• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Taking pills to restaurants

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
S

SurreyDave

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi, I'll shortly be going on a city break to Hamburg and I'll need to take my metformin and cholestrol tablets with me. I usually take them just after a meal.

In the past when I've gone away and had a meal in a restaurant I've taken the complete blister packs with me. These are a bit bulky in my pockets especially in the summer when I'm not wearing a jacket so last year I decided to take the pills out before I leave the hotel and put in a transparent plastic coin bag (the type that banks use) which fits in the pocket easier. However it now occurs to me that anyone seeing me take the pills out of the coin bag may wonder about the legitimacy of the pills I'm taking.

So I'm wondering what do other people with type 2 diabetes do when they go out?
 
SurreyDave said:
Hi, I'll shortly be going on a city break to Hamburg and I'll need to take my metformin and cholestrol tablets with me. I usually take them just after a meal.

In the past when I've gone away and had a meal in a restaurant I've taken the complete blister packs with me. These are a bit bulky in my pockets especially in the summer when I'm not wearing a jacket so last year I decided to take the pills out before I leave the hotel and put in a transparent plastic coin bag (the type that banks use) which fits in the pocket easier. However it now occurs to me that anyone seeing me take the pills out of the coin bag may wonder about the legitimacy of the pills I'm taking.

So I'm wondering what do other people with type 2 diabetes do when they go out?
Click to expand...

Hiya Dave and welcome 🙂

Personally I take the blister packs out with me and field any comments as they come - which can vary of course...
 
Never had any problems, anywhere. I take my pills in a decorative pill pot. However, when traveling abroad I always take the pills in their box, which has the label on from the pharmacy, plus a copy of my latest prescription.
 
I've up to now always taken the blister pack with me and just taken one out - never been asked any question yet. If I'm out I tend to have some form of jacket or top with me even if it is summer.

Although I can understand that a packet(s) of pills is perhaps not the most comfortable thing to sit on 😱

To be honest, I'm fairly sure that in most eating places they won't pay a blind bit of notice regardless of if you have blister packs or a plastic bag.

If you still feel that it could be an issue, do you have any option to take your pills at a different time. I've found that once you have been taking metformin for an extended period of time that you can change times without much risk of the dreaded loo rush as long as I combine it with some food.
 
I use the plastic container from inside a Kinder Egg to carry tablets around. Perfect pocket size, fling in the recycling if you don't want to carry it around all evening.
 
I take the complete blister packs and take the sticky label off the box and stick it to the back of each blister pack. For going out I take them with me in a wee pill pot and take them discreetly when no-ones paying that much attention to me.
 
I have a small metal pill tin that I put tablets in when going out and don't get asked any questions
 
Sounds like you need a "man-bag" Dave! 😛 Though probably nobody will notice you taking a couple of tablets....
 
Redkite said:
Sounds like you need a "man-bag" Dave! 😛 Though probably nobody will notice you taking a couple of tablets....
Click to expand...
Man bags are much under-rated. Mine has baby wipes, water, a camera, a pen, bump-stik - you wouldn't think I might have a 4.5 year old 😛
 
Mark T said:
Man bags are much under-rated. Mine has baby wipes, water, a camera, a pen, bump-stik - you wouldn't think I might have a 4.5 year old 😛
Click to expand...
Oh I'm all for them, it's just that they don't seem to have caught on with the average male Brit yet! Plenty of European men carry them.....
 
Redkite said:
Oh I'm all for them, it's just that they don't seem to have caught on with the average male Brit yet! Plenty of European men carry them.....
Click to expand...

Alex has a man-bag!:DHe has had one from the age of 10 until now (15) and doesnt mind wearing it. I thought he would grow out of it but he prefers that to things in his pockets. Its only small - about 9 by 8 inches but it fits all his things in. He has just taken to using a backpack as he skateboards a lot and needs extra hypo treatment.🙂Bev
 
Why don't you just cut up the blister packs with a pair of scissors? That way, you only need take the tablets you need at the time and they'll still have legitimate packaging.
 
Highlander said:
Never had any problems, anywhere. I take my pills in a decorative pill pot. However, when traveling abroad I always take the pills in their box, which has the label on from the pharmacy, plus a copy of my latest prescription.
Click to expand...

Same here and I've never been questioned. I don't think people even notice.
 
When I was on Metformin and having to take one at lunchtime I used to always put a blister pack in my purse and take that up to the staff restaurant with me. Finish meal, take out blister pack, take tab, no-one blinks an eye.
 
They can all go and...........

Any pills I require, I take in a small nalgene container.

And as far as I am concerned, all the tutting and disapprovingly looking people can go to hell, especially the one's that believe one should use the lavatory to inject😡

OK rant over😎
 
macabee said:
Any pills I require, I take in a small nalgene container.

And as far as I am concerned, all the tutting and disapprovingly looking people can go to hell, especially the one's that believe one should use the lavatory to inject😡

OK rant over😎
Click to expand...

there should be a like button on here

Helen
 
I just carry my daily pill boxes and stick them on the table till my meal arrives 🙂
 
Thank you for all your comments. I was thinking about using a TicTac container but I doubt that the Glucophage would fit through the flip lid. Another reason for thinking of this was the dual sided boxes you used to get with green tictacs on one side and orange on the other, I could have used these for morning pills and evening pills though I don't think they make them any more.

So I think I will buy a pocket sized pill container of some description.

Thank you. 🙂

EDIT: obviously I wouldn't be eating the TicTacs myself.
 
Last edited:
SurreyDave said:
Thank you for all your comments. I was thinking about using a TicTac container but I doubt that the Glucophage would fit through the flip lid. Another reason for thinking of this was the dual sided boxes you used to get with green tictacs on one side and orange on the other, I could have used these for morning pills and evening pills though I don't think they make them any more.

So I think I will buy a pocket sized pill container of some description.

Thank you. 🙂

EDIT: obviously I wouldn't be eating the TicTacs myself.
Click to expand...

Oh OBVIOUSLY not! Perish the thought!!! :D:D
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top