Expired narcotics question

[Ddestiny, BSN, RN]

This is in reference to taking one's own prescribed narcotics that are 365+ days old.

Ok, so I understand that the ideal situation with medications is to have them destroyed after they expire, but due to how infrequently I take them I can easily have a bottle of 10-20 Norco last me over a year. I had a laparoscopy 2/2013 and a wisdom tooth removal 1/2012 and still have Norco from these lying around. Due to endometriosis I will occasionally take one of the Norco on day one of my cycle...maybe 1-2 times per 6 months. I am easily made hypotensive so I can only take narcotics when I'm going to bed. At any other time I just make do with Aleve or heat.

Anyway, something was brought up as part of another thread about taking expired narcotics, popping positive off of just one pill and the potential for legal problems if they were to submit a UDS (though it was not the main concern so I started a new thread so as not to hijack). I have never really thought about it, just figured that as long as the script was for me the age wasn't an important factor, especially if a half empty bottle could be produced....though, now as I type this, I guess you could just as easily divert and put some of the pills in an old bottle. Lol

Anyway, has anyone ever had a problem with this?

I work in a doctor's office that doesn't do UDSs without cause, but I'm getting ready to go back for my ADN in January so I suppose it is always an option to be tested. I'm not particularly concerned, but I'd hate to have some kind of horror story happen where an old narcotic tab causes me problems with the BON. Is it worthwhile to have my PCP (not the prescriber of the initial RXes, which were from dentist and surgeon) get me a script for maybe 5 tabs of Norco prn in February to renew for the year?

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I'd say it would be a problem. It's not a valid current prescription.

[LocaW8ta]

I'd say it would be a problem. It's not a valid current prescription.

Bingo.

If it's an expired script, you wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

I'm also of the opinion that if you're "caught" with a positive UDS and you don't have a current prescription for narcotics, you're hosed. I would suspect that the Norco you got for your wisdom tooth extraction has a long expired Rx and the laparoscopy Norco Rx is either fast approaching expiration OR it's also expired. Either way, I suspect that you very well could have a problem brewing. Try to make-do without using the Norco, as you did before you had them available. You do NOT want to have a positive UDS without a valid Rx to back it up. That will bring you only much grief and unhappiness...

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Given that painkillers are one of the more widely abused meds out there...if you don't have a valid prescription, it won't bode well for you should you pop positive. Either get a valid prescription or switch to a pain reliever that is not a controlled substance.

[martymoose, BSN, RN]

why not find gyn to give you valid prescription for endometriosis?Or look into pain management?