Sometimes it is difficult to identify a diet pill or other medicine that has been removed from its bottle or original packaging. Now it is much easier to identify the pill by either looking at online websites such as Drugs.com or RxList.com, or in pill books that show all types of pills and medications, including their markings, brands, shapes, imprints and colors. All you need is the diet pill you want to identify and to follow some simple guidelines.
Step 1
Search on your computer for one of the pharmacy websites that provide pill identifier pages, suggests Drugs.com.
Step 2
Follow the website's specific directions regarding how to check for the identification of the diet pill or other medication you are seeking. Compare the features of the unidentified pill to those provided in the website's menus.
Step 3
Use the drop-down menu listings for color, shape, size, imprints, brands and other markings to make matching your pill easy.
Step 4
Look in a pill book, if you don't have a computer, for information similar to that which you can find online to identify your pill. Pill identification books are available at most pharmacies and bookstores.
Step 5
Label a spare pill bottle according to the information you found on the website or in the pill book and place the mystery pill in the bottle.
Step 6
Call your pharmacist with the information you discovered about the pill and ask if it is still within the acceptable date range originally prescribed.
Tips and Warnings
- The pharmacy websites and pill books provide a wealth of information about pill manufacturers, side effects, various strengths, indications and drug interactions, according to the RxList.com. If after a reasonable search, you are unable to identify the pill, take it to a pharmacist who should be able to ID it.
- Always keep pills in their original packaging or in a labeled pill bottle. Throw away pills that are out of date to avoid confusing them with newer, fresher medications. Never take pills when you are unsure of their identity or their acceptable date range.
References
- RxList.com: Pill Identification Tool
- Drugs.com: Pill Identification Wizard
- "The Pill Book"; Harold Silverman; 1998
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