Medicine cabinet blues...

[cmoy]

Hi everyone...

Just thought I would share my saturday night with you.

Last night, I decided that I would go through my medicine cabinet to see what was hiding in there. So, I grabbed a cardboard box, emptied the whole cabinet into box, and went to the living room
to watch t.v. while I sorted.

I probably had 35 to 40 items.

To my horror, only 4 items went back to my cabinet. Everything was way beyond expirey. Some items more than 2 years!

I guess that I should be thankful that we are healthy, but I bet that there was at least $300.00 worth of products that went to the garbage!

How do you stock your medicine cabinet? Do you take a chance and only buy, for example, a cold or cough syrup when someone
becomes ill? Or, do you stock it with the cough syrup, and hope
that you beat the expiry date ?

Thanks......

carol[/B]

[lll]

With just the two of us and the fact that we don't get sick often I just buy as needed. We have cough drops in the drawer but that's it. I have in the past thrown away expired meds like you and yes it does hurt to know you are throwing away money. I might do differently if we had kids though.

[AmyBoz]

I am SO going to be doing this. I think about it every time I am in the bathroom!!!

[Moonrising]

Every September I used to check my cabinet and make sure I had everything I needed - what I figured were essentials to deal with cuts and colds and flus. And this is something I did in the big city as well as this small village. I don't drive so having to walk through the rain or snow was something I didn't want to have to do. I say "used" to do as my finances prevented me from doing it the last couple years.....something that I really regret I couldn't do and now that I am more on track financially, you can be assured that I will get back into the habit as it not only saved me but family members who stayed with me and now tenants.

As to the expiry dates...I don't pay attention. That bottle of Ibuprofin on my shelf is a year past the expiry date and it still works so until it stops I will keep using it. lol The same with the inch of cough syrup that was left.....got me through the beginnings of a cold I had so I could sleep through the night. They may have diminished effectiveness but I won't throw them out. (Course, if I had children I would not take chances with not having full strength medications...but I am an old bird...hehe)

[cmoy]

Thanks Moonrising...

I think that the cabinet got out of control because I do have 3 daughters, and every few months, one of them would need something like a laxative, ointment for a cold sore, etc. They
would use what they needed, and then into the cabinet it would
go.

I don't think 2 year old cough syrup would be very effective. Don't some medicines become dangerous if they are too old?

carol

[Ramona]

We buy as we go and buy Equate brand from WalMart whenever possible.

[Moonrising]

You know...it wouldn't be a bad idea to give your local pharmacist a phone call and ask if you can make an appointment to bring them down to find out their status. I am sure they would be happy to advise you. Especially when you have so much money invested in them.

I know when my father passed away my mother and I made an appointment (just a time when they were not busy) to have them look at his medications. They very gladly took possession of them all so they could dispose of them safely. Those were prescription medications but I am sure that they would check over the counter medications as to their effectiveness or potential dangers. Course, selling stuff is their business so, personally speaking, I would make sure they understood that I couldn't afford to replace the $300.00 worth of medications.

[MaryCarney]

In the fall I buy a bottle of Daquil, a bottle of Nyquil and a jumbo bottle of Ibuprofen. We generally use it up by the time fall rolls around again. Problem is, in Indiana, you cannot buy a bottle of Dayquil and a bottle of Nyquil in the same purchase - trying to thwart the meth manufacturers.

[craftypam]

Just a not to those who want or need to fill their medicine cabinet. The other day we needed an item (non prescription) dh went to the local drugstore. There were 30 tablets for $6.29; I checked online at Sams club the same generic medicine was 400 tablets for $6.00. I'm thinking of getting together with adult kids and splitting bottles of commonly used meds. I have found the price difference quite large at Sams and Costco just between generic and name brand. I have been using generic for years and it all works.

[cmoy]

Craftypam...

I think splitting medications is a fantastic idea!

My middle daughter just moved out in November, so I'm sure she would appreciate a medication "split".

I also will never let my cabinet get out of hand again. I think
that I will do it yearly when it is time to change the batteries in my smoke detectors!

carol

[MaryCarney]

Craftypam...

I think splitting medications is a fantastic idea!

My middle daughter just moved out in November, so I'm sure she would appreciate a medication "split".

I also will never let my cabinet get out of hand again. I think
that I will do it yearly when it is time to change the batteries in my smoke detectors!

carol

Great idea -BUT - if you have little ones, spend a couple bucks and buy some empty child-proof bottles from the pharmacist!

[imagine]

My doctor suggested this when my youngest was little and when Tightwad Gazzette suggested it to I was all for it.

I stock my cabinet with no mixed medicines just single ingredient medications That way I can give them just what they need.
All generic if available
1)One decongestant - (pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine) Sudefed or Sudafed PE
2)expectorants - (Guaifenasin) Mucinex or Robitusin
3)Allergy medicine - there are lots of different kinds
4)a cough suppressant - dextromethorphan Dyselm
5)2 kinds pain releiver/fever reducer- ibuprofen and acetaminophen

I also keep Hydrocortisone cream since we have sensitive rash prone skin in our family.

For some single medicines the bottle has adult and children doaages on it example Dyselm bottle is the same stuff for adults and children just a different dosage. All so the same thing for Robitusin the same bottle had the dosage for adults and children. Liquid Benadryl is the same way.

So I did not need different children and adult ones for those.
And since all or most of the family was using the same bottle it was most often used up before the expiration date.

Also, when I need to rebuy a medicine I look for the longest expiration date.

[cmoy]

Imagine...

Good point on looking for the longest expiration date. I was buying some of my vitamin pills last year, and checked the date on the first bottle I picked up. It was only good for 10 months. I went to the back of the shelf, and voila...a date that was good for 2 years! (although I would have finished the bottle in
3 months, I took the "fresher" one)...

carol

[frugalfranny]

This might help in your decision making...........
you might find that they are still good..........

Drug Expiration Dates — Do They Mean Anything?—The Family Health Guide


I keep things that I know I might need --weekly or whatever---generic allergy drugs and Aleve.........the rest I pretty much buy as needed........and don't throw them out.

The things that have a long life ---band aids ---tape----pain cream, etc...........I keep a supply of and ignore the dates.

[dcompton]

Frugalfranny, that's good information. I knew that the expiration dates functioned the way the article describes, but it was interesting how far beyond those dates we can feel secure using meds.