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
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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!!! ๐๐ค Love and hugs Lynne xxxx
Crikey Trish, only a boxโโโ, Annie and i have a cupboard๐๐๐. 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 I don't think the dry ones go out of date, or lose their efficacy that much over time. My IBS tablets are well out of date, but they still work.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 think๐๐๐
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With medicines though I usually chuck anything that's opened if it's out of date and unopened items I use if they are a few months out of date.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 I would eat an out of date mince pie or biscuit but I would give a ham sandwich a miss!
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 though๐๐๐๐
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 ....๐๐๐
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.๐คข๐คข๐คข
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! ๐
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. ๐
Not poor as amended.
โข in reply to
Do you mean Pooh Bear .... ๐
โข in reply to
๐ Correct, whish groogle wood leaf tings a lone. ๐
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. ๐ค
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.
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 .... ๐
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.๐ฉโโ๏ธ๐ฉโโ๏ธ๐ฉโโ๏ธ
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 ๐ทโโ๏ธ๐ทโโ๏ธ. ๐คฃ๐คฃ.
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!!
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. ๐
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 ๐คฃ๐คฃ
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.
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 hasnโt 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 ๐คฃ๐คฃ
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