Opie_Yates
Old Hand
Reged: 08/11/03
Posts: 476
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Long story short:
Friend's father (only living parent and only child) died of lung cancer Saturday. He didn't last a third of the time they expected and he died at home (as he wanted) leaving a ton of 80 mg OC, countless patches, about 90 4 mg Dilaudid, and a bottle of 20 mg/cc subling morphine. What does the law say regarding the disposition of these meds? My friend is terrified of being arrested with all these Schedule II meds that aren't even his. Guess I should also add that he is even afraid to approach his father's doctors about this, and we don't want to throw them out because they might end up in the wrong hands, plus we don't want to put them in the sewage system due to environmental concerns.
And no wise crack PM's with your addresses. We want to honor his memory and not loot the medication that was helping him be comfortable.
To be honest, he offered them to me because he knows my back and nerves are screwed up, but I refused because I know myself and would be a junkie inside of a week. The thought of that much opiate product scares the living doo-doo out of me, as well.
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I'm not a doctor, I just play one on a message forum!
Edited by Opie_Yates (11/04/04 11:11 PM)
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jack_in_ca
Newbie
Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 49
Loc: California
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I suggest calling the pharmacy where the prescriptions were filled and ask them the proper way to dispose of them.
Peace,
Jack
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"Hello, Saddam?...George...Yeah, I know...my bad..."
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needsome
Stranger
Reged: 10/31/04
Posts: 4
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Any MD or nurse will tell you to flush the tablets and liquid and to deliver the patches to a medical office that can put them in a "sharps" container. I am so sorry about your friend's loss. Did the father not have someone from a hospice to help out? The enviornmental concern as far as disposing of meds should not be a concern at all. Your friend will not get into trouble for having these meds in the house if there is nobody sampling the product.
Amy
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cascadia
Journeyman
Reged: 10/24/04
Posts: 51
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Was he Hospice? If so, the nurse was supposed to destroy thm and fill out a drug disposal form. Otherwise, there is no followiup to where they ended up.
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Opie_Yates
Old Hand
Reged: 08/11/03
Posts: 476
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Thanks everyone. The care giver just disappeared without a word after they took him to the mortuary. Being Jewish, the authorities can't force his son to submit him to an autopsy. That's all I'm going to say about it.
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I'm not a doctor, I just play one on a message forum!
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kandi
Veteran
Reged: 05/07/02
Posts: 681
Loc: Maryland
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Quote:
Long story short:
Friend's father (only living parent and only child) died of lung cancer Saturday. He didn't last a third of the time they expected and he died at home (as he wanted) leaving a ton of 80 mg OC, countless patches, about 90 4 mg Dilaudid, and a bottle of 20 mg/cc subling morphine. What does the law say regarding the disposition of these meds? My friend is terrified of being arrested with all these Schedule II meds that aren't even his. Guess I should also add that he is even afraid to approach his father's doctors about this, and we don't want to throw them out because they might end up in the wrong hands, plus we don't want to put them in the sewage system due to environmental concerns.
And no wise crack PM's with your addresses. We want to honor his memory and not loot the medication that was helping him be comfortable.
To be honest, he offered them to me because he knows my back and nerves are screwed up, but I refused because I know myself and would be a junkie inside of a week. The thought of that much opiate product scares the living doo-doo out of me, as well.
My Dad died from cancer last year, and was a Hospice patient also. He left behind a bottle of about 300 20 mg. morphine tabs, along with a mishmash of several other scheduled pain and anti-anxiety meds. After his death, there was no discussion about disposal of the meds whatsoever, and as far as I know, they may still be in the house. If your friend is that concerned, I would go ahead and flush them. That is how scheduled substances are disposed of in hospitals, so I don't think there are any environmental concerns. I doubt very seriously that any arrest would be made under the circumstances, at least I have never heard of anything like that happening.
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Monte Montgomery ROCKS!
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trixxie
Member
Reged: 05/23/03
Posts: 125
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First of all, its tough losing a parent...Kandi, my condolences go out to you. My Dad died in the latter part of June this year, and it hard not to pick up the phone to call him. He was in hospice. They are angels, and I am sure that there is a special place in heaven for hospice workers.
Disposal of CII meds? You could always dissolve them in water and then flush 'em, patches take to the county health department and explain to them. Make sure that their destruction is witnessed. Its a right here in WA state.
Take care
trixxie
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The truth shall set you free!
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kandi
Veteran
Reged: 05/07/02
Posts: 681
Loc: Maryland
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Quote:
First of all, its tough losing a parent...Kandi, my condolences go out to you. My Dad died in the latter part of June this year, and it hard not to pick up the phone to call him. He was in hospice. They are angels, and I am sure that there is a special place in heaven for hospice workers.
Disposal of CII meds? You could always dissolve them in water and then flush 'em, patches take to the county health department and explain to them. Make sure that their destruction is witnessed. Its a right here in WA state.
Take care
trixxie
Thanks for the kind words, and my heart goes out to you, too...they say that time heals, but so far it's been almost a year, and I still feel the pain of the loss like it was just yesterday. I am very strong-willed, and not an outwardly emotional person by nature, and I never would have thought that his death would have hit me as hard as it did..but we all grieve differently, I guess. I really feel for you.
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Monte Montgomery ROCKS!
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Bamboo
Member
Reged: 11/06/04
Posts: 119
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Same thing here... with mom. Before I even knew it she was gone, and I was left w/tonz of stuff... Some I did give away to friends, but most I kept cuz I am on same/similar pain meds. Know that doesn't help you much, but call any clinic, hospise service.. Can flush if it makes u feel better... Best wishes to ya. It's hard I know
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JeanneLynn
Member
Reged: 05/16/04
Posts: 113
Loc: The Bible Belt
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When an uncle died of cancer several years back, I believe all the pain medications were flushed down the toilet.
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kajun0418
Stranger
Reged: 06/09/03
Posts: 6
Loc: new orleans, la
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my sister is a pharmacist, and whenever they have to dispose of any type of meds they keep a large jar of water which they throw the pills in, and at the end of the day, after they have dissolved they flush them. My deepest sympathy on your loss, my dad has been gone 18 months and it still seems like just yesterday. kajun
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wheezie
Stranger
Reged: 04/17/03
Posts: 11
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My dad died in 2000, under Hospice care. While awaiting the undertaker, the Hospice nurse had us count all meds, recorded the information on some form, and then had to personally "witness" us flushing all meds down the toilet.
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tim111
Stranger
Reged: 11/02/04
Posts: 5
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Sorry about the loss, My brother in law died over the summer under hospice care andhe had alot of unused meds left, when Hospice gt there one ot the first things they did was ask for the unused drugs, count them with my sister in law there and flushed them. So I guess thats what they do with them. Thepharmacy can't take them back nor can you donate them so I guess flushing is the way to do it,sorry again, Tim
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Opie_Yates
Old Hand
Reged: 08/11/03
Posts: 476
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This has long since been resolved, but thanks anyway.
FYI, he wasn't under home hospice care, and was fully ambulatory the day before he died. Not saying too much, but we don't think it was the cancer that did him in.
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I'm not a doctor, I just play one on a message forum!
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