I have prescribed vicodin/lortab talets that expired on 6/2006 would it be safe to take it now for back pain?

Question

hydrocodone/acetaminophen 5/500 to be exact.

It's hydrocodone/acetaminophen to be exact. It was prescribed for pain caused by ovarian cysts.

It is hydrocodone/acetaminophen 5/500, and was prescribed for pain caused by ovarian cysts.

Answer 1

these people are all correct do not take them, actually i run an expired pill disposal business specializing in vicodin, i can give you the address so you can mail your expired vicodin to me.

actually when you are talking about the half life of opioid medication you are talking about much more time than 1 year these people have small minds and most of them don't even use it, the medication is not only safe to ingest but it is also as potent as the day you put it in your medicine cabinet.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Lortab Expiration

Answer 4

The drug would have possibly lost some of it's potency. Drug companies that produce drugs can give extensions of the expiration date as they frequently test the expiring drugs for potency.

Regarding this being a prescibed drug, however, as a Schedule III narcotic Lortab and/or Vicodin can only be prescribed for a period of upto 6 months without renewing the presciption. Therefore this is not considered a prescribed drug anymore. If yoiu work in a job that may take random urine samples or urine samples after an accident and the hydrocodone was found in your urine, you do not have a valid prescription for the medication and could be fired, reprimanded, and if hurt denied workers compensation coverage. Additionally, if you are taking a presciption drug without a valid prescription and have any problems associated with it, your health insurance could legally deny coverage.

See a healthcare provider to get a new presciption if neccessary. Also if this is a new or worsened problem, then the hydrocodone/APAP preparation may not be appropriate for your current pain issue.

Answer 5

The reason for the expiry date is simple. The efficacy of the meds are halfway deteriorated at that time.

So a year and 3 months after half of it does not work anymore will make it what- 95% placebo? 95% poison? 95%poisonous placebo?

Some organizations collect expired medicines and send it to third world countries. While that might strike you as cruel and unusual (think of the gratefulness , would'nt that make you super guilty?), the explanation was that the last remaining portion of otherwise unaffordable medicine is still medicine.

Answer 6

It might or might not be safe, but is almost certainly going to be less effective as drugs like that tend to lose strength over time. Also, what was the pain medication originally prescribed for? If it was something other than back pain, you should not be using the drug for that anyhow. Try heat or ice and call your doctor in the am.

Answer 7

Panadol and tylenol are the only safe pain medication you take whilst pregnant. Your most likely feeling pains what is called RLS - restless leg syndrome, its like a crawling feeling all over your legs and can also be deep burning pains in the upper thighs, its a real pain in the ****.

Answer 8

That's a long time ago...I wouldn't risk it. Maybe you could just ask the pharmacy for a refill...they'll call the dr. and ask. (Some pharmacys even have auto-refill so you don't have to talk to a person). Otherwise, I'd call the dr.'s office and ask for a refill for your specific pain. I didn't go to medical school, but I know the expirations are there for a reason and I trust them. I'm going through back pain for the first time in my life, and I know you're hurting, but take care of yourself! :-)

Answer 9

2

Answer 10

It wouldn't hurt anything to go ahead and take them. You may need to call ur Physician that originally prescribed them to you to see if you could get a new refill. Take care and Good Luck!