At your annual wellness appointment, your primary care provider should go over all of your prescriptions and medications.
Dr. Suzanne Havican, Family Medicine Physician, ThedaCare Physicians-New London
Many healthy habits contribute to wellness: eating well, exercising, drinking plenty of water, and getting quality sleep, to name a few. One step you may not have thought of is to assess your medications.
A lot of us have prescriptions scattered throughout our homes. Certain times throughout the year, including the new year and National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, offer great times to take a medication inventory. This includes looking at which prescription drugs may need updating and which ones you might no longer need.
Medication Inventory
“Many people I talk to have expired medications in their homes,” says Dr. Suzanne Havican, a Family Medicine Physician with ThedaCare Physicians-New London. “For a number of reasons, folks may choose to keep them on hand. It’s important to understand keeping expired medications around can be dangerous.”
Updating the medications in your home is crucial to safeguarding your health and safety and that of those around you. For example, unused medications can end up in the hands of those who shouldn’t have them.
Despite childproof packaging, 50,000 children go to emergency departments each year after taking medications that belong to an adult, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals also reports receiving over 20,000 calls a year due to pets eating prescriptions or medications meant for humans.
Proper Disposal
Pay particular attention to disposing of opioids appropriately. Using them improperly can lead to substance use disorder or cause serious illness or death. To combat opioid abuse, overdose, and accidental poisoning in children, ThedaCare installed medication take-back drop boxes at several locations. These allow the community to safely dispose of unused medication.
“Flushing unused medication down the toilet is a huge no-no, as drugs can contaminate the public water supply,” Dr. Havican says. “Dropping off your unneeded and expired prescriptions at the proper location will help protect your family and friends as well as our precious regional lakes and rivers.”
Prescription Drop-off Sites
You can bring your unused medications to any of the permanent and secure medication take-back drop boxes. Most are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Medication take-back drop boxes are available at:
- ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Appleton
- ThedaCare Medical Center-Berlin
- ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah
- ThedaCare Medical Center-New London
- ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano
- ThedaCare Medical Center-Waupaca
- ThedaCare Cancer Care-Oshkosh (available during clinic hours)
Medication take-back boxes also are available at other local facilities such as police stations and pharmacies.
Items accepted include expired and no-longer-needed prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, medicated ointments, and non-aerosol sprays.
Items that are not accepted include needles, lancets, syringes, thermometers, IV bags, diabetes test kits, personal care products, inhalers, and liquids. Ask your provider’s office how to safely dispose of these items.
Expired Meds
Even if you don’t have children or other vulnerable people in your home, or your prescription drugs do not contain opioids, you shouldn’t keep expired prescriptions on hand, Dr. Havican says.
“Expired medications often do not work as they were first intended. In certain circumstances they can even cause you harm,” Dr. Havican says. “At your annual wellness appointment, your primary care provider should go over all of your prescriptions and medications. If they don’t, ask them to. You will be helping yourself and those around you.”
Dr. Havican encourages all community members to make their health a priority in the new year.
“Make this new year the healthiest ever by talking to your primary care provider about your needed medications and what you can safely dispose of,” Dr. Havican says. “We’re here to answer your questions, keep you safe and healthy, and empower you to live your unique, best life.”
