Just A Reminder Folks...

[Nada.Leona]

Don't forget to check your medicine cabinets for expired medicines and perscriptions. I was cleaning out my cabinet and found several different over-the-counter medications that expired in 2006! Into the garbage they go!

Also don't forget to check your creams and makeup. Anything over a year old should be chucked! None of us need to wake up with rashes on our skin from expired products!

[FrugalMomof3]

Thanks for the reminder, I did the medicine cabinet, now gotta check my stash of makeup.

[Hollyhandi]

My makeup has to last a t least 3 years or more . Meds I don't take so I don't worry about it.

[PrairieRose]

I read a study by the navy I think (could be wrong about that but it was a branch of the military or just the u.s. military in general...sorry to not have my facts straight here) but it said that after a 10 yr. study or something like that they found that expiration dates made little if any impact on the drug's effectiveness and caused no ill effects from aging. I don't follow the makeup rule either and have never had a problem from it either. Don't mean to be argumentative at all here but I don't think that many people know about the study I mentioned (and I admit I should have known exactly what study, when it came out to post this...sorry about that).

[frugalfriend]

My friend who is a nurse told me that medications might lose some of their effectiveness but are still good beyond the expiration date. I think in most cases it is the manufacturer trying to get us to buy more.

[Neeley]

Thanks for the reminder Naderbug. I always go through my medicine box every three months and it is about time to do it again. My grandfather has been a pharmacist for over 40 years, owned his own pharmacy until a couple of years ago when he went into semi-retirement and is a past president of our state's pharmacutical board. Also my mom has been in the medical field (nursing school and now a certified ophthalmic assistant)since 1975. Both say not to take old medications. The little bit of money I might save by using old meds could not be justified if we got sick or had a bad reaction from it. Our family throws out the old. For us, it is better to be safe than sorry.

I am with you Tracy on the make-up as well. Old mascara can cause eye infections from the bacteria that grows in it and lipsticks and foundations do grow bacteria as well. My mom has had many patients to come in with varying degrees of eye and eyelid infections from using old make-up and from sharing eye make up. Again, it just isn't worth it to me to chance getting an infection to save a buck or two.

But hey, everyone is different and this is just what works for me and mine.

[annymoll]

My makeup has to last a t least 3 years or more . Meds I don't take so I don't worry about it.

My make up lasts forever too!! I don't take meds either so we have saved ourselves some work!!LOL

[brenda67]

I read a study by the navy I think (could be wrong about that but it was a branch of the military or just the u.s. military in general...sorry to not have my facts straight here) but it said that after a 10 yr. study or something like that they found that expiration dates made little if any impact on the drug's effectiveness and caused no ill effects from aging. I don't follow the makeup rule either and have never had a problem from it either. Don't mean to be argumentative at all here but I don't think that many people know about the study I mentioned (and I admit I should have known exactly what study, when it came out to post this...sorry about that).

I had a Nurse tell me that eventually the expiration dates will be lifted from some if not most OTC meds.. Alot of money is made by them putting expiration dates on the medicine so we the consumer throws it out and buy's more not knowing that the product would still be good long past the expiration date.. I do not throw away any medicine's and haven't for 2 years now and haven't noticed any difference in the effectiveness..

[Sari]

I also keep expired meds, but I think old makeup (and its bacteria) definitely needs to be tossed.

[Jayne]

Thanks Nader!!...I cleaned mine out the other week and I had alot of prescription meds that I had been put on and had to be taken back off due to side effects that needed to be disposed of.....Also with the make-up, I have seen first hand a friend who got an eye infection from old make-up..it was not good!!..I try to use mine up, especially mascara!!

[TheRootedNomad]

I don't wear much make-up (foundation, eyeliner, and mascara), and I don't throw out the foundation or the eyeliner. I heat the eyeliner up with the flame of a lighter and then let it cool, the foundation has never given me a problem, and the mascara I buy cheap because I do throw it out if its sat too long. My feeling is if you don't share or use it while you're sick it shouldn't be a problem.....but I'm not a medical expert.

I also keep meds that don't have to be refridgerated past they're experation date. I have had several medical professionals tell me they may get weaker but that's about it. I do generally toss hard pills that are over 5 years old and liquids and gel caps that are over 2 years old. (I started saving meds when I was diagnosed with a chronic condition when I was younger and it took days to get into the doctor for him to give me script)
(not anyone's requirements just what I've set as my ceiling)

That being said we still need to go through my cabinet and get rid of stuff we aren't gonna use and pull what is older toward the front. ....Thanks for the reminder.

[acidcookie]

I never throw away expired products either. They won't become dangerous, and like others have mentioned may just lose effectiveness, though even that is debatable.

[wanderlusting]

Thanks for the reminder!