What would you do at work? Carrying meds discretely...

Hi guys,

I'm starting a new job in a few weeks about I got to thinking. I'm working at a large hospital as a chaplain, which basically entails walking all over the place. I'm quite excited about the program as I will be training for a year, and it's pretty much interfaith so it should be really interesting. The main thing is to be there for families when they're having a hard time, and to advocate for them when they don't understand what the doctors are saying.

So I was thinking of ways to carry my medication (both asthma and migraine) as I think when I'm on call, and things can get crazy, it might be a good idea to have my night meds on me say so I can take them on time, particularly when I'm sick, as I tend to have asthma flares every 3 months or so.

The thing is it's making me uncomfortable. For some reason I think the expectation is going to be that I not carry a purse, at least a larger one. Last time I did this I got a dayplanner that zips up that I could stick a good number of things is. But this time I know I also can't use hospital soap as I am allergic. And I now take 2 preventer inhalers. And I seem to remember I kept dropping things.

So I found this really cool site that makes inhaler/epipen/spacer covers that I could stash some hand sanitizer or soap in too, as they will custom make them for you. But I'm really self concious about it. I wish I could be more discrete. The other option is having a small purse, but I think most people walk around without anything pretty much and I need my hands free to write and read, and don't want much more to carry as I'll have to start sanitizing that!

They're so pretty I can't decide which ones I like best :).

kozyepi.com/epipen.htm

Bee

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Hi,

great news that your starting a new job.

When I ahve been in hospital the Chaplins..well the female ones have always had a bag with them with bits and pieces in them. It has been a hopital bag and not a handbag or anything but Im sure you could put your meds in them.

Hope you enjoy your job

Olive

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Hi Olive,

Thanks :). When you say they use a ""hospital bag"" what is that? I have a small purse I could use, but it still feels too frilly. I'm very proud to report that I have managed (through ironing and altering and gasp cutting) managed to find 15 ""business casual"" outfits to wear to work the first few weeks. I even have dansko clog/ part sandles that are closed toed if they really won't let me wear sandles, as some hospitals are strict in case someone accidentally drops a needle towards your foot or something.

Bee

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Carrying meds

Hi

I work as a nurse and have moved into a new hospital, after being off sick for six weeks with asthma problems the unit I work on is no twice the size if not bigger. I work in Neonatal intensive care, I too have had to work out how to carry meds round as my asthma is unstable at the moment. I bought a small bag from Asda, which fits in my headache tablets, tissues, spacer and 3 inhalers, but is noit too big. As for hand wash, I use something called Dermol 500, you can get it prescribed or buy on the internet. It is in a big bottle but you decant in to smaller vessel.

I work as a nurse but I am also a Minister in Secular Employment.

Hope all goes well with new job.

Catherine

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I have an allergy pack - allergypack.com/asthma.html. I only use them for my epipens but they have ones that can also hold inhalers and other bits and pieces. They can clip onto a belt and are quite discreet in the fact that they are black

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Hi Catherine and Nicki,

Thanks so much for your well wishes. If you can't tell, I'm really excited about my new job but also a bit nervous. The small black idea is great as is looking at what would be Target or Walmart here...that way I can spend not too much and have a lot of choices for something that's just right. I hope I'm not the only person who thinks of these things? It does feel kind of weird to have so many meds that I need to be buying containers to put them in, but it seems the best way to go as then I'll have them when I need them. When I did my first summer chaplaincy experience I got away with only carrying one inhaler! I guess things have changed. I just want to avoid taking as little pred. as possible, which isn't always possible, which actually seems to take a lot of thought and effort. When you read lists on websites it makes ""controlling"" asthma sounds so easy, but for me I think I'm doing good if I end up on a burst of pred., but get it soon enough so I only have to take it for a few weeks.

Bye for now...and thanks again for helping me figure this out.

Bee

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Another question...

So I called and asked if coziepi could make me a pouch that would fit my asthma meds and spacer. But then I started to thinking...do you think I should have them make it big enough to include a peak flow meter? Do you guys take peak flows every day?

Bee

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My work specifically prohibits taking inhalers into certain areas but I,m afraid I totally disregard that ""order""-our works surgery is located the other side of site and I,m not waiting that long to get ""sorted"" so I secrete one on the quiet.

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I personally wouldnt worry about carrying a peak flow meter, unless you use it to work out how much reliever etc you need. I do peak flows twice a day and do them morning and evening just to keep an eye on how things are going. I do them first thing when i wake up and again just before i go to bed, if im ill then ill do them more regularly (like after every neb) just to see if i need to be heading to hospital.

They are rather big to be carrying around everyday but you could ask the company and see if they could accomodate one if you feel you need it/want it around

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LOL. I think you're right. I thought about it. I also take peak flows twice a day. I guess I was thinking I take them a lot more when sick, but then in the last year or so have figured out that things work out much better if I pay more attention to my symptoms. Because sometimes my PF doesn't go down until later. So I still factor it in. I'm also unlikely to take it in front of anyone. I remember I took it once at work and it freaked my co-worker next door out because I made some weird breathing noise and she was nice enough to be worried. That would suck to not be able to take your inhaler with you. I would break that rule too. The first time I did CPE, I asked about carrying my inhaler, and the lead chaplain was like...couldn't you leave that in your locker...and I was like, um, no? Bad idea anyone? Obvioulsly SHE didn't have asthma :).

Bee

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Best of luck with the new job.

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Thanks for the luck :). I went a head and ordered one of those pouches from koziepi yesterday. It's the black one with the white embroidered flower design. That seemed circumspect enough. Thanks everyone for the support! I'll let you know how my job goes...

Bee