Expired Kadian/ms Contin

As a patient with decades of spinal OA, I have a drawer of old narcotics that didn't seem to work well at the time: less effectice, too strong... In fact what I have discovered, in an attempt to keep my doses low, rotating them works best for me. The question I have is how old is too old, and what is the result of expired time release narcotics. Do they simply become less effective? Dangerous? Does the time-release componant degrade in a way that makes taking it completely inadvisable. I am aware that, in general, pharmacutical companies give expiration dates that are geared to their financial needs, not necessarily chemistry.

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I need to know if taking expired Kadian is dangerous.14 months expired will it still work?

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Hi, my name is Chris. I also find rotating meds mainly opiates help them work more effectively. I have never bad a problem with there effectivness after expiration as long as they are kept at normal temperature and in their original container. I also use subutex part of the month.

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Medication expiration dates are required by the U.S. FDA, and the time given is the maximum time that the company can be certain a medication will maintain its full level of efficacy under average home storage conditions, which can expose it to heat, light, moisture, and other factors which may alter efficacy. Thus, they do not become dangerous, but do become less effective, which of course, creates the risk of people taking more than they should, resulting in a possible overdose scenario. This is why we are told to dispose of them, once they expire, and to obtain a new prescription.

When in the sealed factory packages, most solid medications, such as tablets, have a shelf life of 4 to 5 years, the lower expiration date is only applied, when the seal is broken and they may be exposed to the elements that I mentioned, which tend to cause degradation.

If you have stored them properly, so they haven't had a lot of exposure to heat, light, and moisture, they will usually retain better levels of efficacy than those store improperly. This is why you are told that a bathroom medicine cabinet is actually not the best spot to store medications. That means that storing them in a drawer is a smarter option, as long as it isn't near a source of heat, and moisture.

Opiates do carry the risk of being habit forming, and may cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, headache, constipation, and dry mouth.

Is there anything else I can help with?

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