I’m getting ready for a long plane trip, and I’m thinking I’ll need something stronger than Nicorette to get over the eight-hour stretch of no smoking. I’ve got a few Nicoderm patches left over from my (failed) attempt to quit four years ago, but the expiration date says May 2003. Now…I know that some medications are perfectly fine past the exp. date, but does that apply to nicotine patches? I’d rather not buy a whole new box, they’re EXPENSIVE and it’s much more than I need. But I’d rather not use something that’s inefficacious, or potentially dangerous. Any dopers want to chime in?
Good question. I have some 10 year old nicotine patches that I would also like to know if they are still effective?
Not exactly cheap to buy anew you know. Would hate to throw the 10 year old ones out -----------in case they are still capable of doing something.
I have heard from medical people that, in general, expiration dates on medicines are meaningless. Will still work quite well many years after their expiration dates.
I asked my pharmacist this when I gave my leftover nicotine patches to a friend I was hoping to encourage. Mine were about a year past expiration. He said they might not deliver as much nicotine as they were labeled to deliver, but that they would not be dangerous. IANAPharmacist, etc., etc, etc.