There are tens of thousands of drugs available on the market, and understandably, you may wish to determine the type of drug (or item) you have come across. You might want to know whom it belongs to, what it is used to treat, and its short or long-term effects, especially if someone you know is taking it without your knowledge. Additionally, you might be concerned about the potential consequences if a pill is lost and the medication cannot be taken at the prescribed time.
This page will assist you in identifying what you have discovered and address all the related quandaries, possibilities, and scenarios that arise when attempting to identify your 'find'.
In This Article
- What could the tablet/pill/capsule (or item) be?.
- What are the worst things that could happen if someone's unable to take their medication on time?
- I found a pill, and I still don't know what to do
- Pill Identifier - 13 top tips and tricks
- Video: How to tell what's exactly in a pill
- Last Resort
- Footnote
What could the tablet/pill/capsule ( or item) be?
It could be any of the following, with or without any identifying markers or imprint on them.
- A drug prescribed by a doctor or medic.
- An over-the-counter medication purchased from a pharmacist.
- A vitamin or skincare supplement from a health store.
- Diet pills or capsules.
- It could be a 'tanning accelerator' (suntan pill) or capsule.
- An Illegal drug, probably ecstasy. Is it ecstasy? Ecstasy is not coated like medicinal drugs and is not professionally made. Ecstasy can be very fragile (it easily breaks apart).
- Sweets/candy/mints. Haribo and M&Ms have markings on them, quite similar to drugs. I have seen cases where sweets/candy/mints can be mistaken for pills. Like M&Ms, markings on sweets are quite common.
- Novelty Medication. Sweet/candy companies sell 'novelty medications' to resemble pharmaceutical drugs, so break apart any pill you found and see if it looks or smells like a confectionery.
- Animal medications look no different from humans and may have impurities that human drugs don't have. These may not harm animals, but could be harmful to humans..
- Maybe it's a drug you know someone is already taking, but of another manufacture's design/brand and look entirely different.
- It could even be a fake, counterfeit drug purchased online or offline and potentially dangerous and harmful to use.
I found a pill, and I still don't know what to do
Examine any bottles or blister packs that the item could have originated from. Do not hesitate to inquire as to its owner - there may be a straightforward explanation that would alleviate any unwarranted concern. It is possible that someone known to you may have dropped or misplaced it, but prefer not to divulge the fact that they are taking medication and thus deny ownership.
A medication found beneath the sofa or in the bathroom could have been inadvertently dropped by a trade's person or visitor to your household.
The individual may not have been aware of losing their medication and believed they had already taken it, without realising that they had not - an occurrence that I am confident we have all experienced at some point
What are the worst things that could happen if someone's unable to take their medication on time?
Some examples include...
- Anxiety medication is needed to help reduce anxiety, panic attacks or extreme fear and worry.
- Drugs for people with heart problems should not skip their medication as it could increase the risk of a heart attack or lead to other complications.
- If they are contraceptive pills, they may suffer from unwanted pregnancy.
- Someone may need to take anti-depressant, ADHD or schizophrenia meds to manage their behaviour.
- A missed antibiotic could prevent a medical problem from healing.
- If they are on pills for high blood pressure, their blood pressure could continue to increase.
- The blood sugar levels could increase in someone diabetic and lead to problems, including life-threatening conditions such as diabetic ketoacidosis (when the body starts to run out of insulin).
Pill Identifier - 13 Top Tips and tricks
1. To spare you considerable time and unease, request those who reside or work with you to determine whether they are aware of its owner. In certain circumstances, an individual may assert that it belongs to them (for a variety of reasons), but do not accept their assertion without verification. Request that they describe the item before handing it over. Others may deny ownership when it actually belongs to them (for a range of reasons).
2. If you reached this page after entering the specific details of the pill you seek to identify, it is possible that I have already conducted research and provided a response in the comments section. If so, press "Ctrl" while pressing "F" on your keyboard to activate a small dialogue box in the top left corner of your screen, then type the 'colour' or 'imprint details' of the pill. For mobile users, access the browser settings tab and select "Find in page."
3. I submitted many pills to the following 7 websites that visitors to this page wanted me to identify (see comments now disabled). My success rate in identifying a pill was about 1 in every 20 pills I submitted.
- https://www.drugs.com/imprints.php
- https://www.medicine.com/pill-finder
- https://reference.medscape.com/pill-identifier
- https://www.webmd.com/pill-identification/default.htm
- https://www.pillid.com/pill-finder
- https://www.rxlist.com/pill-identification-tool/article.htm
- https://online.epocrates.com/pill-search. Epocrates is free, but requires you to create an account first.
4.Take a photo of the pill and "Google' (or other reverse image websites) and search for similar images of it. (In the hope that someone has already uploaded or posted an image online of the same pill, and detailed what it is).
- TinEye reverse search: https://tineye.com.
- RevImg reverse image search. https://www.reverseimagesearch.org.
Note; A good quality camera is best to help capture any intricate details of tiny pills.
5. Use the "Google Lens" app (it's free). Simply take a photo of the pill to see instant matches. Both tools work almost identically, but the 'Lens app' works faster than a “Reverse Image” tool.6. Search 'Google Images' and 'Google Search' (and other search engines), by using all (or a combination of) the keywords which describe the pill/capsule, such as its colour, shape, imprint, scoring, and any imprints. It could take time using various keywords for your search.
6. Search 'Google Images' and 'Google Search' (and other search engines), by using all (or a combination of) the keywords which describe the pill/capsule, such as its colour, shape, imprint, scoring, and any imprints. It could take time using various keywords for your search.
7. Use the multitude of 'pill Identifier' Apps from your app store. Very few were correct.
- The "Drugs.com Pill Identifier app" is a searchable database of pills (in the US only). $0.99. However, the "Drugs.com website" is free to use.
- "Epocrates Pill ID app" had the most accurate results. Unfortunately, I ran out of medications to keep testing.
8. Contact your local pharmacist. They or may not be willing to help, but two pharmacists were able to help identify an easily identifiable pill I showed them. Others told me to "go online" and "ask Google".
9. Ask me by submitting a comment. Update: Sorry, this service is no longer possible.
10. If you require an analysis of a pill with urgency, you will need to contact companies specialising in 'forensics', biochemical testing, 'toxicology testing labs', 'pharmaceutical laboratories', and 'DNA legal specialists'. These companies typically offer their services to family law firms, social care providers, workplaces, educational institutions, government agencies, and criminal law practitioners.
However, I contacted all of these companies to ask for a pill to be analysed. One company stated that, "we cannot analyse a sample containing an unknown substance, as testing for all possibilities is infeasible, and the scientist would be unable to conduct analyses that encompass every conceivable substance". They noted that their service "could incur a cost of at least £250.00". Another company stated that "it could cost significantly more than a few hundred pounds".
A person I spoke to advised that "we will have to destroy the pill, and we will only be able to determine its chemical composition, not what it is prescribed for". When I enquired if I could include their website here, they replied that "it would be a one-time offer, and we will not be able to provide the service to everyone".
13. If you have been unlucky in identifying your (item) using the above 12 tips and tricks, I would have offered my services (via email) using my extensive years in research and determination with the above 12 ways. Unfortunately, I cannot find a way to make it viable.
You could save yourself a lot of time, worry, and money if you just throw it in the bin and be done with it. Things can't be more conclusive than that!
Footnote
Each year, a significant number of individuals, both young and elderly, suffer from serious injury or lose their lives due to medication errors. This occurs when the wrong medications are administered or an incorrect dose is taken, so it is imperative to be cautious when it comes to the medication that individuals are taking and how often they take them.
It is important to read the labels and instructions carefully and seek the advice of a medical professional if there is any doubt or uncertainty. This can help prevent medication errors and ensure that individuals receive the correct treatment, which is crucial for their health and well-being.
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