Someone asked recently how I deal with medication while sailing. The solutions are quite simple. At least while sailing in the US.

I take a wide variety of medications and for both diabetes and heart disease, being without my mediation is not an option.

The first consideration is storage. I’ve found that a water tight food storage box works best for me. I picked up a stacking set of Joseph Joseph containers with strong clipping lids. Anyone who’s gone boating for any length of time knows what the humid air will do to the salt shaker, steps should be taken to keep that from happening to medications. I keep a separate container for each time of day I need to take medications and an extra one for extra medication and extra diabetic testing strips with a spare blood meter.

The second consideration is ensuring that you can get your prescriptions filled. Luckily most insurance companies are strongly encouraging 90 day supplies of medication. This together with a national pharmacy such as CVS or Walgreens in the US can dramatically simplify the process.

I’ve chosen Walgreens, well my insurance company has chosen Walgreens, and I will say I’ve been quite happy. Prescriptions can be refilled online and the pickup pharmacy specified online. One caution though. Check the map and address of the specific pharmacy you choose to both make sure you are selecting the proper one as well as to check that there isn’t one closer. Last refill I walked about a mile and a half to the “nearest” Walgreens to pick up my medication just to walk past a Walgreens about 1/4 into the journey. If I’d checked the map I could have had a much shorter walk and used my energy for more fun activities.

2020 brought some additional challenges such as needing to wait longer in locations while the pharmacy dealt with shortages of some medications. So be prepared to adapt to the situation at hand.

One option I’m eager to try is to use a Mail in Pharmacy and have the mediations sent to St Brendan’s Isle and have the package redirected to wherever we are and I’m curious if anyone has done that recently. I’m also curious what our solution will be when we spend the winter in the Bahamas. But we’ll deal with that as we get closer.