unused prescriptions. Then make a list of what you’re keeping and note the expiration dates.

Tape the list to the inside of the cabinet door so you can see it anytime. If you prefer a digital copy, use your phone or digital assistant to keep a list.

When you replace something, scratch out the old expiration date and write in the new one so you’ll know when it’s time for a replacement.

After documenting your inventory, make a second list — this one of the medicine and first aid supplies you need. Then stock up!

What to keep in your medicine cabinet

Not sure where to start? Some useful over-the-counter medications to keep on hand can include:

• Pain relievers
• Eye drops
• Decongestants
• Cough drops
• Antacids
• Aloe vera
• Hydrocortisone cream
• Antibiotic cream
• Personal medications prescribed by your doctor, like an EpiPen^®

It’s also good to have tools on hand that can help with everything from removing ticks to patching up cuts and scrapes.

Injuries and illness are hard to predict so stocking up on a few things can help keep you prepared for the unexpected.

Keep your medicine cabinet supplied with:

• Assorted bandages, including gauze
• Thermometer
• Cotton balls and cotton swabs
• Tweezers
• Nail clippers
• Rubbing alcohol
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Safety pins
• Scissors

Have an infant at home? Don’t forget about baby nail clippers, diaper cream and other baby-safe tools.

Storing medicine at home

Once you have everything you need in your medicine cabinet, set the rest of your household up for success.

If you have young children, keep medications and tools like scissors out of their reach, and consider keeping prescriptions for things like pain medicine hidden so they’re not accessible to others.

While medicine cabinet supplies are great for treating minor illness and injuries, major cuts or allergic reactions may require a call to your doctor or even a trip to urgent care or the ER.

But with a properly stocked medicine cabinet, you’ll be able to patch up the minor injuries of the day without leaving home.

Disposing of expired medicine

Have unused or expired medicine you want to get rid of? Drop them in a secure medication disposal box like Geisinger’s Medication Take Back Program. Getting rid of unwanted medicine is easy. Just find a location near you and drop them in.

If you can’t get to a medication drop box, follow these easy steps to properly dispose of your medicine:

• Remove the prescription label or use a marker to obscure your name and address on the label. (This helps keep your personal info safe.)
• Mix medications with cat litter, dirt or coffee grounds to make them unappetizing.
• Put the mixture in a sealed bag with a little bit of water to make the medication unusable and throw it away.

Remember: When you’re getting rid of medicine, don’t flush it down the toilet. It can contaminate local waterways.

For the latest health and wellness tips and advice visit geisigner.org/balance.