It seems so wasteful that unused medication is just thrown out.
Does anyone know of any alternatives in NZ for perhaps reusing medication not tampered with and still within date?
My Dr has just tried me on Kliogest (an HRT) which I am stopping after within 1 month. I still have 2 months supply sitting here, it wasn't cheap and it just seems so wasteful for me to bin in.
Any thoughts?
Oh and if anyone is on the same then I am happy to pass it on.

It is wasteful, but I am not sure there are any viable alternatives.

I have sometimes returned unused medication to the pharmacy.

I have returned it as well, and been told to ditch it.

Pharmacists can't re-dispense medication that has left the premises as they have no idea what has happened to it in that time. Has it been stored correctly or possibly been tampered with? For these reasons, I personally wouldn't accept "used" medicines from anyone I didn't know well.

I get what you're saying though, it is very wasteful.

I agree Jenna (the wastefulness of the medications) I was pretty unwell with a number of ailments in 2017 & during that time "qualified" for a medication subsidy card - because I had more than 25 scripts I think. Anyway, some of the various medications were used for just one instance, but couldnt be re-dispensed. One other script called Tramadol frightened me & I did not ever use it but the pharmacist said that too would be destroyed.

I’m wondering what is scary about Tramadol. I have been taking it for about 3 years and find it excellent for my condition. . I’m not criticising but wondered what is wrong with it as I find it so beneficial.
It has been said it can become addictive but so can a lot.

People have personal differences in their feelings towards medications. As far as Tramadol goes, it is pretty safe as far as moderate pain relievers go. It is a synthetic opioid and is less thereore less addictive than straight morphine, oxycodone etc, while still being effective for most people. The interesting thing about Tramadol specifically is that a portion of the population don't make the liver enzyme that is needed to turn it into the morphine like substances that then works on pain, you can take as much as you want of it, and it will do absolutely nothing (I'm one of those people). Another portion of the population make too much of that enzyme, and metabolise it too quickly and their systems get a huge rush all at once, which can lead to strong side effects such as nausea, dizziness, breathing difficulties etc (my husband). I'm glad it works for you, valralph

If you read the list of side effects of any medication you could be put off using them. That's when you've got to be sensible and look at the headings "common" vs "rare" and "mild" vs "serious". Talk to your Dr or pharmacist if you have concerns and hopefully they can address them or perhaps look at alternate options. Sure, the rare and serious side effects happen, and they should list them on the sheet, but they're just not common. I've had to have this conversation with my mother many, many times. She googles things and then wants to stop taking her high blood pressure meds for example. We then have to talk about risk vs. reward. The reward of her not having stroke level high blood pressure far, far outweighs the risks that come with the meds (from which she has never had any side effects, btw).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/2018 09:08AM by Jenna.

hi valralph (& Jenna)
I had been prescribed Tramadol when I had severe gallbladder pain last year (prior to surgery) & when took just 1 tablet one evening, felt very very nauseous, had vertigo type symptoms & like my head was full of cotton wool in the clouds - it also hadnt eased the pain at all & my then anethetist (sp ) advised that for some people that have similar symptoms to me they will always react like that & it is not a suitable pain relief option, so Jennas note here makes total sense for me :
"...Another portion of the population make too much of that enzyme, and metabolise it too quickly and their systems get a huge rush all at once, which can lead to strong side effects such as nausea, dizziness, breathing difficulties etc :.

So maybe me using the term frightened was over stating something, but it is not a medication I would be keen to re-try.

I am another where Tramadol was prescribed when I had my knee replaced and it made me physically ill. The mere name of this medication gives me tremors!!! I think I've still got the bottle of tablets kicking around somewhere in the back of a cupboard!
Regards,
Dawn.

I am with you, Dawn on Tramadol. It didn't only give me horrible nightmares it gave me hallucinations. I thought I was going crazy. I mentioned this to my sister in law, a registered nurse, who told me it can have that effect on some.

[maa.org.nz]

Medical Aid Abroad is an amazing NZ non profit making group of people. I have recently given a whole lot of eye medication, unopened, to them. Go to their site and read about them.