[TheOrganicAngel]

Hey guys,

I have a question about unused medications. My Pdoc keeps prescribing me medicine that I don't want and I have no idea what to do with all the extra pills. The only continuous medication I take is Lexapro, but he keeps handing out the prescriptions like candy. I have to get the prescriptions filled or else I run the risk of losing my meds insurance. I keep telling him I don't want all these medicines, but he hands them out anyway.

Other than the Lexapro, I get:

-Gabapentin (Neurontin)
-Trazadone
-Levothyroxine
-Some other sleeping pill whose name I can't remember.

And occasionally:
-various antibiotics & sulfur drugs

I have no idea what to do with these. Various discussions with other doctors state that I don't need these pills, and I don't want them, anyway--I hate being overmedicated. Pills don't seem to help my insomnia, thyroid pills have done nothing for weight loss, and I have no idea why I would need anti-seizure medication. The antibiotics were prescribed to me when I had the flu, but were never taken because the flu turned out to be viral, not bacterial.

I feel really bad about having all these unneeded medications--I know there are probably lots of sick people who could use these meds but don't have access to them. I don't want to flush the pills down the john (don't want to pollute the water supply, anyhow).

Is there any useful way to unload these pills? I literally have full bottles of pills everywhere and they're taking up space--it's beginning to look like a pharmacy in here. The meds are all fairly fresh, ranging from 3 months to a few days old. Is it possible to donate medicine? If not, is there a safe way to dispose of these pills?

Thanks for reading,

~Alexiel

[darkeyes]

What I have started to do, is bring them to the pharmacy, let them dispose of them, they do not flush them.
I feel like you as far as flushing stuff into our waterways.
I have heard there are groups of docs that go to poor countries, and bring "donated" meds., I still am looking into "who" and "where".
BTW
The thyroid med really is not to lose weight, some people it may help, but not all. But it helps the thyroid function more effeciently (sp?), it is a good idea to see if your labwork results indicated you need thyroid meds.
I've been on it for a few years, it helps with other stuff for me, not weight though. I keep saying they need to tweak up my present dose, but they say I'm in normal range, yeah, I was too,in the past, till I couldn't hardly function, then the tests finally indicated what I knew for so long, and yet the docs wouldn't try me on the meds.
Oh well, enough of my story.
This is a good question, a great post.
While waiting for some ideas, I'd like to stress to everyone or anyone in this situation of disposal issues, please do not flush the meds., many types of meds are interferring with nature, flushing them just addds to what is there already. Due to excrement/urine of people on birth control pills and other hormones, go through our sewer systems and then to our rivers,streams,etc. the hormones linger, and is playing havoc on many species of animals. One major problem is many males in many species of fish,other aquatic life, and water fowl, are being effected from estrogen compounds,reducing their reproductive capability,and/or deformaties in offspring, and that's if the the adult is still able to reproduce. Oh so much,connects to our world through waterways, another important reason to dispose meds/chemicals in safer ways.
Anyone with some info to the poster's questions, please add to this post.

DE