I love my purses and I love to carry back-up Epi Pens® in my purse in case of emergency. Whose emergency? My kids or whoever quite frankly. Each of my children carry two Epi Pens® each and I like to carry extra in case something goes wrong or if they forget their bag somewhere and we need to drive back. Hum, sound familiar? We’ve done this many times where the back pack with the Emergency Kit was left back at Karate class or a friend’s house. I also feel safer somehow knowing that I am carrying Epi Pens® in case anyone, anywhere needs one. I know legally I can’t administer it but….. Okay, back to my love of purses and my personal test of Epi Pen® holders! After testing out my beloved red Medicine Kit from the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), the AllergyPack that I also purchased from FAAN and the Activeaide Epi Pen holder and decided I liked the hard shell packaging of the Activeaide for my purse! Now, understand that I have not purchased one of those super darling and stylish Epi Pen totes or packs from Allergy Apparel–yet! Check out their website for some serious style!
I love to change purses often based on what I am up to or wearing. If I have meetings, then I go for the big tote bag to carry my notebooks, handouts, etc. If I am running errands, then sometimes a small bag that easy sits across my body is in order. If I’m out and about all day long and need to carry my life with me then I go for a bigger bag. I am one of those who likes to carry tissue, energy bars, lipstick, deodorant, coupons, you name it, once I found pliers in m purse! I decided to try out the three holders we own in our house, just to see which one I truly liked best at this point in time.
Up until today, I was carrying the kid’s Epi Pens® in my see through cosmetic bag along with an inhaler, Benedryl, aspirin, band-aids, antibiotic cream, sinus tabs, you name it. I’m a walking pharmacy. I felt that in an emergency, I would need to dump out my bag and the world would see my Gas-X flying by and I would loose these items too as they rolled across the floor!
The purses I used in my test (okay, clearly I need photography help here..that is my goal for the winter: learn how to take better photos)…
I tried out three bags each representing the different purse categories (sounds so persnickety doesn’t it?): business like, shopping/fun and fast errands. I used each bag in each one for around 1-2 weeks letting the holders bounce around in my purse. Here were the results:
- Red Medicine bag was great in shopping/fun bag, lots of room no worries. Had cramping issues in business—it took up too much space and was not feasible in my little fast errand bag. This is still my favorite bag for the kid’s backpacks since it holds their inhalers, spacers and Emergency Action Plans.
- The Allergy Pack Combo holder, which holds two Epi Pens® and one inhaler worked fine all of the purses. I took off the detachable belt so it wouldn’t get tangled. I did not love the flapping around of the key ring or plastic key holder. It keep getting caught on items. Truly, this item is created for activity! Hiking, biking and movement, not to be stowed away in my purse. This is our favorite hiking holder hands down. But for my purse: I’ll pass.
- The Activeaide Holder was my favorite floating around in all my bags since it has a hard shell and was easy to find and slipped into each purse just fine. The holder was too large for my inside zipper pockets in the two larger purses, which is good so I will not be tempted to unconsciously create another barrier to fast access to emergency medications. It really is a simply personal preference thing. I like the harder outside shell. I am the same way with eye glass cases too.
The bottom line:
I still love each Epi Pen holder for different reasons! The reason that I love one product may be the reason you don’t like it or vise versa. No matter what, each of us must find the best and most efficient method to carry life saving medications that work for our lifestyles and families. If it doesn’t feel good then forget it! I still carry Benedryl and my inhaler in my cosmetic bag along with everything else. If I am running errands, then I drop the inhaler into my bag with no worries!
What is your favorite carrier or method of carrying your rescue medications or your children’s? Can you share with us? Send a photo even??
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
Try the Allergy Buddy – Rapid Access Medical Panel. Designed specifically to carry multiple medication. The medical panel turns into a satchel bag! Hang it on your wall at home, then folds into a bag to carry out and about! It also comes with bonus hooks, pen and notepad to record medicine day, time and dose and on their website has a template for a medical id. card to insert into the bag. Fantastic product.
I’ll check it out…can we order these from the US?
I’m an adult and a epi pen carrier i’ve been looking for a good epi pen bag as for you i have a handbag addiction and love to switch i’m thinking of trying the epimate bag.. I like more room for powerful anti histamine tablets and most you can only have the epi pens in and then you need another bag for the tablets…
Is the Epimate bag from Epi-Essentials..they have some darling bags too!