Are you unable to leave the open plan area to take them?

is there a particular reason you don't want to be seen taking medicine? Other than a sense of standing out?

@Borgh I work with a few really nosy people. Like they'll stand behind you without you knowing and read your email over your shoulder.

Can you add a location flag? (Most) employers in the US are required to provide private spaces for nursing mothers to expel breastmilk or other similar needs. It's common for people to use these for taking medication where I've worked: dol.gov/whd/nursingmothers/faqBTNM.htm Your employer may already have a space for this purpose that you're not aware of.

Why not use the Bathroom ?

@Hilmar because that is ridiculous, its not contraband that you need to hide.

@Hilmar because then it feels like I'm doing something wrong, and it's also disgusting.

Lots of good answers already, but a general note to add: the more oddly and secretively you act about this, the weirder you're going to make the situation appear. If it's not a medication you want to specifically hide, your desk should be fine. If you do want to hide it, then the bathroom is appropriate. It can't be weird and normal at the same time-- identify your feelings, and act accordingly.

@SaggingRufus Maybe this is a cultural difference or something, but the bathroom seems like the perfect place for this (if you're not comfortable doing it at your desk). What exactly do you see wrong with using the bathroom? It's the go-to place for personal business like this... I would never even considering asking—I'd just go straight to the bathroom. Problem solved.

If your coworkers are particularly nosy about your personal matters, then I would consider discussing with your Manager or HR about that. Don't they have their own work to be doing?

one of my coworkers in open-office has several prescription med bottles (the orange ones with labels) on their desk; another one stockpiles some supplements.

Not a comment about pills but rather nosy coworkers - the easiest way to fight gossip is to not hide anything. "Yeah, I have [condition that requires pills]." Maybe they spend a day spreading it around, but the more people you tell the more people go "Yeah, Pasc has CTRP. So what?"

@only_pro Agreed. I have been going to be bathroom in order to phone privately. To be fair our bathrooms are really clean. Maybe other people are at companys with bathrooms that makes you shiver thinking about taking meds there.

@PascLeRasc Do you commonly feel like you are doing something wrong when you go into the bathroom?

One important thing left out - what kind of procedure do you have to go through to take your medication? Inhale? Inject something? Prepare something?

In your office, where do you normally go to take a drink?

Related to @Harper 's comment... what do you do if you have a headache and need to take some aspirin? IF "taking your medicine" consists of swallowing a pill, your coworkers would have to be mighty nosy in order to identify the exact type of pill you're taking (particularly if it's not from a giant prescription bottle labelled "PascLeRasc's CTRP Meds")

Note: Trying to conceal an otherwise perfectly legitimate medication is a good way to make others believe it's illegitimate. I understand public medication can be uncomfortable, but I'd imagine your manager sitting you down to talk about rumors of your drug problem is worse.

Do you or others eat at your desks in this office? Oral medication is just the same.

Don't your company have a sick bay ?

in sick bay you may also have your own place to safely store the medicine if they need to store in certain temperature conditions.