I just came back from the dentist, tooth extraction, and I still live at home w/ my grandmother. Anyway I am in some pain, She used to get prescribed Merpozine, which looking on the net is meperidine (opiate analgesic) & promethazine (phenergan - anti-nausea (i think)). But these pills are from 1996. And I’m very very tempted to take one, but I want to make sure they don’t go “bad” per say. They have been in the a normal pill bottle all this time and away from direct sunlight. So what’s the shelf life??
http://www.medletter.com/freedocs/expdrugs.pdf
or
http://www.medletter.com/html/prm.htm#ExpDrugs
and click on Drugs Past Their Expiration Date
One danger of using the drug past the date (I think 3-5 years is about the limit in most cases) is that the active ingredient may degrade over time, creating nasty secondary compounds that can make you ill or worse. Excipients (non-actives) may also degrade, possibly yielding the same result. I know where I worked this summer. we ended a stability protocol on a project that had lasted 3 years - that was as long as it was necessary to test it for, and I don’t know if any data is available to see if it still falls within the norms after that point.
I wouldn’t recommend you take her meds, not only because they might be old, but also because they were not prescribed for you. If you are taking any other meds, or have a particular physical condition (which you might not yet know about, but a doctor could find) etc, then the effects of the drugs might be disastrous.
Go to the pharmacy and obtain an OTC painkiller, after having talked to the pharmacist first!
One danger of using the drug past the date (I think 3-5 years is about the limit in most cases) is that the active ingredient may degrade over time, creating nasty secondary compounds that can make you ill or worse. Excipients (non-actives) may also degrade, possibly yielding the same result. I know where I worked this summer. we ended a stability protocol on a project that had lasted 3 years - that was as long as it was necessary to test it for, and I don’t know if any data is available to see if it still falls within the norms after that point.
I wouldn’t recommend you take her meds, not only because they might be old, but also because they were not prescribed for you. If you are taking any other meds, or have a particular physical condition (which you might not yet know about, but a doctor could find) etc, then the effects of the drugs might be disastrous.
Go to the pharmacy and obtain an OTC painkiller, after having talked to the pharmacist first!
One danger of using the drug past the date (I think 3-5 years is about the limit in most cases) is that the active ingredient may degrade over time, creating nasty secondary compounds that can make you ill or worse. Excipients (non-actives) may also degrade, possibly yielding the same result. I know where I worked this summer. we ended a stability protocol on a project that had lasted 3 years - that was as long as it was necessary to test it for, and I don’t know if any data is available to see if it still falls within the norms after that point.
I wouldn’t recommend you take her meds, not only because they might be old, but also because they were not prescribed for you. If you are taking any other meds, or have a particular physical condition (which you might not yet know about, but a doctor could find) etc, then the effects of the drugs might be disastrous.
Go to the pharmacy and obtain an OTC painkiller, after having talked to the pharmacist first!
It’s likely that the meds in question are simply inactive. The only meds that degrade into a harmful substance are tetracycline.
Remember that federal law prohibits transfer of rx drugs to others than for whom prescribed.
It’s likely that the meds in question are simply inactive. The only meds that degrade into a harmful substance are tetracycline.
Remember that federal law prohibits transfer of rx drugs to others than for whom prescribed.
As miatachris points out, taking prescription medications not prescribed to you is illegal. We do not countenance discussions that will facilitate your breaking the law. This thread is closed.
bibliophage
moderator GQ