Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horror!
Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horror!
Just cleaned out the medicine cabinet for want of something better to do during lockdown.
Absolutely staggered at the amount of time ex medication I found. From one family member recovering from cancer surgery in 2011, and another from a broken neck in 2016, there were heaps of pain killers, morphine based as well as standard paracetamol and a few others. Filled a large plastic bag with them to return to the chemist for disposal. At least 20 boxes, phials etc, most with 50 or 100 tablets, nearly all unopened.
It brings home the thought how the quacks over prescribe everything, obviously because big pharma gives incentives to do so. All subsidised by the state. Also shows how dependency on medicines is encouraged. What a waste of money.
Its obvious we didn't need all this stuff, as we stopped taking it when the pain went away. In my case I didn't even open some of the packets, always having been averse to taking any sort of pills. I found the painkillers pretty ineffective, even the morh based ones.
Might be an idea for people to have a look in their medicine cabinets to see what is lurking in there.
A group of neighbours could start their own pharmacy I reckon.
Absolutely staggered at the amount of time ex medication I found. From one family member recovering from cancer surgery in 2011, and another from a broken neck in 2016, there were heaps of pain killers, morphine based as well as standard paracetamol and a few others. Filled a large plastic bag with them to return to the chemist for disposal. At least 20 boxes, phials etc, most with 50 or 100 tablets, nearly all unopened.
It brings home the thought how the quacks over prescribe everything, obviously because big pharma gives incentives to do so. All subsidised by the state. Also shows how dependency on medicines is encouraged. What a waste of money.
Its obvious we didn't need all this stuff, as we stopped taking it when the pain went away. In my case I didn't even open some of the packets, always having been averse to taking any sort of pills. I found the painkillers pretty ineffective, even the morh based ones.
Might be an idea for people to have a look in their medicine cabinets to see what is lurking in there.
A group of neighbours could start their own pharmacy I reckon.
- happyhooker
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Re: Time expired drugs in the house...Shock! horror!
I just did similar thing today and found some drugs that I had no idea I still owned.
None of them had a sell by date though.
None of them had a sell by date though.
Re: Time expired drugs in the house...Shock! horror!
Yep, most long forgotten.happyhooker wrote:I just did similar thing today and found some drugs that I had no idea I still owned.
None of them had a sell by date though.
Most have a shelf life of 2 or 3 years. They would still work, just not quite so quickly, apparently.
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
If you get a course prescribed you should finish it. A factor in antibiotic resistance is people starting courses of antibiotics and then stopping as soon as they feel ok.
In the post covid19 new world, people who don't finish their medicine will be first against the wall, withcoughers and huggers
In the post covid19 new world, people who don't finish their medicine will be first against the wall, withcoughers and huggers
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
These ones were painkillers.MrJonno wrote:If you get a course prescribed you should finish it. A factor in antibiotic resistance is people starting courses of antibiotics and then stopping as soon as they feel ok.
In the post covid19 new world, people who don't finish their medicine will be first against the wall, withcoughers and huggers
Never liked or taken antibiotics. Weaken the immune system I reckon.
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
drugs don't actually expire. they all probably worked though some not as strong anymore...
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
obelixtim wrote:These ones were painkillers.MrJonno wrote:If you get a course prescribed you should finish it. A factor in antibiotic resistance is people starting courses of antibiotics and then stopping as soon as they feel ok.
In the post covid19 new world, people who don't finish their medicine will be first against the wall, withcoughers and huggers
Never liked or taken antibiotics. Weaken the immune system I reckon.
Facts won't save anyone from the revolution
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Because my father received palliative care at home we had heaps of hardcore sedatives and painkillers laying about.
My mum wanted to keep them, she was told in no uncertain terms to take them back
My mum wanted to keep them, she was told in no uncertain terms to take them back
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
A lot of the time the shelf life is for the packaging toocomets wrote:drugs don't actually expire. they all probably worked though some not as strong anymore...
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
After my mother died,
There were huge amounts of various Statin pills and other heart medication.
Plus lots of those high food density drinks.
All the morphine pills which was all only a couple of months old which I gave to the chemist .
None of it they could reuse.
Even though she had only had 1 pill out of all the stuff they gave us.
There were huge amounts of various Statin pills and other heart medication.
Plus lots of those high food density drinks.
All the morphine pills which was all only a couple of months old which I gave to the chemist .
None of it they could reuse.
Even though she had only had 1 pill out of all the stuff they gave us.
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
That statement has a little credibility for solid state tablets but not for other forms e.g. liquidscomets wrote:drugs don't actually expire. they all probably worked though some not as strong anymore...
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Hah, same with my grandad. Think they're still about somewhere.deadduck wrote:Because my father received palliative care at home we had heaps of hardcore sedatives and painkillers laying about.
My mum wanted to keep them, she was told in no uncertain terms to take them back
- happyhooker
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Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Mum's still got an alarming amount of drugs left over from dad's death last year. She refuses to throw them away because "that would be a waste"Nolanator wrote:Hah, same with my grandad. Think they're still about somewhere.deadduck wrote:Because my father received palliative care at home we had heaps of hardcore sedatives and painkillers laying about.
My mum wanted to keep them, she was told in no uncertain terms to take them back
It was one of the things that I was meant to sort out this Easter
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Check for inter care charity, some GP surgeries can help. They collect, quality control it and reuse what they can in countries more in need. Might keep mother happy not going to waste.happyhooker wrote:Mum's still got an alarming amount of drugs left over from dad's death last year. She refuses to throw them away because "that would be a waste"Nolanator wrote:Hah, same with my grandad. Think they're still about somewhere.deadduck wrote:Because my father received palliative care at home we had heaps of hardcore sedatives and painkillers laying about.
My mum wanted to keep them, she was told in no uncertain terms to take them back
It was one of the things that I was meant to sort out this Easter
- happyhooker
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Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Thanks I'll look into it. Now when I feel secure crossing London and actually seeing a 76yr old...........frillage wrote:Check for inter care charity, some GP surgeries can help. They collect, quality control it and reuse what they can in countries more in need. Might keep mother happy not going to waste.happyhooker wrote:Mum's still got an alarming amount of drugs left over from dad's death last year. She refuses to throw them away because "that would be a waste"Nolanator wrote:Hah, same with my grandad. Think they're still about somewhere.deadduck wrote:Because my father received palliative care at home we had heaps of hardcore sedatives and painkillers laying about.
My mum wanted to keep them, she was told in no uncertain terms to take them back
It was one of the things that I was meant to sort out this Easter
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Interestingly, as part of our lock down laws, pharmacists have been given special dispensation to dispense out of date medication, as per their discretion.
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Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Fatcat recommendation? ..happyhooker wrote: Thanks I'll look into it. Now when I feel secure crossing London and actually seeing a 76yr old...........
- happyhooker
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Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Well he does live quite close and she's recently single......TB63 wrote:Fatcat recommendation? ..happyhooker wrote: Thanks I'll look into it. Now when I feel secure crossing London and actually seeing a 76yr old...........
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Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
My mother gave me about 6 packs of df118 which is nice 

- Edinburgh01
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Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
A friend of ours who is a nurse stayed with us recently. She has a healthy scepticism for use by dates. Even so, by the time she had gone through our medicine cabinet she had reduced it by half.
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Finding free morphine and chucking it away, my past self is horrified at your post.
- happyhooker
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Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Junkies gonna junkie.Edinburgh01 wrote:A friend of ours who is a nurse stayed with us recently. She has a healthy scepticism for use by dates. Even so, by the time she had gone through our medicine cabinet she had reduced it by half.
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Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
My current self thinks a couple of diazepam would be a nice touch.AND-y wrote:Finding free morphine and chucking it away, my past self is horrified at your post.
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
I'm sure your GP will provide if you haven't guzzled them like candy in the past. Call them up, panic attacks, want something just to put my mind at rest should one occur, don't plan to take them unless absolutely neccesary etc. Don't even have to see them face to face right now.DragsterDriver wrote:My current self thinks a couple of diazepam would be a nice touch.AND-y wrote:Finding free morphine and chucking it away, my past self is horrified at your post.
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Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
In Edinburgh Trainspotting is regarded as a documentary.happyhooker wrote:Junkies gonna junkie.Edinburgh01 wrote:A friend of ours who is a nurse stayed with us recently. She has a healthy scepticism for use by dates. Even so, by the time she had gone through our medicine cabinet she had reduced it by half.
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Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
I really don't react at all to dihydrocodiene , unlike my wife who gets off her tits 

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Mine took codeine once and promptly flushed the rest such was the effect on her!c69 wrote:I really don't react at all to dihydrocodiene , unlike my wife who gets off her tits
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Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
tooth abscess you get 7 days worth of antibiotics. If there were 8 days in a week you'd get 8 days worth. They have normally done their job after 3 days. I keep the 7th days dosage so if I get another one down the road I can control it until i see a dentist.MrJonno wrote:If you get a course prescribed you should finish it. A factor in antibiotic resistance is people starting courses of antibiotics and then stopping as soon as they feel ok.
In the post covid19 new world, people who don't finish their medicine will be first against the wall, withcoughers and huggers
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Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Strange isn't it. Opiates just do the pain relief for me nowt else.CM11 wrote:Mine took codeine once and promptly flushed the rest such was the effect on her!c69 wrote:I really don't react at all to dihydrocodiene , unlike my wife who gets off her tits
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Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Yeah, it's to do with stability studies. Most drugs are on a 3-5 year test cycle and it's not economical to run the study indefinitely. In practice, most drugs would keep a lot longer if stored in cool and dry conditions.CM11 wrote:Interestingly, as part of our lock down laws, pharmacists have been given special dispensation to dispense out of date medication, as per their discretion.
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Different folk, different etc.c69 wrote:Strange isn't it. Opiates just do the pain relief for me nowt else.CM11 wrote:Mine took codeine once and promptly flushed the rest such was the effect on her!c69 wrote:I really don't react at all to dihydrocodiene , unlike my wife who gets off her tits
Codeine makes me feel rather ill. I won’t take it anymore. Oxycodone does an OK painkilling job on me but no buzz. (I had a few packs of different strengths/formulations from a busted leg and a hernia op in 2017 - they lasted well over a year).
Heroin, OTOH, I found very much to my liking. And I’m glad I was so short of dough in my youth that I only bought it a few times.
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Never heard of this at all. We used to hand in bucket loads of the stuff after drugs deaths etc, and I was under the impression that even unopened boxes were destroyed. If true, a very good idea.frillage wrote:Check for inter care charity, some GP surgeries can help. They collect, quality control it and reuse what they can in countries more in need. Might keep mother happy not going to waste.happyhooker wrote:Mum's still got an alarming amount of drugs left over from dad's death last year. She refuses to throw them away because "that would be a waste"Nolanator wrote:Hah, same with my grandad. Think they're still about somewhere.deadduck wrote:Because my father received palliative care at home we had heaps of hardcore sedatives and painkillers laying about.
My mum wanted to keep them, she was told in no uncertain terms to take them back
It was one of the things that I was meant to sort out this Easter
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
AND-y wrote:I'm sure your GP will provide if you haven't guzzled them like candy in the past. Call them up, panic attacks, want something just to put my mind at rest should one occur, don't plan to take them unless absolutely neccesary etc. Don't even have to see them face to face right now.DragsterDriver wrote:My current self thinks a couple of diazepam would be a nice touch.AND-y wrote:Finding free morphine and chucking it away, my past self is horrified at your post.
Not any more Andy, they’re way more careful.
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Freakonomics did an excellent two part look at the Opioid epidemic in the US, including overprescribing and a comparative look at how the UK manages addiction. If anyone finds themselves at home with some time in their hands, it is an interesting listen.bimboman wrote:AND-y wrote:I'm sure your GP will provide if you haven't guzzled them like candy in the past. Call them up, panic attacks, want something just to put my mind at rest should one occur, don't plan to take them unless absolutely neccesary etc. Don't even have to see them face to face right now.DragsterDriver wrote:My current self thinks a couple of diazepam would be a nice touch.AND-y wrote:Finding free morphine and chucking it away, my past self is horrified at your post.
Not any more Andy, they’re way more careful.
https://freakonomics.com/podcast/opioids-part-1/
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

They strike a balance here now.
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
https://disposalknowhow.com/inter-care-medicines/BlackMac wrote:Never heard of this at all. We used to hand in bucket loads of the stuff after drugs deaths etc, and I was under the impression that even unopened boxes were destroyed. If true, a very good idea.frillage wrote:Check for inter care charity, some GP surgeries can help. They collect, quality control it and reuse what they can in countries more in need. Might keep mother happy not going to waste.happyhooker wrote:Mum's still got an alarming amount of drugs left over from dad's death last year. She refuses to throw them away because "that would be a waste"Nolanator wrote:Hah, same with my grandad. Think they're still about somewhere.deadduck wrote:Because my father received palliative care at home we had heaps of hardcore sedatives and painkillers laying about.
My mum wanted to keep them, she was told in no uncertain terms to take them back
It was one of the things that I was meant to sort out this Easter
Would need to check your gp or contact them to find one near that offers the service.
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
I’m culturally biased of course, but I do like the pragmatic harm mitigation approach the Brits take on that and vaping (another podcast).bimboman wrote:,,
They strike a balance here now.
Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
I think he basically had oxi or something similar by the end. Once the GP made the professional call that he was on the final straight, he was able to administer much stronger stuff.happyhooker wrote:Mum's still got an alarming amount of drugs left over from dad's death last year. She refuses to throw them away because "that would be a waste"Nolanator wrote:Hah, same with my grandad. Think they're still about somewhere.deadduck wrote:Because my father received palliative care at home we had heaps of hardcore sedatives and painkillers laying about.
My mum wanted to keep them, she was told in no uncertain terms to take them back
It was one of the things that I was meant to sort out this Easter
My dad and his siblings were joking with my granny that she'd be able to get off her tits if she wanted v


Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
Got any hydroxychloroquine? Might come in handy...
- Short Man Syndrome
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Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr
MungoMan wrote:Heroin, OTOH, I found very much to my liking. And I’m glad I was so short of dough in my youth that I only bought it a few times.
I make sure to tell anyone of an inquisitive nature that heroin is a terrible, awful, foul experience which they would not enjoy.Harry Hill wrote:The trouble with heroin is that it’s very moreish
My late father left a great deal of palliative opiates which I assured my mother I would dispose of.