Community Forums

DutchStar38 · 08-27-2014, 02:12 PM

Just heard on Fox news; Expiration date on prescription drugs and OTR medicines mean nothing.

A study found that the medication can be utilized far beyond that date. In some instances the medication is good up to 5 years after the expiration date.

The only medication that actually has a valid expiration date is Tetracycline.
So for those of us that clean out their medication drawer periodically, this can now be avoided.

MandG-Fun · 08-27-2014, 02:57 PM

That can't possibly be true... the drug companies surely have our best interest in mind and are trying to protect us from misinformed news sources

My doctor told me 10 years ago to disregard the expiration dates that they were total BS.

Mike and Cha · 08-27-2014, 06:19 PM

Good to know, I have several prescriptions for pain/ and to relieve swelling/pressure from shoulder surgery I had a couple years ago. We were going to throw them out because they are expired. Now I will keep them as my shoulder acts up from time to time, like right after washing/waxing the MH.

bokobird · 08-27-2014, 06:27 PM

I work with chemists and software that "formulates" things like medicine, hair coloring, soap and pretty much every product you use day to day. The reason the expiration date is there is that in testing the drugs over time, the expected dosage (e.g., what is on the label) will be reduced over time as the chemicals deteriorate. In some cases you just get less dosage, in others, it may actually cause harm because of the chemicals involved.

Your best course of action is to not use it much past that expiration date, they don't just make that up.

Krafty52k · 08-27-2014, 06:37 PM

Hey.. I'm way past my date of expiration...I'm Still Good...

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Romeo · 08-27-2014, 06:47 PM

A doctor told me that the only problem with using medication past the expiration date is that it may lose it's potency. I save mine for future use; it makes for a good medicine cabinet.

Dr4Film · 08-27-2014, 07:04 PM

I don't throw any of my old medicines away. Whether it still works or not is up to me, not some stupid date the pharmacy printed on the label.

[Moderator Edit]

Dr4Film ----- Richard

wildtoad · 08-27-2014, 07:10 PM

Those of you (me) who have Nitro tablets for an emergency might want to heed the expiration date. Sure would be bad to depend on 5 year old tablets when you need them the most.

huntnski · 08-27-2014, 07:15 PM

So let's throw all the advances of modern medicine out the window because we want to save a buck and believe what the News man tells us!

It's true a Dr. of Medicine might have told someone that their med will be ok past the expiration date, but thats not true for all and certainly many more than just tetracycline!

Drugs get old, some get weaker, some degrade to other chemical compositions that may are may not be harmful. Regardless which one is yours it's not providing the prescribed medication at the prescribed dose.

If you are concerned about a medication, call a pharmacist. Unlike the old days, most if not all, are more concerned with you health that they are about selling one more prescriptions. Don't look to a newsman or an RV forum!

phranc · 08-27-2014, 07:21 PM

I'm sure , well almost sure , that the scripts go bad exactly 1 day after expiration.
( he says with a wink) .

bamaboy473 · 08-27-2014, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildtoad

Those of you (me) who have Nitro tablets for an emergency might want to heed the expiration date. Sure would be bad to depend on 5 year old tablets when you need them the most.

What's the half-life of Nitro? What does it "degrade" to, and when? If you use a Nitro that's six years old and it's potency is at 80%, is that a bad thing?

TeJay · 08-27-2014, 08:28 PM

When in doubt about the nitro try a small portion of a pill under the tongue and if it tingles then it's still good enough.

Last month I ate a can of sardines that were 2 years out of date and they weren't spoiled. Well at least I didn't think they were but the DW thinks even fresh ones are already spoiled.

OK my insulin cartridges for my pump have an expiration date. Lets see. A round plastic tube which holds the insulin, a needle, a needle cover, a rubber plunder inside the tube all sterilized and sealed in a small bag. It's going to be ruined how?????

TeJay

huntnski · 08-27-2014, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeJay

When in doubt about the nitro try a small portion of a pill under the tongue and if it tingles then it's still good enough.

Last month I ate a can of sardines that were 2 years out of date and they weren't spoiled. Well at least I didn't think they were but the DW thinks even fresh ones are already spoiled.

OK my insulin cartridges for my pump have an expiration date. Lets see. A round plastic tube which holds the insulin, a needle, a needle cover, a rubber plunder inside the tube all sterilized and sealed in a small bag. It's going to be ruined how?????

TeJay

makes me wonder how old the tires are on your coach, go for it, just be prepared to fight the consequences.

bokobird · 08-27-2014, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeJay

OK my insulin cartridges for my pump have an expiration date. Lets see. A round plastic tube which holds the insulin, a needle, a needle cover, a rubber plunder inside the tube all sterilized and sealed in a small bag. It's going to be ruined how?????

TeJay

Many things can degrade the potency and viability of a product in a container. Exposure to light itself could cause insulin to break down and lose potency. I'm not a chemist so I can't state that for a fact in this case, but I do know some chemists that would have your head spinning on all the things that go into packaging materials and the resulting side affects of the product they intend to contain. Nothing is as simple as you may believe when it comes to this stuff.