BoomerGirl Diary

Dear Crabby:

I have some medicine in my cabinet that is a little over a year old. I am wondering if it is still safe to use it, and if not, how I should get rid of it. Any suggestions?

Medminder

Dear Meddie:

I’m glad you asked this question! Crabby is … well, organizationally challenged, to say the least. That is: a collector. A packrat. A keeper-of-things. A-let’s-just-say-that-if-she-wasn’t-allergic-to-them-she-would-be-a-crazy-cat-lady type of person.

(It’s not really that bad, but my husband complains nonetheless.) The point is, that sometimes I look in the medicine cabinet and find some medicine whose expired-by date is printed in Roman numerals. So, do I blithely open this container and take II tablets IV times quaque die and call my physick in the ante meridiem? NO! Some medicines are merely ineffective past their expiration date, and some degrade to actually become dangerous in your system. So, you need to look through the old cabinet periodically and purge it like a Roman following an orgy!

Throw out anything past its expiration date, and especially things in liquid form, like eye and ear drops — medicines that can get moldy or can be contaminated from prior infections. But don’t just pitch it in the trash, or even flush it down the toilet. These are medicines, after all, and have activity in the human body. And where does all that stuff you flush down the toilet go? Right back into the water supply, that’s where! The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports traces of hormones, antibiotics, antidepressants and other drugs in our streams, lakes, and rivers. This is a serious issue for wildlife and for us as well. To this end, the Fish and Wildlife Service has partnered with the American Pharmacists Association to help you dispose of old pharmaceuticals. Here are their guidelines, in a nutshell:

• Don't flush old medications unless the patient information packet that comes with a drug specifically advises it (more common with narcotics).

• Crush pills or dissolve them in water; dilute liquid medications, too. Then mix the drugs with kitty litter, coffee grounds or other unappealing materials. Place the mess in a sealed plastic bag and discard.

• Remove and destroy prescription labels before throwing away original containers.

• Find out whether any sites in your community have legal approval to collect and discard consumers' unused medications. Ask your pharmacist!

I personally prefer allowing a hospital or pharmacy to take back old drugs as they will be incinerated and can’t get into our water supply, but the above list provides you with some options that are considered safe.

And remember, you really shouldn’t have extra antibiotics lying around, because you should finish your entire course — otherwise antibiotic resistance might become more of a problem than it already is. I know none of you would do that … I’m just saying. Happy purging, citizens!