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Can you return unused prescriptions?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Health & Wellbeing
I have 2 packs of my old pill left after I switched. I was wondering if I could return them to the pharmacy as it seems a shame to waste them.

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I doubt they will accept them, would be a bit worrying if you got someone elses returns no?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You should return unused medication to the pharmacy anyway for disposal. They won't reissue them, but they will make sure they're disposed of properly.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You're supposed to take unused medication back to the pharmacy, although I'm not sure what they do with them. I suspect it's a special bin bag.

    Evidently not an official answer at all, but when I had spare microgynon the left over strips went to one of my mates who was on it...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Have you got any friends taking the same pill as you did? Donate it to them :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I only have 2 friends on the pill. One takes the one i've just switched to and the other is on Dianette. However, she is going to be switching soon so i may wait and see what she gets put on.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Scary Monster wrote: »
    Evidently not an official answer at all, but when I had spare microgynon the left over strips went to one of my mates who was on it...

    :yes: Mine were shared out between my sister and my best friend... It's my doctor's fault really, she used to give me like, 12 months worth at a time!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    just crush the pills and bin them , they won't issue them out to anyone else
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Are you ever meant to have a break from the pill if you have been on it a few years? E.g. use a different form of contraception for a little while instead.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    They do recommend it after a number of years (I think it is 7 or so) but I don't think you 'have' to...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ruby_soho wrote: »
    Have you got any friends taking the same pill as you did? Donate it to them :)

    :no: I gave some unused medication back to the chemist a while back and got told not to do this. I got told just to give it back and they'll dispose of it.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sofie wrote: »
    :no: I gave some unused medication back to the chemist a while back and got told not to do this. I got told just to give it back and they'll dispose of it.

    I don't see why it hurts if it's exactly the same brand of contraceptive?
    Obviously you wouldn't do this with antibiotics or stuff like that.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ruby_soho wrote: »
    I don't see why it hurts if it's exactly the same brand of contraceptive?
    Obviously you wouldn't do this with antibiotics or stuff like that.


    I agree with you on this one. Obviously the rph are going to tell you not to do that :p But I agree and really don't see the harm. They are all the same.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    pharmacy will dispose of it into a yellow bin like the ones that contaminated needles would go in and get incinerated.
    they do this because even unopened medication,they dont know if it has been stored correctly.
    Hospitals can re-use providing it was issued by them and its in strips(so the tablets couldnt have been touched) or vials/injections/iv fluids/infusions/liquids still have the safety caps/seals on them.
    (Grrrrr-i spend hours each week sorting through crates of returned drugs)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ruby_soho wrote: »
    I don't see why it hurts if it's exactly the same brand of contraceptive?
    Obviously you wouldn't do this with antibiotics or stuff like that.
    That's what i thought. They've not been opened and they're the same as all the others.
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