Easy Way to Get Pills Out of Blister Pack

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As above really. I see this a lot on here, folk taking pills out of their factory packets and putting them in plastic bags/containers. It seems to be fairly common, especially with americans.
I always thought it would drastically reduce shelf life, or do you rotate/use them that often that this doesn't matter?

Just looking for some insight really!

Thanks in advance
- In Omnia Paratus
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If my pills come in a blister pack, I would normally just cut them around as I like them individually packed. If they come in large quantities in a bottle, that's when I'll put them into little baggies or a pill box.
I try to get them individually packed when I can just so that if I have to give them to people (headaches and such) then I prefer that they are labeled for their peace of mind. Plus, for the lesser used pills, I'll know the expiration date.
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It's an international conspiracy, and your country isn't in on it! ;-)

ATF628 and sungame like this.
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Ha! I was only implying I see it a lot on this forum, which has a large American membership...
But I know you're all sneaky and up to something

I hadn't considered bottles of pills, I suppose it's no different really. I also cut up blistered pills into smaller sizes
I find your basic premise inaccurate, flawed.
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In most cases it shouldn't affect shelf life, heat is the major factor there. Sometimes it's more convienent to have pills in something other than a blister pack.
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Kilted1, thanks!
Flight-ER-Doc, I'm not trying to antagonise anyone, just stating my observations I've gathered from this forum. I was just trying to get a feel for why, and if it affected shelf life. I understand it's a skewed view, so I put the question out to gain more info.

Being 'in the trade' as it were, I would appreciate any input you have regarding personal opinions of opening blister pills before they are needed (ie to put into plastic baggies etc), and any evidence/data etc regarding shelf life.

I appreciate it may be a big ask, over something quite irrelevant, but I am just trying to satisfy my idle curiosity, and contribute to the forum. If answers aren't forthcoming, I won't lose any sleep
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Last edited by spookysco, Aug 18, 2015
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This thread has me a little curious about something. I've noticed a lot of loose pills in threads, but never thought 'huh those come in a blister pack' Maybe in other countries more pills come blister packed vs bottles? I mostly take OTC pain meds and those are always bottled. I don't know, maybe it's just that I don't use that much medicine, but I thought most stuff came in bottles.
I don't know that anyone removes drugs from blister packs.
My wife and I actually purchased the packs and the machine to seal them, to make our own blister packs. It's an efficient way of storing small quantities of drugs in an easily accessible format.

In general, drugs should be left alone, kept cool (not frozen), dry, and in a dark environment until taken. The manufacturers containers are nearly ideal. Ad-hoc containers are a bad idea on many fronts, every time you touch the pills, open the container, switch them, they are subject to deterioration, get exposed to moisture and light, etc.
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I have. For a while my wife was taking OTC antihistamines on a regular basis. The capsules were in a blister pack that was difficult to get into. The back didn't tear off as allegedly designed and the paper was too thick to punch through even with my unusually heavy-duty nails, we had to use a knife to cut a slit in each blister. So we'd just do a whole pack at a time and put them in an old prescription bottle.