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

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 1:32 am
by obelixtim
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.

Re: Time expired drugs in the house...Shock! horror!

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 1:35 am
by happyhooker
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.

Re: Time expired drugs in the house...Shock! horror!

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 1:39 am
by obelixtim
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 2:07 am
by MrJonno
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

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 2:14 am
by obelixtim
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 2:38 am
by comets
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

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 2:51 am
by MrJonno
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

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 2:56 am
by deadduck
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

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 2:57 am
by deadduck
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

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:19 am
by Glaston
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:22 am
by Frodder
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

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:23 am
by Nolanator
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:58 am
by happyhooker
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

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:03 am
by frillage
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:09 am
by happyhooker
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...........

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:12 am
by CM11
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

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:16 am
by TB63
happyhooker wrote: Thanks I'll look into it. Now when I feel secure crossing London and actually seeing a 76yr old...........
Fatcat recommendation? ..

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:18 am
by happyhooker
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......

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:29 am
by Edinburgh01
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

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:32 am
by AND-y
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

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:32 am
by happyhooker
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.😉

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:34 am
by DragsterDriver
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:37 am
by AND-y
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:38 am
by Edinburgh01
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:46 am
by CM11
c69 wrote:I really don't react at all to dihydrocodiene , unlike my wife who gets off her tits :lol:
Mine took codeine once and promptly flushed the rest such was the effect on her!

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 11:59 am
by Anonymous 1
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 12:23 pm
by Uncle Fester
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 12:33 pm
by MungoMan
c69 wrote:
CM11 wrote:
c69 wrote:I really don't react at all to dihydrocodiene , unlike my wife who gets off her tits :lol:
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:25 pm
by BlackMac
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:27 pm
by bimboman
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:42 pm
by Mr Mike
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/

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:47 pm
by bimboman
:thumbup: ,,

They strike a balance here now.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:54 pm
by frillage
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 4:00 pm
by Mr Mike
bimboman wrote::thumbup: ,,

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).

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 6:22 pm
by Nolanator
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 :lol: :blush:

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 6:38 pm
by Rugby2023
Got any hydroxychloroquine? Might come in handy...

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 6:39 pm
by Short Man Syndrome
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.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 6:42 pm
by Gwenno
obelixtim wrote: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.
A few assumptions there among the transparent bait, I observe, as a quack.
1 Why weren't these drugs returned?
2 When has big pharma ever tried to incentivise opiates for cancer? They are usually pretty cheap, off patent, and their need is already well established. Statins, yes - I am highly suspicious of their involvement in that, and have changed my view.
3 Why would we encourage dependency? We don't get paid for dealing with yet another phone call from yet another patient that managed to 'lose' his diazepam, or dihydrocodeine, but never their blood pressure drugs drugs or inhalers.
4 When you are prescribing opiates for terminal cancer, or more likely an elderly relative dying struggling to breath from covid pneumonia, it is better to overprescribe than run out.
Whether the state or the patient pays for the drugs is irrelevant, and althoughthe arguments for and against state sponsored prescribing is an important topic, it has no bearing on this unless you believe that doctors have no integrity when they prescribe.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 7:14 pm
by bimboman
Gwenno wrote:
obelixtim wrote: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.
A few assumptions there among the transparent bait, I observe, as a quack.
1 Why weren't these drugs returned?
2 When has big pharma ever tried to incentivise opiates for cancer? They are usually pretty cheap, off patent, and their need is already well established. Statins, yes - I am highly suspicious of their involvement in that, and have changed my view.
3 Why would we encourage dependency? We don't get paid for dealing with yet another phone call from yet another patient that managed to 'lose' his diazepam, or dihydrocodeine, but never their blood pressure drugs drugs or inhalers.
4 When you are prescribing opiates for terminal cancer, or more likely an elderly relative dying struggling to breath from covid pneumonia, it is better to overprescribe than run out.
Whether the state or the patient pays for the drugs is irrelevant, and althoughthe arguments for and against state sponsored prescribing is an important topic, it has no bearing on this unless you believe that doctors have no integrity when they prescribe.

The biggest issue I’ve heard was a friends Ill mum was blue lighted a number of times with the ambulance crew taking in her medication, which by regulation was thrown away and a replacement prescription written every time.

Re: Time expired prescribed drugs in the house...Shock! horr

Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:23 pm
by obelixtim
Gwenno wrote:
obelixtim wrote: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.
A few assumptions there among the transparent bait, I observe, as a quack.
1 Why weren't these drugs returned?
2 When has big pharma ever tried to incentivise opiates for cancer? They are usually pretty cheap, off patent, and their need is already well established. Statins, yes - I am highly suspicious of their involvement in that, and have changed my view.
3 Why would we encourage dependency? We don't get paid for dealing with yet another phone call from yet another patient that managed to 'lose' his diazepam, or dihydrocodeine, but never their blood pressure drugs drugs or inhalers.
4 When you are prescribing opiates for terminal cancer, or more likely an elderly relative dying struggling to breath from covid pneumonia, it is better to overprescribe than run out.
Whether the state or the patient pays for the drugs is irrelevant, and althoughthe arguments for and against state sponsored prescribing is an important topic, it has no bearing on this unless you believe that doctors have no integrity when they prescribe.
They were basically put in the cabinet and forgotten about. The understanding that if returned they had to be destroyed anyway.

Big pharma has a reputation (justified or not) of pushing doctors to prescribe their products rather than investigating the use of alternatives. Most doctors won't consider alternative treatments.

Not saying they encourage dependency, just saying dependency seems to be a result of over prescribing. Some people think a pill is vital to sustain life, whatever the ailment, or even when there is no ailment. If people "lose" their diazepam, the simple answer is, they don't need it. You can refuse to give it to them you know."You've had your quota for the month". Too many people rely on a pill, when healthy eating and a bit of exercise would do wonders. Too many hypochondriacs in our society.

Agree with number 4 pretty much, but it seems to be a lot of money is wasted in the health system, which could perhaps be better spent.