Can anyone tell me what the expiry date of endocet? ie, how long is the medicine effective. I bought some 12 months back and I would like to know if they will still work.
thanks.
- Message NOT scanned for typos
Without a doubt, in some cases the medicine does not deteriorate. The manufacturer just wants you to throw out a perfectly good product and to buy some more. In other cases the medicine will lose its potency or even become harmful. It depends on the medicine and on how it was stored.
I need to know by tomorrow, and the above reply just does not help me in anyway…
Sorry, dont mean to be rude, just stating a fact…
Veera, if you’re looking for somebody to tell you unequivocaly that your prescription is bad or good, you’ve come to the wrong place. The only answer allowed here is consult your physician. Any other answers apparently expose the SDMB to legal liability, and we don’t want Cecil hauled up in court for all the world to see, now, do we? (Hey, wait a minute…naw…)
TT
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This is not true. The is no prohibition whatsoever against posting medical “advice” and/or knowledge here on the SDMB.
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Nickrz
For The Straight Dope
errr…so how long IS endocet potent?
Even if no one has any ideas, thanks anyway…
Veera.
Endocet is the same as percocet, a synthetic narcotic and tylenol mixture. I’m not familiar with any instability problems with either one, probably they lose their effectivness rather than become harmful. The pharmacist at your local drug store should be able to give you complete information on expiration, probably better than your doctor,
Larry
Veera13 - Since you really don’t know how long the med sat on the shelf before you purchased it, that date doesn’t have much relevence. If you got the bottle in which it was shipped from the manufacturer, there should be a printed expiration date on it. If not, I’d say it’s best not to use it without verifying it with your doctor. Just MHO.
The Tylenol part will last several years past expiration. If the other compound is xxxxx hydrochloride or some other salt, it will last a long time.(which this is) If the drug is an amine, which a great number are, and is not a salt, then they oxidize with air, slowly, to products that are not active. Whether they are harmful depends on each drug.
See http://www.rxlist.com/
Endocet is Hydrocodone- hydrochloride/acetaminophen
Hydrocodone is a medium strength opiate, stronger than codeine. Don’t drive heavy machinery while taking it. Presumably SUVs included.
I don’t recommend it for anything but severe pain. Do not extra Tylenol if you decide to use it.
this is the deal:
tonight will be one year since a very painful event. I do not want to be conscious during the night; I just want to sleep thru it. sleep will not come by its own because of the memories…Just want to induce it…
so I plan to pop in a couple of endocets and be konked out till noon…
How does that sound?
It sounds like you’re not using the mid for the purpose for which it was intended. Can you stay with someone you trust, someone to help you through the night? Much safer.
veera13 - sounds good to me! How I yearn for something like that, sometimes - but since I don’t go to a doctor unless they carry me out of the house, I have to rely on a good old fashioned slug of Benadryl.
veera13 - sounds like a bottle of wine and a friend and a pile of old movies would be a better way to get thru the night than narcotics, before or after their expiration dates.
Instead of advising this poster to “call a physician,” I would advise her/him to call a pharmacist. They are great sources of this kind of info., and can tell you what not to mix this med with, too. Plus you can get em on the phone anytime; some pharmacies are open all night.
Choose one or the other, but DON’T mix drugs and alcohol. Or stay up all night and type messages, they don’t have to that relevant messages. Hang in there.
I agree with sunbear, just do something to get thru the night and have someone around. And don’t push the idea of knocking yourself out for 12 or 18 hours, it’s too fine of line to not waking up at all. Just hang in there
Jill, I don’t think this person is that interested in too many particulars other than if I take a couple of these year old pills to knock myself out, am I going to kill myself, or do I need to take more than a couple. … Sounds like a friend or family would be a much better person to call.
Try a Sominex, they are not prescription & they do the job in 30 minutes, for restful sleep.
Endocet is very powerful & you should use caution that you don’t get addicted to it. Shoot, why not just send it to me, I can dispose of it for you. 
handy: we can only guess what she did
hope she reports back
I was guessing a severe migraine from the initial post, but then she reported a more emotional problem. I hate this, IRL crashing in here so out of the blue.
I’m with you sunbear, hope Veera reports back that everythings ok.