How often do you check medication expi... - British Liver Trust

British Liver Trust

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How often do you check medication expiry dates?

โ€ข87 Replies

Good Morning all

I'm not proud to admit this!

This morning I was checking my medical box for some Strepsils as hubby's suffering with the dreaded man flu chesty cold bug which hubby's calling it!

Well I opened my medical box to find 3 box's of Strepsils! I gave Derek the opened box along with another saving him having to search for another box later. On my return to our bedroom Derek highlighted the expiry date of 2015 on both box's ! This was shocking news being a ex nurse.... lucky for me the 3rd box was in date until Sept 2020 ...phew......

Later today I shall be checking all other medication expiry dates from around the house!

Can anyone else say I'm not the only person to screw up here?

Shropshire Lass

PS

The scary thing is what could have happened if he'd not checked thos medication date! Emmmmm! However bring an over the shelf purchase I'm guessing it wouldnt have done major harm but will definately check into this....

87 Replies
โ€ข

Hi

I'm just as bad!!! Not just with meds, we found some vinegar, expired December 2015!! We used to laugh about Dave's Mum aby his old stuff in her cupboard was!! We are just as bad. We will be sorting cupboards out later!!! ๐Ÿ˜˜๐Ÿค— Love and hugs Lynne xxxx

Laura009 profile image
Laura009โ€ข in reply to

Dont worry Lynne. Vinegar doesn't go off. It can be used way beyond it's shelflife because it's acid ! ๐Ÿ˜€

โ€ข in reply toLaura009

Thanks, why does it have a date in the bottle then ?!? Xxxx

Laura009 profile image
Laura009โ€ข in reply to

God knows ! Probably by law everything has to. Even cosmetics x

โ€ข in reply to

Lucky me! It was only the over the shelf Strepils out of date! Phew! Tins we're checked earlier in the year !

For some reason I never knew throat lozenges had expiry date hence not checking ! ๐Ÿ‘ŽAll others meds normally checked every year!!!! ๐Ÿ˜

Love Trish

ThreeSmiles profile image
ThreeSmilesโ€ข in reply to

You sure you weโ€™re a nurse? ๐Ÿ˜€๐Ÿ˜€๐Ÿ˜€๐Ÿ˜€๐Ÿ˜€

โ€ข in reply toThreeSmiles

Whooooooooo now that's definately a naughty comment! I could load photo as proof in nurse's outfit !!!! Lol ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜

ThreeSmiles profile image
ThreeSmilesโ€ข in reply to

Oh dear - missed my SOH again. Study text closely hehehe then you can swear at me for being a pedantic so and so ๐Ÿ˜€

โ€ข in reply toThreeSmiles

Oh my Miles, I think my SOH needs some work , so I failed this time ... I was joking so I'm giving myself ๐Ÿ‘Žlol

๐Ÿ™„

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply toThreeSmiles

Miles, repeat after me....must try harder๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply toThreeSmiles

Oh Miles, their the worst..... well my one is anyway๐Ÿ˜Š, I expect that's why she chose me๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ

ThreeSmiles profile image
ThreeSmilesโ€ข in reply todavianne

OK David - got me whatโ€™s this one in response to?

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply toThreeSmiles

Sorry Miles, I've forgotten๐Ÿค”๐Ÿค”๐Ÿค”

ThreeSmiles profile image
ThreeSmilesโ€ข in reply todavianne

Hahahaha love it ๐Ÿ‘

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply to

Trish,

I've got a sell by date, and I'm well past that, so I'm off to the bin now๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ

โ€ข in reply todavianne

Cream I guess? ๐Ÿค”

โ€ข in reply to

Harder to swallow tins of the shelf. Not good for a Sore throat either? ๐Ÿ˜œ

davianne profile image
davianne

Crikey Trish, only a boxโ“โ“โ“, Annie and i have a cupboard๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š. I never bother checking meds.....only for when i have to re-order. I don't think the dry ones go out of date, or lose their efficacy that much over time. My IBS tablets are well out of date, but they still work. Even food is given a supersafe expiry date, just last night I had a mince pie that was 5 days over, and I'm feeling OK.......I think๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š

alfredthegreat profile image
alfredthegreatโ€ข in reply todavianne

Manufacturers cover themselves with the use by and sell by dates.

Many things are fine past their dates such as pickles and relishes. When you think that they have opened tins of corned beef dished out as rations in the second world war and they have been perfectly edible :-) :-)

With medicines though I usually chuck anything that's opened if it's out of date and unopened items I use if they are a few months out of date.

With food items it's down to common sense isn't it? I would eat an out of date mince pie or biscuit but I would give a ham sandwich a miss! :-) :-)

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply toalfredthegreat

Your right Alf, they want you to buy again. My IBS meds are in a bubble tray, so, in effect, they are sealed until I pop one out. It's not one I take regularly, so they are not fresh when I take them......but they still work.

As you say, meat products are a totally different ball game though๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‚

โ€ข in reply toalfredthegreat

Hang your pheasants, 21 day mature steak. Cheese Gordon Ramsay blue?

alfredthegreat profile image
alfredthegreatโ€ข in reply to

I was told hang a pheasant until you see maggots in the eyes. That's enough to put me off eating it altogether! :-( :-(

โ€ข in reply toalfredthegreat

Me too Alf!

๐Ÿ‘

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply to

Dogs eat rancid meat given half a chance.

โ€ข in reply todavianne

Wuff anything. ๐Ÿคญ

โ€ข in reply todavianne

Strays maybe !

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply to

Not just strays....Teddy loves tripe......smells vile ๐Ÿคข๐Ÿคข๐Ÿคข

โ€ข in reply todavianne

Oh my, there's nothing on this planet that would make me cook tripe or even entertain the smell ! This is a big NO in my home! I bet Teddy loves all meats ....๐Ÿ–๐Ÿ–๐Ÿ–

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply to

Oh No Trish, I don't cook raw tripe, it comes as just one of the flavours in his cartons of dog food......I only smell it when preparing his meals.๐Ÿคข๐Ÿคข๐Ÿคข

โ€ข in reply todavianne

Your forgiven then ! My dad used to cook and the smell and look turned my stomach which I'll never forget and of course you can imagine I avoided being at home! ๐Ÿ‘Ž

ThreeSmiles profile image
ThreeSmilesโ€ข in reply toalfredthegreat

Why ham freddy? I would give egg a miss but not ham....?? But I know nothing.....

alfredthegreat profile image
alfredthegreatโ€ข in reply toThreeSmiles

Well not just ham but any sliced meat for sandwiches which is 5 days out of date :-( :-(

Mince pies or biscuits would be fine :-) :-)

ThreeSmiles profile image
ThreeSmilesโ€ข in reply toalfredthegreat

Oh yes 5 days - I thought you meant 1 day ๐Ÿ˜€

โ€ข in reply todavianne

Hi David

I think there's a difference between days/weeks and out of date by years.

I too never bother about food dates either but I'm sensible especially with sea food and chicken ๐Ÿ˜

Yummy mince pies ...I bet you really enjoyed em too! Did you have double cream on? Yum

๐Ÿ˜Š

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply to

'Fraid not Trish, just caramel and chocolate ice cream.....even better๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿ˜‹

โ€ข in reply todavianne

Caramel ice cream with a mince pie yum, but chocolate ice cream does not set my taste buds dancing so this gets a ๐Ÿ‘Ž๐Ÿ˜Š

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply to

No Trish, sorry I should have said caramel and vanilla with actual chocolate dribbled on top, so super yummee. ๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿ˜‹

โ€ข in reply todavianne

Now that sounds yum ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ‘

โ€ข in reply to

Got to be Pooh Bear, a mix of Vanilla ice cream and Honeycomb. Maud's are the largest producer of dairy ice cream here. Champion of champions. I scream, you scream, everybody scream. ๐Ÿ™„

Not poor as amended.

โ€ข in reply to

Do you mean Pooh Bear .... ๐Ÿ˜Š

โ€ข in reply to

๐Ÿ‘ Correct, whish groogle wood leaf tings a lone. ๐Ÿ™„

& Stop auto correcting.

โ€ข in reply to

Ha! Ha! Touche

๐Ÿ˜€

ThreeSmiles profile image
ThreeSmilesโ€ข in reply to

In ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ง We used to say I scream you scream we all scream........for ice cream - Variation on a theme eh feckle ๐Ÿ˜€๐Ÿ‘

โ€ข in reply toThreeSmiles

Backstreet Boys sing "Everybody."

Yes your correcto๐Ÿ˜ต - it's Everybody likes ice cream, but

We do not normally use all to mean everybody/everyone:

โ€ข Everybody enjoyed the party, (not 'All enjoyed...')

โ€ข He thinks he knows everything, (not 'he knows all')

Whatever lol. ๐Ÿ˜œ

ThreeSmiles profile image
ThreeSmilesโ€ข in reply to

No idea what youโ€™re talking about but hey ho - nothing unusual there! Always good for a laugh ๐Ÿ‘

โ€ข in reply toThreeSmiles

To say of what is that it is not, or of what is not that it is, is false, while to say of what is that it is, and of what is not that it is not, is true. ๐Ÿค”

alfredthegreat profile image
alfredthegreatโ€ข in reply to

What?

โ€ข in reply toalfredthegreat

Sometimes I'm confused by what I think is really obvious. But what I think is really obvious obviously isn't obvious. ๐Ÿ™„

โ€ข in reply toalfredthegreat

Truth - Simple English

Truth is what is real. A thing is true if it is a fact. The English word truth is from Old English trรญewรพ, trรฉowรพ, trรฝwรพ, Middle English trewรพe.

An Aristotle quote. ๐Ÿค”

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply to

It is Trish......I've just had some๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿ˜‹

โ€ข in reply todavianne

Brainiac freeze ๐Ÿ˜œ

โ€ข in reply to

Serves you right for gulping! ๐Ÿ˜จ

โ€ข in reply todavianne

Re My medical box's ! I have two which are 20"x 20" x 6" plus my bedside drawer plus medical boxs in both cars ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply to

Ooooooh, I can top that.....I have a spare house just for the meds....so there๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ˜‰

โ€ข in reply todavianne

Ok you win๐Ÿ‘so there back ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply to

No you win Trish, I was fibbing๐Ÿ˜Š

โ€ข in reply todavianne

Thank you for being honest ! ๐Ÿค—

โ€ข in reply todavianne

Your TARDIS Dr Who? ๐Ÿ™„

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply to

More like Dr What๐Ÿ˜‰

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply to

Forgot to say.......Hypochondriac ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ

โ€ข in reply todavianne

I'm well stocked with bandages, slings, neck braces, plasters and creams etc etc, so if you run out just let me know and I'll send you some over .... ๐Ÿ™„

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply to

Annie's got a surgical bag with all sorts of lethal instruments and potions in it. She is the go to person in the village, if anyone needs medical treatment.๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€โš•๏ธ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€โš•๏ธ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€โš•๏ธ

ThreeSmiles profile image
ThreeSmilesโ€ข in reply todavianne

Why isnโ€™t your tag daviannie David? ๐Ÿ˜‘

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply toThreeSmiles

I don't know Miles. She's only Annie to her friends....to me she's Anne๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ˜‰. Trust you to spot that๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š

ThreeSmiles profile image
ThreeSmilesโ€ข in reply todavianne

Oopps sorry me being a PITA again ๐Ÿ˜•

โ€ข in reply to

SAS Lass - Shropshirelass Ambulance Service. ๐Ÿ˜‡

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply to

Did you say ambulance? has it got blues and twosโ“โ“โ“

โ€ข in reply to

Maybe a team of two's and blue's in the making!!!!!! ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚

โ€ข in reply to

Love reply

SAS Lass ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ

Laura009 profile image
Laura009

Medication can still be effective up to 10 years beyond the expiry date although some potency may have diminished

Laura009 profile image
Laura009

Ps but l wouldnt risk it !

davianne profile image
davianneโ€ข in reply toLaura009

Laura, I used to drink 12 year old Malt, and look what it did to me ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š,

But I'm OK with taking out of date meds.

โ€ข in reply toLaura009

Condoms would be another for many, I would think. Best to check.

Kristian profile image
Kristian

The difference between "use by" and "best before". I understand if you are beyond the "use by" date then chuck it away. I suspect that's down to the time bacteria has had to grow on it.

If its past the "best before" date then it just means it'll no longer be at its prime, may be less tasty or effective but should, within reason of course, still be ok to eat or use.

Its surprising what things this applies to. Foodstuffs is an obvious one, but not forgetting of course sun protection cream. That's one that also should be checked as it becomes less effective with age. Something else you should use before its best before date to be certain you are getting the stated level of protection. Very important for those post transplant or on other immune suppressing meds for other conditions.

It also applies to hard hats in the construction industry too ๐Ÿ‘ทโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿ‘ทโ€โ™€๏ธ. ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ.

โ€ข in reply toKristian

I'm impressed Kristian..... re your hard hat comment! Not many people are aware of that point, I was being in construction!

๐Ÿ˜Š

Kristian profile image
Kristianโ€ข in reply to

I think it applies to motorcycle helmets too. But I may be wrong on that one.

ThreeSmiles profile image
ThreeSmilesโ€ข in reply toKristian

No you are right! M/C should be replaced every three to five years. That is the polycarbonate ones not sure about fibreglass ones.... Note I am not an expert this is just what I remember!!

Kristian profile image
Kristianโ€ข in reply toThreeSmiles

๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ‘

If I'm correct cyclist helmet should be replaced within 3 to 5 years! However if you drop you helmet on a very hard surface its should be replaced anyway. Sunshine can also make hard hats brittle over a long period of time. ๐Ÿ˜

ThreeSmiles profile image
ThreeSmilesโ€ข in reply to

Aha snap Trish! Sorry I didnโ€™t get as far as your post. But we are ditto since materials are probably the same!

โ€ข in reply toThreeSmiles

You maybe correct on helmet specifications possibly being the same but me being me I would have to check as I'm a stickler for reading specifications ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ

Love Techie ๐Ÿ˜

VeeWat profile image
VeeWat

I took a class once from an Abbot Lab virologist. He said any cream, gel, pellet or liquid must be thrown out but a hard tablet could still be used beyond date UNLESS it was a heart med which would lose potency.

Medecin profile image
Medecin

In the world of pharmaceuticals, an American study (NASA) found only ONE antibiotic which became dangerous after 10yrs, the others, at worst, merely lost some of their efficacy.

Strepsils are little more than glorified sweets and old ones are no more than old sweets. Who hasnโ€™t eaten an old boiled sweet from the bottom of your pocket without ill-effects?

Cheers Medecin for your update on the Strepsil ! Unfortunately I threw them away ! However I have munched old sweets in the past! Lol!

Miles ! You asked about my Lemsips, these are all within date as I normally check all medications at least yearly just not the throat lozenges ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ

Trish ๐Ÿ˜

ThreeSmiles profile image
ThreeSmilesโ€ข in reply to

Ummm but you said, quote โ€œIt was only the over the shelf Strepils out of dateโ€.

โ€ข in reply toThreeSmiles

Ok Mr Clever Cloggs! ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ

ThreeSmiles profile image
ThreeSmilesโ€ข in reply to

๐Ÿ˜‚

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