Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horror!

obelixtim · Post by **obelixtim** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 1:32 am

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.

happyhooker · Post by **happyhooker** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 1:35 am

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.

obelixtim · Post by **obelixtim** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 1:39 am

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.

Yep, most long forgotten.

Most have a shelf life of 2 or 3 years. They would still work, just not quite so quickly, apparently.

MrJonno · Post by **MrJonno** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 2:07 am

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

obelixtim · Post by **obelixtim** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 2:14 am

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

These ones were painkillers.

Never liked or taken antibiotics. Weaken the immune system I reckon.

comets · Post by **comets** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 2:38 am

drugs don't actually expire. they all probably worked though some not as strong anymore...

MrJonno · Post by **MrJonno** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 2:51 am

obelixtim wrote:
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
These ones were painkillers.

Never liked or taken antibiotics. Weaken the immune system I reckon.

Facts won't save anyone from the revolution

deadduck · Post by **deadduck** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 2:56 am

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

deadduck · Post by **deadduck** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 2:57 am

comets wrote:drugs don't actually expire. they all probably worked though some not as strong anymore...

A lot of the time the shelf life is for the packaging too

Glaston · Post by **Glaston** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:19 am

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.

Frodder · Post by **Frodder** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:22 am

comets wrote:drugs don't actually expire. they all probably worked though some not as strong anymore...

That statement has a little credibility for solid state tablets but not for other forms e.g. liquids

Nolanator · Post by **Nolanator** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:23 am

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

Hah, same with my grandad. Think they're still about somewhere.

happyhooker · Post by **happyhooker** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:58 am

Nolanator wrote:
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
Hah, same with my grandad. Think they're still about somewhere.

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"

It was one of the things that I was meant to sort out this Easter

frillage · Post by **frillage** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:03 am

happyhooker wrote:
Nolanator wrote:
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
Hah, same with my grandad. Think they're still about somewhere.
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"

It was one of the things that I was meant to sort out this Easter

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 · Post by **happyhooker** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:09 am

frillage wrote:
happyhooker wrote:
Nolanator wrote:
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
Hah, same with my grandad. Think they're still about somewhere.
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"

It was one of the things that I was meant to sort out this Easter
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.

Thanks I'll look into it. Now when I feel secure crossing London and actually seeing a 76yr old...........

CM11 · Post by **CM11** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:12 am

Interestingly, as part of our lock down laws, pharmacists have been given special dispensation to dispense out of date medication, as per their discretion.

TB63 · Post by **TB63** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:16 am

happyhooker wrote: Thanks I'll look into it. Now when I feel secure crossing London and actually seeing a 76yr old...........

Fatcat recommendation? ..

happyhooker · Post by **happyhooker** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:18 am

TB63 wrote:
happyhooker wrote: Thanks I'll look into it. Now when I feel secure crossing London and actually seeing a 76yr old...........
Fatcat recommendation? ..

Well he does live quite close and she's recently single......

C69 · Post by **C69** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:21 am

My mother gave me about 6 packs of df118 which is nice

Edinburgh01 · Post by **Edinburgh01** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:29 am

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.

AND-y · Post by **AND-y** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:32 am

Finding free morphine and chucking it away, my past self is horrified at your post.

happyhooker · Post by **happyhooker** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:32 am

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.

Junkies gonna junkie.

DragsterDriver · Post by **DragsterDriver** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:34 am

AND-y wrote:Finding free morphine and chucking it away, my past self is horrified at your post.

My current self thinks a couple of diazepam would be a nice touch.

AND-y · Post by **AND-y** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:37 am

DragsterDriver wrote:
AND-y wrote:Finding free morphine and chucking it away, my past self is horrified at your post.
My current self thinks a couple of diazepam would be a nice touch.

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.

Edinburgh01 · Post by **Edinburgh01** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:38 am

happyhooker wrote:
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.
Junkies gonna junkie.

In Edinburgh Trainspotting is regarded as a documentary.

C69 · Post by **C69** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:44 am

I really don't react at all to dihydrocodiene , unlike my wife who gets off her tits

CM11 · Post by **CM11** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:46 am

c69 wrote:I really don't react at all to dihydrocodiene , unlike my wife who gets off her tits

Mine took codeine once and promptly flushed the rest such was the effect on her!

Anonymous 1 · Post by **Anonymous 1** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:59 am

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

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.

C69 · Post by **C69** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 12:03 pm

CM11 wrote:
c69 wrote:I really don't react at all to dihydrocodiene , unlike my wife who gets off her tits
Mine took codeine once and promptly flushed the rest such was the effect on her!

Strange isn't it. Opiates just do the pain relief for me nowt else.

Uncle Fester · Post by **Uncle Fester** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 12:23 pm

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.

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.

MungoMan · Post by **MungoMan** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 12:33 pm

c69 wrote:
CM11 wrote:
c69 wrote:I really don't react at all to dihydrocodiene , unlike my wife who gets off her tits
Mine took codeine once and promptly flushed the rest such was the effect on her!
Strange isn't it. Opiates just do the pain relief for me nowt else.

Different folk, different etc.

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.

BlackMac · Post by **BlackMac** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:25 pm

frillage wrote:
happyhooker wrote:
Nolanator wrote:
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
Hah, same with my grandad. Think they're still about somewhere.
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"

It was one of the things that I was meant to sort out this Easter
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.

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.

bimboman · Post by **bimboman** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:27 pm

AND-y wrote:
DragsterDriver wrote:
AND-y wrote:Finding free morphine and chucking it away, my past self is horrified at your post.
My current self thinks a couple of diazepam would be a nice touch.
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.

Not any more Andy, they’re way more careful.

Mr Mike · Post by **Mr Mike** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:42 pm

bimboman wrote:
AND-y wrote:
DragsterDriver wrote:
AND-y wrote:Finding free morphine and chucking it away, my past self is horrified at your post.
My current self thinks a couple of diazepam would be a nice touch.
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.

Not any more Andy, they’re way more careful.

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.

https://freakonomics.com/podcast/opioids-part-1/

bimboman · Post by **bimboman** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:47 pm

,,

They strike a balance here now.

frillage · Post by **frillage** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:54 pm

BlackMac wrote:
frillage wrote:
happyhooker wrote:
Nolanator wrote:
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
Hah, same with my grandad. Think they're still about somewhere.
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"

It was one of the things that I was meant to sort out this Easter
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.
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.

https://disposalknowhow.com/inter-care-medicines/

Would need to check your gp or contact them to find one near that offers the service.

Mr Mike · Post by **Mr Mike** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 4:00 pm

bimboman wrote: ,,

They strike a balance here now.

I’m culturally biased of course, but I do like the pragmatic harm mitigation approach the Brits take on that and vaping (another podcast).

Nolanator · Post by **Nolanator** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 6:22 pm

happyhooker wrote:
Nolanator wrote:
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
Hah, same with my grandad. Think they're still about somewhere.
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"

It was one of the things that I was meant to sort out this Easter

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.
My dad and his siblings were joking with my granny that she'd be able to get off her tits if she wanted v

Rugby2023 · Post by **Rugby2023** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 6:38 pm

Got any hydroxychloroquine? Might come in handy...

Short Man Syndrome · Post by **Short Man Syndrome** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 6:39 pm

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.

Harry Hill wrote:The trouble with heroin is that it’s very moreish

I make sure to tell anyone of an inquisitive nature that heroin is a terrible, awful, foul experience which they would not enjoy.

My late father left a great deal of palliative opiates which I assured my mother I would dispose of.