You probably have a bottle of cough syrup from the flu you had years ago or a tube of antibiotic ointment that expired long before the pandemic. Throwing them out seems wasteful, especially when the medicine is expensive.
But it is dangerous to keep some expired medicines with you. While a stale ibuprofen tablet may not completely cure your headache, other medications may change their chemical structure, grow bacteria or lose the potency needed to save your life.
according to GoodRxThe expiration date is not just a suggestion. This is the date by which the manufacturer guarantees the full efficacy and safety of the drug. After that date has passed, you can take the risk of using it.
Here are some specific items you should remove from your medicine cabinet immediately.
liquid antibiotics
Liquid antibiotics are often prescribed for children or people who cannot swallow pills. Once mixed, these suspensions have a very short shelf life – often only 10 to 14 days.
Once the preservatives are broken down, liquid medications can become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungus.
Using leftover liquid antibiotics for new infections is risky on two fronts. You could be giving yourself a dose of dangerous bacteria, and the antibiotic probably won’t be strong enough to kill your current infection.
eye drops
Eye drops contain preservatives to keep out bacteria, but those preservatives are destroyed over time when you break the seal.
If you use expired eye drops, you may transfer potential bacteria directly to the surface of your eye. This can lead to serious infections like conjunctivitis or even damage your vision.
If the bottle has been open for more than a month or has passed its expiration date, throw it away.
nitroglycerin
If you or a family member has nitroglycerin for chest pain (angina), it is a life-or-death test. Nitroglycerin is extremely unstable. It relies on its chemical ability to quickly open blood vessels during a cardiac event.
These tablets are very sensitive to heat, light and moisture. Once the bottle is opened, the tablets usually last for about six months. An expired Nitroglycerin tablet may fail to work when you need it most.
injection
Like nitroglycerin, injections like EpiPens (epinephrine) or insulin serve important functions where dosing accuracy cannot be compromised.
Studies have shown that EpiPens may retain some potency after expiration. But relying on an expired EpiPen is a gamble you don’t want to take in case of anaphylactic shock. If the mechanism fails or the medicine has worn out significantly, it may not stop the allergic reaction.
Insulin also breaks down quickly, especially if not stored properly, causing blood sugar levels to become uncontrolled.
sunscreen
That half-empty bottle of sunscreen from last summer may feel good, but the active ingredients that block UV rays degrade over time. According to Consumer Reports, this deterioration may occur more quickly if the sunscreen has been exposed to high heat or direct sunlight. They say.
Using expired sunscreen can cause irritation and sun damage. So if you’re at all unsure about how old it is, it’s best to discard it.
How to safely dispose of expired medications
Do not flush old pills down the toilet, as this contaminates the water supply.
Your best option is a drug withdrawal program At a local pharmacy.
If that’s not an option, GoodRx suggestion of Mixing the medicine with an unpleasant substance such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter, sealing it in a plastic bag, and throwing it in the trash. This prevents children or pets from accidentally eating it.