Lidoderm pain patches are used to manage chronic and acute types of pain and can be very dangerous if not disposed of properly. Lidoderm patches can last for a few years once they are prescribed but due to the potent medication and the chances of the patches ending up in the wrong hands, it is best to safely dispose of the remaining patches.
Why Discard Patches?
Lidoderm patches contain the active ingredient of lidocaine. Lidocaine is a well known pain medication that works well for various degrees of pain. The Lidoderm patches can be cut up into smaller pieces and used for up to 12 hours. When people are prescribed Lidoderm patches they are usually given a box of 30. Often times people have patches left over and so discarding them safely is of upmost importance.
If the leftover unused patches are not disposed of appropriately there is the possibility of the Lidoderm patches falling into the wrong hands. Unused patches can be swallowed or chewed by pets, children or even people battling addiction, and it is very easy to overdose on the medication.
It is never a good idea to share unused medication and in most states it is against the law to distribute medication to a person that it was not prescribed for.
Safely Discard Lidoderm Patches
The best thing to do with lidoderm patches is to take the backing off the adhesive side and fold the patch so that the adhesive side sticks to itself. Place the patches in a plastic bag and secure tightly. After doing this you are now ready to throw the unused patches in the garbage.
You can also check with your community. Most communities have a drop off center for unused medication. Any major pharmacy should have this information.
Tags: Lidoderm patches, adhesive side, unused medication, wrong hands