Managing multiple medications can be really confusing. If you store all your medications in the same place, that makes it even harder to differentiate. Every so often it is very important to take an inventory of all your medications. The American College of Endocrinology has declared April 15th as National Check Your Meds Day. To take a proper inventory of your medications it is recommended that you look everywhere you may store medications and check the label for the name of the prescription and dosage. This is to confirm what you are taking is correct and what you were prescribed.
It is important to check the expiration dates on your medications and ensuring they are still up to date. If you do have expired medicines, don’t toss them in the garbage. The expired medication could pose an environmental and safety hazard to children and animals.
Medications that get tossed out have also been found to make their way into our drinking water at times. Some pharmacies will take back expired medications and recycle them for you safely. Look around your community to see if there are any places that will dispose of your expired medications for you. If there is not a place you can take them to, take the expired medication out of its original container, mix it with used coffee grounds, kitty litter, or dirt, and put the blend in a plastic container with a tightly sealed lid or a sealable plastic bag. Put the container or plastic bag in your regular garbage.
Source: Patrick J. Skerrett, Harvard Health