[Odee]

Hey guys, I was trying to postpone getting my prozac prescription filled by using the same milligram pills that I was given two years ago when I first tried the med. I am afraid that they are not being effective. Is that possibly true?

I'm picking up my new refill tomorrow regardless.

[gayleggg]

Usually, they say throw away anything over one year old. So they may not be as effective.

[Luvmydog]

I found this on the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide.

"It turns out that the expiration date on a drug does stand for something, but probably not what you think it does. Since a law was passed in 1979, drug manufacturers are required to stamp an expiration date on their products. This is the date at which the manufacturer can still guarantee the full potency and safety of the drug.

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 the study is 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 the expiration date doesn't really indicate a point at which the medication is no longer effective or has become unsafe to use. Medical authorities state expired drugs are safe to take, even those that expired years ago. A rare exception to this may be tetracycline, but the report on this is controversial among researchers. It's true the effectiveness of a drug may decrease over time, but much of the original potency still remains even a decade after the expiration date. Excluding nitroglycerin, insulin, and liquid antibiotics, most medications are as long-lasting as the ones tested by the military. Placing a medication in a cool place, such as a refrigerator, will help a drug remain potent for many years."

Prozac would seem to be safe and effective after the expiration date, but I would always err on the side of caution. If in doubt, throw it out.

[kaliope]

I was getting drugs straight from the manufacturer from a prescription help plan and the expiration date that came with those pills was five years past the date I got them, so I think you are probably ok.

[High Etiquette]

I had some Xanax pills that were about 10 - 12 months old possibly even more. I was taking those for anxiety. I got a new prescription for the same type of Xanax and I could actually notice they are more effective. So the answer is yes, atleast for some meds. Try and take them as they are prescribed.

[sewerrats]

I have taken 5 year old BENZO,S still worked the same.