How long can Motrin be left out of the bottle (in the syringe)?

[Jaimee]

So this has happened a few times... ds will be rolling around moaning in his sleep, drooling, etc. and I know that his teeth are bothering him.  After a few hours, I finally have enough and decide to give him Motrin.  I get up, fill the syringe and come back to bed to find that he's fallen back into a deeper sleep- finally!  So I obviously don't wake him to dose him, but now I've got this syringe full of motrin that has been sitting out all night.  Can I put it back in the bottle or save it in another fashion?  Or use it the next night if necessary?  How long can it last outside of the bottle before getting contaminated?

Thanks!!

xposted in Health

[Comtessa]

I would just return it to the bottle.  We don't wash the syringe out between uses, so any mouth-bacteria on the syringe have already transferred to the bottle anyway.  Returning a syringe full of medicine to the bottle, IMO, isn't any worse.  I don't think removing it from the bottle and returning it will harm it in the least! 

Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm feeling a little skeeved out by the fact that we don't wash the syringe each time we use it.  I think perhaps I should start doing that..

[briannas auntie]

I use liquid medicines through a feeding tube and I have left some in a syringe for several hours without any trouble to the medication.  If you are concerned about this, if you fill a syringe ahead of time, put it in the fridge right after you fill it.  This way, its not sitting out in the warm air. 

As far as putting it back in the bottle, I don't see if it would cause any harm.  Just make sure to shake the bottle up after you do this to mix it with the rest of the medicine. 

Jessie

[Katico]

Originally Posted by Comtessa 

I would just return it to the bottle.  We don't wash the syringe out between uses, so any mouth-bacteria on the syringe have already transferred to the bottle anyway.  Returning a syringe full of medicine to the bottle, IMO, isn't any worse.  I don't think removing it from the bottle and returning it will harm it in the least! 

Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm feeling a little skeeved out by the fact that we don't wash the syringe each time we use it.  I think perhaps I should start doing that..

  I had the exact same thought process as you  

[Jaimee]

Okay, it's been sitting on my dresser now since 2am (that would be 13ish hours)... still think it's safe?  I was thinking that I should have put it in the fridge...

[Comtessa]

*shrug*  Do you refrigerate the bottle of medicine?  We don't.  I don't know why refrigerating a syringe full of it would make a difference if the medicine itself does not require refrigeration.

[Jaimee]

No, I don't put the bottle in the fridge.  I was just thinking in terms of contaminants getting into the syringe since it's not sealed.  But it seems the consensus is that it should be fine! 

Thanks ladies!