I’m guessing that I am not the first person to stumble across a stray pill – whether it’s in the bottom of the purse, on the bathroom floor, or maybe in a pill bottle where you tossed together all your meds for a trip. Certainly it can be alarming if you find a stray pill in your house- whether you are worried about your pet accidentally eating it or wondering if your teen/spouse/roommate is using a new medication. Today I simply want to share that if YOU find one of these strays somewhere and want to know what it is, thanks to technology there is a much easier answer than flipping through the picture pages of a PDR (the Physicians Desk Reference for drugs).
Online pill identifiers have you enter the pill color and shape, and then any imprint on the pill. Most pills have numbers and letters imprinted on the surface of one or both sides if you look closely. If you are still in doubt, head to your favorite pharmacy and the professionals there can use their additional resources to help identify the pill.
BOTTOM LINE: If you find a “stray” pill, start with an online pill identifier to determine what you’ve got. I’ve linked to the WebMD identifier, but there are many available.
PS. Happy new month! You know what to do- change those air filters!