Ibuprofen: Exp. 06/14. Check.
Chloraseptic lozenges. Exp. 11/2013. Oh ferchrisSAKE--check.
Vicks Inhaler: Exp. Aug/10. Now just one minute--I found it in the back of the medicine cabinet and it was still in its bubble pack with the seal intact--so ... check.
Prescription cough syrup: Discard after 06/20/2008. UNCLE.
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5 comments:
Heh. Prescription cough meds, like with codeine? 6 year old codeine, wonder what that has morphed into by now. No old pharma stuff here but I just cleaned fridge and pantry the other day... found at least one spice cabinet item with 2006 on it. Toss!
Some expired meds are no big deal, but I'd avoid most of 'em. Lots of chemicals get awfully sketchy after a few years.
A classic example is aspirin, which degrades over time and throws off acetic acid. If you've ever sniffed a really old bottle of aspirin, you cannot help but notice the sharp pong of that acid. But what's really scary are the drugs that generate toxic decomposition products that don't announce themselves with a funky aroma.
Erin-
That cough syrup is to be treasured, not discarded! Think of it like the old stale left-over wine they use to make brandy. Or those green creepy-crawler bread crusts that serendipity turned into penicillin. A little Ben-Gay, some tincture of iodine, denatured brake fluid, and powdered paradichlorobenzene, you've got instant vacation.
MR
Late to the exam room but I've become a convert to Zinc. Next time you feel a cold coming on get some Zicam lozenges. I do avoid the nasal spray because people have reported unpleasant side effects but I think the substance has saved me some suffering.
RJ
Thanks for the 411, gents.
Update: This Vick's inhaler? Righteous.
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