Managing Meds at College

<p>Yea, the way I solved the mail delivery issue is to have it delivered to an air-conditioned office where someone would be available to accept delivery rather than my home (deliver it to a relative's law office). It has worked out well for me because I was appalled they would just leave it in the sun on my doorstep without regard to whom may wander by & what effect the heat & sun had on the quality of the meds in the package, despite my complaints.</p>

<p>My kids have not had hassles with their schools about their meds--depends on the meds & schools & kids involved, I'm sure. I know friends have had to fight with their schools for their kids right to have meds conveniently located for the kids' health & safety.</p>

<p>Thank you all for your thoughts. You've given me much to ponder. I may put D in charge of her meds beginning Sunday (she uses a weekly dispenser that starts on Sundays--I'm embarrassed to say I even fill it each week, at the same time I do my own). She doesn't drive, so I'll have to do the pickups, but I like the idea of her keeping track and calling in refills, then telling me when it's time to do a pharmacy run.</p>

<p>I looked up the Rite Aid system of automatic refills and it sounds good (they call when the refill is ready and call the doc when a new prescription is needed), so long as there is one nearby her eventual school. I've never used a mail order pharmacy and don't feel entirely comfortable about putting meds in the hands of the postal service when I often get bills that belong to a house with the same number as mine on a nearby street. </p>

<p>D takes everything in the morning, so school strictures haven't been a problem. She does carry a rescue inhaler for asthma, which is probably in violation of some school rule, but I'll be darned if I'll have her schlepping over to the nurse's office when she's having an asthma attack, and I can't imagine a teacher being nutty enough to turn her in for using it in class. But camp rules, necessary as they are, have been an impediment to D's developing any independence. Even as a CIT, D has been required to obtain her meds from the infirmary each day, and they call kids in over the PA system if they don't show up. At least at home no one checks up on her to be sure she's taken her pills.</p>

<p>My pills come in a styrofoam cooler w/ice packs during the summer. I have no choice but to do mail order; the cost to me by getting them locally is 50% of retail vs. $150/mo through Medco. Considering the annual cost for this medication alone runs the COA at a top college, I have no choice.</p>

<p>Controlled drugs sent via mail order have to be signed for by an adult over 21 (at least if UPS is delivering them). Shouldn't be a problem at college if there is an adult at the front desk during the day.</p>

<p>My S takes numerous meds daily and has been able to handle it on his own so far (college soph). He sees his doctor every Aug and gets new prescriptions set up. His meds are "refilled" online (mostly 3 month supplies) and shipped directly to his college. He sorts them into those little daily/weekly containers, but he also uses little zip baggies we found at Walmart. They are really tiny and easily fit in his pocket. Much easier than lugging the weekly container if out and about for the day (or night). </p>

<p>I suggest having your child start handling meds now to get used to the responsibility. My son was at college three weeks before being sent to the emergency room (luckily just pneumonia). He has always kept his medical history, including updated medication listing, on the computer (and a copy with his meds) so he just grabs a copy on his way to the campus clinic (has been hospitalized 3 times now and this is just his soph yr). Now, if I can just get him to remember to carry $ and his medical and prescription cards. I am amazed the hospital admitted him the first time with neither school ID nor his med card. I guess they're used to stupid college kids. They called us to fax the info. I think arriving by college ambulance was what saved him. Twice the school has had to give him taxi vouchers to get BACK to the dorm. Fortunately, his school pharmacy provides short term meds or can order them if not in stock. During that first illness, he had IV meds in the hospital, then went without meds for a day or so because he didn't know where/how to get them (it was a Sunday when he was released I think). He finally got around to calling the school clinic or more likely, they called him to check up and that's how he found out he could get the meds right on campus. So, for all kids, it's good to have a plan BEFORE getting sick. </p>

<p>My son was in a single room, even as a freshman, so keeping meds in his room wasn't a real problem but when ill, being alone CAN be a problem. I made him contact me every so often and made him promise to have a friend check in on him a couple times a day or I threatened to call his RA. This year he's in a single, but it's within a suite, so there are definitely others around who would notice if his door isn't open at least some of the time.</p>

<p>It's definitely not fun being far away when you get that 3 am phone call, saying "I just wanted to let you know, pause, something's wrong. I'm losing feeling" That was my newest crisis. Waking up quickly, I was trying to recollect the House episode where a woman has a stroke and self diagnoses herself before she loses her speech...Crazy... it all worked out fine. He got himself to the hospital, it was a temporary condition and he has recovered. The upside is he found a great neurologist who I now have in my cell phone... I won't ask what else can happen because I'm afraid of the answer... the key is to stay calm and follow the plan.</p>

<p>Sounds like you & your S are working things out. You're right that we all plan as best we can & then live one day at a time while things evolve. Schools are becoming increasingly familiar with kids who have significant chronic health conditions on their campuses and HOPEFULLY more supportive of them.</p>

<p>Another thing we do is have S carry a list of his meds, including dosages, in his wallet. This way he always has it with him for dr visits or emergencies.</p>

<p>Son has been acting a lot more hyper than usual, and the email from his teacher that he's failing her class due to lack of focus led me to try to find a psychiatrist to see him. (His ped has been writing his rx, but Son is going to be 18 in about 5 weeks.) There is exactly one psychatrist in our (densly populated) county that takes our (terrible) insurance, and he is too far away to go to in person every month for the refill. So now I'm reseraching other psychiatrists. Nothing like a 44 on a quiz to motivate Mom to deal with the meds!</p>

<p>My son wears a Medic-Alert necklace. All of his medical information is available if someone contacts Medic-Alert with his ID number. Last semester he was playing Ultimate Frisbee and his necklace got ripped off. He looked all over for it but the field was very muddy. Several days later someone found it, called Medic-Alert, who called me. They sent him a new necklace (I had an extra one at home which I had already sent). I feel more at ease knowing that if I'm not available or if my son is not conscious, his medical info is a phone call away, 24 hours/day.</p>

<p>We deducted the cost of the Medic-Alert membership on our Flex plan, and just yesterday read that some insurance companies cover it, so I'll inquire about that.</p>