Epipens - where do you dispose of out of date ones?

[Piffpaffpoff]

I am slowly but surely accumulating a mountain of out-of-date Epipens and I don't know where to get rid of them. I'm working on the presumption that I can't put them in the household bin because they have needles. Gp's surgery won't take them, local pharmacy says no too - am waiting to hear back from local NHS enquiry line to see if the can suggest somewhere.

Where do you dispose of your unused but out-of-date Epipens?

[bruffin]

My local council gives us a yellow bin. We have to ring them up and they will tell us which day to leave it out and they will come and collect it. I'm in herts and my mums in norfolk and has been issued with a similer bin as she has to inject daily for dvt.

[Trappedandfedup]

I chuck them in the bin. The needle is not exposed and hasn't been used so there is no real risk of needle stick injuries or cross infection.
Obviously a used epipen would have to be disposed of in a more safe manner.

[Missunreasonable]

You can get a proper training pen for training purposes, it's much better than sticking a real one in an orange.

[Piffpaffpoff]

Thanks everyone. I hadn't thought about the training aspect - will offer the Grandparents a shot, although we do have a trainer pen that they've all tried.

I did hear back from the local NHS, they've given me a list of 'needle exchange' pharmacies that will accept them although they did say any GP surgery or pharmacy should take them. However, that's not the case in my experience and I've told them that!

[Missunreasonable]

But how do you jab a real expired pen against the thigh? I know when I was involved in training the biggest concern people had was knowing how much pressure to apply. You can only jab it directly against the thigh if there is no actual needle and once you have clicked it you can't unclick it to try it again. Maybe I am missing a helpful training trick.

[Piffpaffpoff]

You jab the expired pen into an orange Miss, apparently v similar to a thigh in resistance etc! I went on an Epipen training course for the Scouts and they had a few for people to try this way.

[trixymalixy]

I have loads too! I really must get rid of them, so thanks for this post!

[ukey]

ask local authority for a sharps bin

the 'trainer pens' without the needles are gr8 for practicing against the thigh training others for ur child to practice on themselves, for u to practice on them etc.

The real expired pens are great for getting the feel of 'the real thing' using an orange or similar fruit is ideal. The real pen has more of a 'kick back' than the trainer, and a common mistake is for someone to pull it out too soon due to reacting to the pen springing back on them.

Both are valuable tools for training.

[pashmina696]

I was advised by allergy consultant to use the expired ones in oranges, you (and family etc) can never have enough practice, and they feel different from the trainer ones, the needle retracts now so i put them back in their packet then put them in the bin.. will see if the pharmacy will take them next time.