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Well, it's hard because as much as it's nice to have things on hand, they have a shelf life rendering them void after a certain time of healthiness (and generally expire right before you get a cold).

That being said, my staples include pain reliever (advil/tylenol usually), Pepto Bismol, a variety of bandaids, Pepcid AC, daytime and nighttime cold formulas left over from the last cold, cough drops, antibiotic cream, cortisone cream, and sinus headache pills. I should probably have rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, but I can't think of the last time I needed either.

I have a very large medicine cabinet, so it also holds all my cosmetics, skin, hair, teeth and eye care products as well.

pain reliever (generic)
pepto
cold tablets (non drowsy)
suntan lotion
first aid cream
tweezers
band aids
cough drops

I also keep pain reliever and pepto in my desk at work and in my overnight bag (my bf has nothing at his place!)

Tylenol
Advil
Sucrets
Alka Seltzer Plus
Mineral Ice

I'm in the midst of ripping out my medicine cabinet, sheetrockin' over the hole and putting up a gorgreous mirron in it's place.

Feel better!

It's good to have vitamins on hand for when you feel the onset of a cold to help minimize symptoms: Vitamin C, Zinc, Echinachea, Garlic, Airborne, Throat Coat tea, etc. I also keep sore throat losenges like Ricola handy, along with Tylenol, Advil, a cough suppressant, Benadryl (decongestant), peppermint ginger tablets (or Pepto Bismol), band aids, Ace bandages, rubbing alcohol, Neosporin/vitamin E oil (to help cuts heal faster).

NyQuil!

I second Eve on the NyQuil!!!!

- Tylenol Cold and Flu (a mixed-pack of Day and Night)
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D (for the sun-deprived climates!)
- Echinacea
- Emergen-C pouches (amazing for a hangover or an oncoming cold!)
- Allergy pills for my hayfevery boyfriend

u shouldnt actually keep medicine in the bathroom, as it can get to hot for some medicines that need to b kept in a "cool" area, put em high up in a lil box in the kitchen, away from little hands and somewhere where every1 can get at them, not waiting outside the bathroom for ur pepto when ur husbands already in there taking the longest of whatever he is doing in there.

Getting older seems to result in aquiring more and more stuff to go in the medicine cabinet (which we don't have - only one of those ugly, huge plate mirrors), so in top of:

pain med
day/night cold formula
peroxide and rubbing alcohol
assorted bandaids
1st aid cream
cough/sore throat drops

I also now have:

thyroid med
multi vitamin ("silver" formula for God's sake!)
calcium (3 times daily)
glucosamine stuff
heat rub stuff
allergy stuff

!!!!!!!!

Oh - forgot the constipation stuff and the other stuff stuff....

I outgrew the medicine cabinet a long time ago, and now I used a medicine chest. Two, actually---good quality, tall plastic tubs with latching lids. One labeled "inside the body" and the other is "outside the body."

"Inside the body" contains the four major groups of pain relievers: aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen sodium. Also diphenhyramine (generic "Benadryl) in capsule and tablets too (which can be cut with a pill cutter). We keep a variety of cough/cold preparations including Nyquil's generic brother (half the price and milder in flavor---from Wal-Mart), Tylenol Sinus Headache, Mucinex DM, and my favorite: Vicks Formula 44 E. Also: Fleet Enemas and glycerin suppositories (and latex gloves).

"Outside the body" has alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Vaseline, Benadryl gel, insect repellent, hydro-cortisone anti/itch cream for when you get bitten anyway, and calamine lotion (nothing more comforting to children because they can see it and it smells comforting too), ACE bandages---in a variety of widths and lengths, Mentholatum---because NOTHING is better for chapped lips, AND cotton balls, swabs, gauze, tape, and every size of "Band Aid" known to exist.

Even though my sister and I are both in our late 30's, Santa still fills our stockings each Christmas. Instead of toys, we get all our medicine cabinet staples so we have fresh drugs each year:
-Nyquil-D (the real stuff - ask the pharmacist)
-Dayquil
-Theraflu
-Sudafed
-Airborne
-Emergen-C
-Tums
-Tylenol
-Aspirin
-Chloraseptic
-Halls
-Robitussin

I also keep assorted Band-Aids, a thermometer, hydrogen peroxide, Neosporin, Ace bandages, and vitamins in there.

Hydrogen peroxide
Bandages
Advil
Asprin
Sudafed
Neosporin
Halls
Nyquil-D or the CVS equivalent
Tweezers
Nail clippers
Acepromazine (for my doggie when he's stressed)
Allergy eye drops
Hydro-cortisone cream
Benadryl

I have one tall storage cabinet in the bathroom and like to keep it minimal too. I found that these cover pretty much all that ails my hubby and I:

motrin
tylenol PM
excedrin migrane
tums
vitamin C
allergy med
neosporin
bandaids
sore throat spray
nasal spray
aloe vera
sunblock
a few types of teas

As far as those cold and flue syrups I probably do have a few half empty and probably expired ones tucked away but I find that I can't stand taking them - yucky taste and drugged feeling. I find a combo of throat-coat tea (or noodle soup) and tylenol PM does the trick for me.

hmmm, I don't keep any "medicine" in my medicine cabinet. I keep all the lotions and potions of daily life: deodorant, hair product, facial lotion, etc.

Tylenol and Advil (I buy the huge generic bottles of the stuff, they usually expire in 3 years, and are a lot cheaper.)

Nail polish remover and cotton balls

neosporin (cuts) and hydrocortisone (rashes)

anti-baby pills (oral contraceptive)

cuticle cream

left over pain meds from oral surgery 5 years ago.

Ditto on zhenpoo- We keep it all in the kitchen

Advil
Benadryl
Nyquil
Dayquil
Emergen-C
Echinacea
Zinc
Antacids
Emu Oil (for scar reduction)

The only thing that stays in the bathroom is the perscription allergy meds that are used first thing in the morning and just before bed.

This is actually a suggestion, but I recomend to any female to keep some yeast infection stuff and Uristat for UTIs. Seriously, that is when you don't want to do anything but cry in pain (or itch inappropirately) let alone brave whomever you might see at the chemist's. Hell, split a package of Uristat with some friends, the cost will be less than $2 and if you need it, you will be glad its there.

To me, small bottles of lavender and tea tree essential oil are, well, essential!

My aunt used to keep marbles in her medicine cabinet so she would know when guests were snooping during her dinner parties (as they would come crashing to the floor when the door was opened)! I always get a kick out of this thought and it's taught me not to look in people's cabinets!

After the last earthquake we had, I just spent the past month acquiring or adding the items below. I also don't keep them in the bathroom but inside the storage bench in my breakfast nook-the area in my house that looks to have the least amount of debirs to contend w/should there be sever damage.

Antibiotic ointment
Extra prescriptions for all family members, as well as children's aspirin and other age-specific over the counter medications
Diarrhea medication
Eye drops
Cold/Cough medicine
Benadryl
Insect repellent
Ear and nose drops
Hydrogen peroxide
Skin disinfectant spray
Band-Aids
Latex gloves
Surgical mask
Instant heat and cold packs
Ace bandages
Butterfly bandages
Gauze pads
Cotton swabs
Adhesive tape
Sterile bandage rolls
Triangular bandage for a sling
Tongue depressors
Splint material
Spray bottle with 10% bleach solution for disinfecting

I have the usual suspects (Advil, allergy tablets, Rolaids) in a cabinet in the kitchen and a drawer in the linen closet for everything else. We couldn't survive without Arnica ointment for bumps and bruises and Oscillococcinum for colds and flu.

I didn't calm down after 9/11 until I moved back to CA, but to somewhat come down off the ceiling, I didn't feel better until I got together my "earthquake kit" for home and work. It made me think I had some kind of control over my destiny, even though that was probably delusional, it still calmed me down, because even wine wasn't working.

Being prepared was a good thing. Now I really need it, living on a pile of sand, with one street to get us all off that strip!

Please not while reading this... my partner works in industry and plays cricket and competative rugby each week... we get a lot of minor (and not so minor) injuries in our house...

- panadol migraine pain
- panadol normal strength
- gastrolyte (due to recent outbreak of gastro)
- band aids
- snake bite kit
- cold/flu day/night tablets
- allergy tablets
- asthma medication
- bandages

And finally the GREATEST medicine cabinet product of all time...

- PARADERM (the most amazing burn, graze, cut, swelling, pimple, ouchy cream ever created! Antiseptic, antifungal, anti-inflamitory and anaesthetic! Amazing on exzema!)