Hi - I have a "challenge" for our members. For those of you who don't know who I am - I am Bucky, a staff member here at Sjogren's World and I co-host our Sunday night chat. Through the years, I have issued "challenges" to our members - some examples are we had two, 10-minute challenges to get outside each day; a 1-hr. per day computer challenge; no in-between meal snack challenge; a "me-time" challenge, etc. (you can put the challenge word in the search box to read our previous challenges if you want)
This challenge has to do with checking our medicine cabinet or wherever it is you keep your medicines - to purge those medicines and lotions/creams that have expired. Some times the years fly by and before you know it, the product is a couple years past it's expiration date! :o
Medicine loses it's effectiveness once it goes past the expiration date. They use to tell people to flush pills down the toilet - now, they say not to do that. I know here where I live, the pharmacy will take back expired medicine (has to be in original container) and see that they are disposed of properly.
Not only pills, but anything that comes in a tube (first aid cream, poision ivy cream, A & D Ointment, etc.). I know for myself, that some times I have only used the product once - there is a full tube of it left. However, it expired four years ago!! :o As much as you hate to do it, throw it away and get fresh.
I know I have kept (and used) suntan lotion for years and years . . . did you know they have expiration dates on them? Hmmm, maybe that explains why they were so runny when I tried to use them. ::)
In our current economy, we certainly want to get the most for our money - however, stretching the products we use past their expiration date or freshness can cause us infections or sickness. We don't need either of those!! :D
So, check out your medicine cabinet and get rid of products that have expired, dried up, changed color, changed smell, etc.
Bucky
Thanks, Bucky, for highlighting one of my "pet peeves"......long over expiry medications that people keep around "just in case". Not only should RX meds (especially antibiotics) be used up completely , except of course in the case of adverse effect, you're pharmacy should be aware of any meds they think you are taking that you have stopped...it helps them keep you safe.
I know my pharmacy is stringent about keeping track, and on occasions when I have gotten new scripts for a different type of medication than I have been taking (BP pills are a good example) they are quick to question if I've stopped the original or just added the new one, and if I have stopped, would I please bring in any leftovers for disposal.
While you're checking your meds (RX and OTC) and lotions, please have a glance at any makeup.....I don't use it myself, but I'm a firm believer that any of it should be replaced after 3 months, especially the ones that come in contact with the skin, like lipsticks, applicators and roll ons.
Nope, not me....don't keep any meds longer than I need them; seen people get into trouble keeping them for years on end.
Now all bets are off when it comes to OTC stuff, just can't seem to throw away the bandaids that are so old that they fall apart when you breath on them, the too many suntan lotions (currently have six of them and only use one), the amount of fish oil caps could keep the entire neighborhood kiddies going for a couple of weeks on a slip and slide (yeah, it's that ugly! ;) :D).
Okay, I'll part with the oh so old bandages with only a whimper, a FEW of the suntan lotions (those older than dirt), and will dispose of a couple of containers of fish oil, ugh - this is going to get ugly! :)
Patze
Well, this seems timely since I've been trying to motivate myself to clean the medicine cupboard for 2 weeks. Guess I'll "get to it"!
Like Patze, we're very good about not keeping old prescription meds; the OTC stuff, not so good. I've got potions and lotions that have to go! I found some sunscreen that was 3 years old, and oh yes, some ancient lipstick.
Now I've got a little project for the weekend.
Shhhhhh, don't remind me about the "war paint" (as a parental unit once called it); sure not looking forward to getting rid of that! ;) :D ;D
Patze
Oh my goodness, Bucky you sure know how to issue a challenge. I wasn't even going to weigh in on this one! However there is no concern here about lipstick and such, I'm a true hoarder. My part of the challenge is to ask who finds the oldest stuff that should have gone. I say this because (as I was making room for all the new stuff I am having to use--"gut" stuff, 10 kinds of eyedrops I'm comparing, biotene, baby shampoo, need I say more?) I just came across some Mylanta gelcaps that expired 5/97. Can anyone beat that?
Quote from: hikerknees on July 01, 2011, 06:50:07 AM
My part of the challenge is to ask who finds the oldest stuff that should have gone. I say this because (as I was making room for all the new stuff I am having to use--"gut" stuff, 10 kinds of eyedrops I'm comparing, biotene, baby shampoo, need I say more?) I just came across some Mylanta gelcaps that expired 5/97. Can anyone beat that?
Hikerknees, Hikerknees, Hikerknees . . . . oh yeah, I've got ya beat!! ;D Now, keep in mind, I've "only just begun" the cleaning process in the medicine cabinet (which also translates into dresser drawers, computer desk and other places that pills, etc. tend to be stored ::)).
So far, I've got two really old pill bottles w/pills in them. The Seldane pills are dated Feb, 26,
1990 and the Naprosyn tablets are dated Sept. 11,
1991!! :o Why on earth I'm keeping them? - I have no idea.
These pills, along with whatever else I find in my cleaning, will be turned into the pharmacy to be disposed of properly.
I haven't
EVEN looked in the freezer yet! Yep, I said the freezer. My late MIL, (bless her heart) would keep medicine in the freezer. So . . . I did too! One can only imagine what I'll find there!! ::)
Good Luck everyone with your medicine cabinet cleaning out. It really is not safe for us to keep pills, lotions, makeup, etc. and such that are soooo old. With our compromised immune systems, we surely don't need the added effects of old medicine messing with us!!
Bucky
Quote from: Linda196 on June 30, 2011, 04:27:54 PM
While you're checking your meds (RX and OTC) and lotions, please have a glance at any makeup.....I don't use it myself, but I'm a firm believer that any of it should be replaced after 3 months, especially the ones that come in contact with the skin, like lipsticks, applicators and roll ons.
Linda - I agree on the makeup too.
Last year, I had a post about makeup - in case anyone missed it, here are some of the guidelines on how long you should keep various makeup products:
When was the last time you checked all the makeup that you use? They don't last forever or until they get used up - they do go bad. Unopened, cosmetics can be good for a couple of years at room temperature. Once a product is opened and exposed to air, your fingers, etc., you transfer germs to them. Heat and humidity promotes growth of mold and yeast too. I found the following guidelines about keeping makeup.
* Face Makeup - six months for liquids, two years for powders
* Mascara - three months (and don't "pump" the wand in and out, each time you do that you are putting air and bacteria into the tube)
* Eyeliner and Eye Shadow - Liquid eyeliners, three months; cream eye shadow - six months; pencil eyeliners and powder eye shadows - two years
* Lipstick and Lipliner - Lipstick and gloss, two years; lipliner - two years or more
* Nail Polish - one to two years (avoid storing these in the bathroom)
* Sunscreen - six months
* Hair Products - one year
* Fragrance - two years
I hate to admit how long I've kept some of my makeup. :o Let's just suffice it to say, waaaay too long!! ;) (Keep in mind, this is the same person who has a bottle of pills from 1990 laying around the house!! ::))
Bucky
Bucky,
Thanks for the list of "expiration dates" on makeup. I hate to let it go, too, but I've thrown out a couple eyeshadow pencils I have no idea how old they are. However, I think you and hikerknees definitely have me beat! That's too funny! ;)
I used to love to wear mascara, but that's not an option any longer. Too many problems trying to keep my eye issues under control... I actually thought I had big, pretty blue-green eyes but now they are more squinty and bloodshot. :P Oh, well.
Here's an odd one; I had a few empty pill bottles I kept. The reason for my madness was to take note of when I had antibiotics, etc. and why. Of course, I can get that info. online from my insurance co. So, away with the bottles...so silly.
Here's to "purging" the cabinets!
Nope, hikerknees has me beat too! :D
Patze
Mrs Bucky
Thanks for another brilliant challenge! I haven't found any old meds, but have gutted mymakeup bag. I cn't blieve how disgusting it was, and how long I had kept some of those 'sure to be useful' eye shadows.
Hugs
Kathyx
I found some outdated fish oil capsules. Wonder if they would work to fertilize potted plants????
Bucky, This is a very good challenge. This is about the only thing I am good about cleaning these days. Hubby and are on so much medication that I absolutely have to clean out our boxes 2 times a year. I have a cardboard box for each of our discontinued ot leftover medications.
I always save them for a certain length of time in case we are allergic to or can't tolerate a new drug and have to go back to the old one. They all cost money so I try to save where I can. I do throw a lot and wish that our drug store took the unused drugs. As I nurse I had been flushing the unused medications down the toilet for 40 years and every time I did I would tell someone I had to "go feed the rats". I said that we must have the healthiest rats in the world.
Finally some "genious" figured out that it contaminates the ground water when we flush these meds. I swear that these people with "all the brains (so they think)" are really dangerous. Need more common sense in higher office. Enough of my rant. Irish ;D
OK - my medicine cabinet clean-out is completed. I hate to admit that I found some really old stuff in there. :o Why I was keeping them? - I have no idea!
You remember me talking about the "freezer" medicine? Well, in there I found: two bottles dated April 1988!!! :o One dated 1990, and one dated 1992. Plus the two other bottles I found in my dresser drawer dated 1990 & 1991. ::)
This morning I have to stop by the pharmacy to pick up some medicine and I will take and drop off these six bottles of old medicine plus a bottle of expired vitamins I found.
IF you haven't taken this challenge yet . . . I urge you to check out your medicine cabinet or wherever you store your medicines and check the dates of your medicines. It's amazing how quickly time passes and before you know it, you have an old expired medicine bottle from 1988!! ;)
Bucky
I cleaned mine out,, tore the whole thing off the wall, and we put a new one up,, its completely empty
Mine is done, too. Now, if I remember to do it again in about 6 months...hmmm.
One and only, that's one way to do it. Tear it off the wall! ;)