Do They Expire

I have a vial of B12 with expiration date of 4/2012, is it safe to still use it for injections ## I would of coarse never recommend taking expired "anything", but generally vitamins are still ok to use shortly after their expiration date, and if it's not as potent or effective, at least you'll know why. April was only two months ago, so I doubt that it will have lost much or any of its potency by now. I have some expired Vitamin C powder from Feb. 2012 and it still seems to serve its purpose well today. It may just be me, but I think the expiration date on vitamins isn't as accurate as we're lead to believe. From my perspective I think the quick expiration date on many products is just to get you to buy it more frequently than necessary. I hope my opinion helps! ...

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I found 4 year old expired oxycodone in my medicine cabinet and I would like to know if its still safe to take? I don't know much about medicine so I'll just write what the label says: OXYCODONE W/APAP 5/325 TAB MCK subsituted for percocet and the pill has a 512 stamped on it? ## If you are asking if it becomes dangerous as it ages, the answer is no. It does not, however, these medications will lose potency over time, so it may no longer work as well as it did when it was new and may have no efficacy left at all. Taking more, to try to relieve pain can be dangerous, since these also contain Acetaminophen and too much of that can be toxic, to the point of being fatal. The wisest idea is to properly dispose of them and see your doctor for a new prescription if you need help with p...

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Vicodin dated disregard after 2011 is if expired ## Once they have been removed from the original factory sealed container and dispensed to you in a pharmacy container, which exposes them to the elements, the expiration date is on year from when you receive them. They don't get dangerous once expired, but they do start to lose effectiveness. After several years, they are likely worthless and you should just properly dispose of them. Are there any other questions or concerns?

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Does MiraLAX expire? And if so, can you use MiraLAX after the expiration date? Also, how much is recommended for a single adult dose? ## Yes, MiraLAX does have a shelf-life and expiration. According to the frequently asked questions on MiraLAX.com, "It is not recommended to use MiraLAX beyond the labeled expiration date.” However, I do think some factors influencing its expected shelf-life or integrity may also depend upon how it was stored as well as how long it has been since the product expired. If it hasn't been too long (e.g. a few months), my personal opinion is that it's probably fine, as expiration dates themselves can be arbitrary numbers, but you're still probably better off getting a new batch if you want to play it safe. Regarding dosing instructions, t...

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I pulled a muscle in my lower back and am in a lot of pain but am unemployed at the moment and can't afford to see a doctor and fill a new prescription. I found an old bottle of Tramadol HCL 50 MG with an expiration date of 3/22/2007. It has been stored in a cool, dark, dry cabinet all of this time. Does Tramadol HCL become unsafe or lose its potency after its expiration date, especially this long after? ## Unsafe: No. Loss of potency: Yes (to a degree)! In the original factory sealed bottles that your pharmacy receives, most medications are touted to only be good for 3 years. Once those are opened and they are placed in a bottle that exposed them to heat and light, they're subject to degrade faster and will lose potency. On the contrary however, something to keep in mind is tha...

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I have a bottle of doxycycline that expired this past March. Is this still ok to use? ## Hello, Sara! How are you? Once expired, antibiotics tend to lose effectiveness, which increases the risk of it not working adequately and causing you to develop antibiotic resistant bacteria. Thus, it would be best to see your doctor for a new prescription, if you have an infection. The FDA lists the typical side effects of antibiotics as possibly including nausea, dizziness, headache, non-allergic skin rash and diarrhea. Is there anything else I can help with?

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I am dealing with an infection from a spider bite on my right jaw.My molars and gums that line up with my jaw are so painful. I am taking some expired Hydrocodone that my mom had. It is almost 2 years old.Now,after reading this,know why it has not helped me.I have a prescription for Tramadol 50 mg. It seems to work better... I also am taking Amoxiciln . 500mg. I was wondering if taking the Tramadol and Hydrocodone alterating if it will be ok? ## Hello, Kathy! How are you? If the Hydrocodone isn't helping you, why keep taking it? Why not just take the Tramadol that you've been prescribed? This is a narcotic analgesic, so it has the potential to be habit forming and may cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth and constipation.

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I have had liquid methadone bottles in my safe for over a year now and needed to know if they expire? ## Yes, all medications expire, but that does not mean they become dangerous, they just start to lose efficacy. Overall, the FDA advises that you dispose of them and see your doctor, if you need a new supply. This medication carries 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? ## I have a bottle of methadone and it said to take it all on the 6th and I didn’t and it’s the 14th now it expires on 12/31/17 can I still take the lil bit that’s left ## I get 27 bottles to go at my clinic, all dispensed on the same date. They are effective beyond the last da...

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I have bactrim that expired 4 months ago is it safe to take ## Hello, Jean! How are you? Yes, all medications start to lose efficacy once past their expiration date and may not work as well as they did, when new. The issue this creates with antibiotics, such as Bactrim, is that it may no longer properly eradicate the bacteria, which could cause it to become drug resistant. Learn more Bactrim details here. It would really be best to see your doctor for a new prescription, if you suspect that you have an infection. Is there anything else I can help with? ## Hello I have some antibiotics that has expired last month on the third is it safe to use them

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I have some Buspirone that expired in 2008. Is it still ok to take this if I'm having some anxiety? ## Hello, Calvin! This medication is not listed by the FDA as becoming dangerous, once expired, but it does start to lose effectiveness, so in my opinion it would actually be best to dispose of it and see your doctor for a new prescription. However, according to the following article (listed below) from NIH, “the expiration date doesn't really indicate a point at which the medication is no longer effective or has become unsafe to use”, and is more of an arbitrary date based on the whit and whim of the pharmaceutical companies’ product “guarantee” that the labeled potency will last “at least” until that date. The article also goes on to not...

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5513 ## I am not certain what you are asking, could you please clarify? ## Can I take the medication Soma if it expired in 2007? ## I’m wondering the same thing. I found a script that expired in 2007 also. ## Yes you can, they may show signs of aging but should still be good. I did however have some Rantidine/Zantac go bad after storing an emergency night bag in my car in 150 degree Southern California summer weather ## Yes you can. It just loses its potency. ## I have 5-year-old Soma that is just as potent. What they do do is turn hard making them difficult to break in half. And some of mine are also exposed to extreme temperatures

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I've heard that gabapentin has a shelf life of five years after expiration. Most pharmacists have to put a earlier expiration date on them however. And even if gabapentin is expired they pose no risk. Maybe they'll lose some of their effectiveness, but that's it. ## Hello, Cindy! How are you? Yes, that information is correct and no, they do not become toxic. Once the pharmacy breaks the seal on the original factory bottle, they are required, by the FDA, to put a one year expiration date on the dispensing bottle, because that is the longest time the manufacturers can guarantee their full efficacy under average storage conditions, in someone's home. The 4 to 5 years is under ideal storage conditions, where they aren't exposed to the elements that can cause degradation,...

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates expiration dates on all medications to ensure safety and efficacy. However, it's worth noting that many medications remain effective even past these dates. In fact, a significant quantity of these outdated medicines are donated to countries in need, such as various regions in Africa and Bangladesh, where they can still be of great help. It's important to understand that most medications do not become toxic after expiration, with the notable exception of certain antibiotics. While some, like penicillin, may lose potency over time, adjustments in dosage can sometimes compensate for this reduced efficacy. ## According to the following Harvard Medical School family health article, many medications can actually last up to 15 years ...

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Is it safe to use Omeprazole that expired in October 2014, considering it's now January 2015? ## Hello, Shirley! How are you? Omeprazole doesn't get dangerous once it's expired, but it may start to lose effectiveness versus when it was new, depending upon how it was stored. According to Harvard University’s Medical Center, “Most of what is known about drug expiration dates comes from a study conducted by the Food and Drug Administration at the request of the military. With a large and expensive stockpile of drugs, the military faced tossing out and replacing its drugs every few years. What they found from their study is that 90% of more than 100 drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, were perfectly good to use even 15 years after the expiration date. So, ...

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My doctor gave me Hydroxyzine pills on April 12th, 2012 and I want to know if they're still safe to take again? ## HI, Nicky! How are you? Tablets begin to degrade once they are exposed to the elements, such as heat, light and moisture. This means that their time starts ticking away as soon as the seal on the original factory container is broken. From that point on, they have a one year expiration date and after that year, they being to lose effectiveness. Hydroxyzine isn't one that has been known to be dangerous once it's expired, but it's not going to continue working and having its intended beneficial effects. Thus, the best thing to do would be to properly dispose of them and see your doctor for a new prescription. Is there anything else I can help with? ## My hydrox...

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My friend gave me hydrocodone from1992.. Am I going to be ok ## Hello, Steph! How are you? If it's tablets, they don't get dangerous once expired, they just loses effectiveness. The best thing to do would be to dispose of them, however, if you did take any, they may not relieve your pain much and could cause some nausea and dizziness, but that's about it. It's never a good idea, though, to take any medication that hasn't been prescribed for you and it is also illegal to share medications in this manner. The FDA classifies this medication as a narcotic analgesic, so it has the potential to be habit forming and may cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth and constipation. Is there anything else I can help with? ## When does Augmentin (pill)...

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I recently broke two of my fingers and I am experiencing major pains, I have left over oxycodone 5-325mg that was perscribed to me 2 years ago is it safe to take? ## Acetaminophen with Oxycodone is a generic for Percocet, a narcotic pain reliever. If you are asking if it gets dangerous with time, then the answer is no. It does, however, lose effectiveness and will not work as well as it did when it was new. That said, have you seen a doctor for your fingers and what have they suggested you use?

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Are expired ferrous sulphate pills safe to take? They expired in 08. ## When it comes to drugs/medication I think it is best to not take any chances with the past expiration date. They MAY still be ok to take if they haven't been exposed to a high amount of heat or various other conditions outside of the bottle, however I am not a pharmacist or MD, so I cannot guarantee if it is in fact safe for you to consume. There is still a high likelihood that it lost some of its potency and may be ineffective to the point where it could harm your body by not doing it's job all the way, per say. I would recommend contacting your local pharmacy or doctor to assess if the quality of the drug still remains. They may have certain tools or methods for measuring this sort of thing. Please post ba...

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I have a few expired patches that I found in my medicine cabinet that I guess were never used. Has any1 used a patch that is expired for around a year? I think it is kinda like any other opiates that just loose its potency after expires. Please let me know ig any1 else has tried an expired patch. ## Some medications turn to poison and can kill you if they are expired. but the most of them are just going to work less or not at all. But there is no reason to chance it. And if you have a patch sitting back there for X time you must not need it and if you did you would get a new Rx/ ## No they should be safe. My former brother in law is a chemist and he said most scrips will last 10 years. Ill try them for you ## Does this include 0.1mg clonidine patches? They expired Aug 2012. I'm goin...

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I am in excruciating pain. I found an old script for Soma that expired in 1996. Can I take it without doing any harm? ## You could although it may not work like it did when new ## Yes, Eddy is correct, expired medications can be less effective than when they were fresh and new. The NIH lists the typical side effects as possibly including nausea, dizziness, headache, and dry mouth. This is also not a pain reliever, it is a muscle relaxant, so it may not help you in the way you wish. Are you on any other medications? Have you consulted your doctor? ## Pharmacist are eager to hurt and not help. They have no idea what your medical condition is and don’t care. They are judgmental, especially if you are in pain and old. Maybe they should take an oath. “First Do No Harm.”. Hu...

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