please return ANY un-used medicines back to the Pharmacy

Why would 'underdeveloped countries' accept out of date medicines we wouldn't take ourselves? Why is this 'brilliant?'

There used to be a way of reusing unopened strips and in-date medications. They were sent to underdeveloped countries. Brilliant. But then, from what I understood, the EU stepped in and banned the practice or put in so much red tape that the GPs (who were organising it) could no longer cope with the bureaucracy. Brilliant.

grannysyb

DH was in hospital recently, and they sent him home with another lot of his regular medication, so we're now a month ahead. We also have four more bottles of oramorph! Does anyone know what I can do with unopened packs of complan type foods?

Offer the complan on Facebook or take to a foodbank?

My hypochondriac friend has enough meds stockpiled to kit out a small branch of Boots.
From migraine to malaria and everything in between. Always a pack on the go and 2 in reserve!
It winds me up so much, that I have to bite my tongue when she talks of getting yet another repeat prescription.
DH used to return from his hospital appointments with a shower gel to use before the next appointment. Many times he told them he had plenty at home, only to be told he had to take a fresh one. I’m still using it and he died in ‘21, so at least it’s been put to good use.

Mt61

I heard once, due to HRT & the PILL, being excreted in urine (thats without flushing pills down the loo) that some fish had duel sex organs 🙄

i think this was first observed about 40 years ago.
it led to all the work to identify EDCs , endocrine disrupting chemicals.
they are in everything, suncream, carpets, food, toys; it's quite hard to avoid any exposure, esp on a budget.

dragonfly46

I wonder how the pharmacists dispose of the medicines.

I heard that unused medication that is still within date is often donated to 3rd world countries.

I save up my unused meds, including non prescription items, and return them once in a while to the pharmacy attached to our GP practice. They seem happy to take them.

last time I did the pharmacist said put it in the bin, because that was exactly what he was going to do with it

In my area we have a problem with returning controlled medications to pharmacies. I'm talking about Morphine derivatives for pain relief, they have to go in a separate disposal bin and we are invariably told 'our bins are full'

Jacob’s Well send things out to Moldova, West Africa where the need is great. Imagine having to use a carrier bag as a colostomy bag?

DH was in hospital recently, and they sent him home with another lot of his regular medication, so we're now a month ahead. We also have four more bottles of oramorph! Does anyone know what I can do with unopened packs of complan type foods?

Please send unused colostomy equipment to: Jacob’s Well Appeal, Jacob’s Well Yard, Swinemoor Lane, Beverley, East Yorks HU17 0JX (01482 881162). They will distribute to others in need.

Plunger

I was given a very large tube of medication that is in short supply for a skin complaint on my face. I had to wait 24hrs plus take it in ointment formula rather than as a cream. I have used less than 1cm of it and on follow up was offered a further prescription. My DSis had a similar situation. Why isn't this medication offered in small tubes? They could easily offer a repeat prescription and save the waste.

Yes I totally agree, so annoying! I was giving 200ml of ointment for a boil 😩

I heard once, due to HRT & the PILL, being excreted in urine (thats without flushing pills down the loo) that some fish had duel sex organs 🙄

A bit of dark humour. After my beloved mother passed away, I was left with two full carrier bags of unopened Laxido which I took back to our local chemist. As I told the assistant what the contents were and she looked in the bag, we both smirked. She said: Thank you and I said Thank you and left the shop.

I was given a very large tube of medication that is in short supply for a skin complaint on my face. I had to wait 24hrs plus take it in ointment formula rather than as a cream. I have used less than 1cm of it and on follow up was offered a further prescription. My DSis had a similar situation. Why isn't this medication offered in small tubes? They could easily offer a repeat prescription and save the waste.

Some years ago I found some very strong pills in an unopened packet on the pavement, as if it has slipped from a pocket or bag,

I took it straightaway to the nearest chemist that I'd never been in so the staff wouldn't have known me, I always used the other chemist not far away, I explained where I'd found it and the assistant was a snotty cow you barked ''this prescription is highly strong, you should take it, the doctor prescribed it for you!''. I snapped that it's not mine, the name and address on the thing isn't mine, I was just handing it in.

THREE TIMES I had to tell her, and 3 times I told her my name and address and which chemist I go too before she finally decided to believe me! I told her next time I won't bother and walked out!

RosiesMaw2

^Remember the three "P's"^
No to Pee, poo,and paper

What do you recommend?

Looks like toilets are redundant then!

Mr C was unstable on warfarin. Dose changed weekly. Inevitably we had a number of unused tablets. Now on a different blood thinner our local pharmacy was happy to dispose of the not needed warfarin. Thanked me for not flushing or putting in the rubbish.

Aveline

We don't 'stockpile' meds. eg I was discharged from hospital three times with strong painkillers which I didnt take.
DH was prescribed a new meds which didnt agree with him so the GP told him to stop taking them etc etc. It happens

You may not stock but I have seen it in my last job, pain killers, gaviscon, creams & pads- could have opened a pharmacy

We don't 'stockpile' meds. eg I was discharged from hospital three times with strong painkillers which I didnt take.
DH was prescribed a new meds which didnt agree with him so the GP told him to stop taking them etc etc. It happens

growstuff

Why do people stockpile medications in the first place? Surely it's easy enough not to tick the box on the repeat medications form (whether paper or online).

Usually the old folk who stock pile the meds & creams

Our Boots also has a bin especially for empty pill popper packaging so it can be recycled.

They wouldn’t accept morphine though when we had some left over from dd’s ski-ing injury - foreign packaging not accepted apparently.

Our local Boots will take back unused tablets as long as they're out of the packets. I suppose that's because they've got the patient's info printed out on them.

The only thing we have stockpiled are covid tests and masks from back when people stockpiled everything, are in what I call my bits and bobs cupboard.
Imagine the tests are out of date now.