Is It OK To Take Claritin Past Its Expiration Date?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Antihistamines, one of the main types of allergy medicine, can be safe to use after the expiration date . For over-the-counter medicines like Claritin and Zyrtec, the listed expiration dates are typically around two and a half years after manufacturing.

How long after expiration date is medicine still good?

Excluding certain prescription medicines such as nitroglycerin, insulin, and liquid antibiotics, most medicines stored under reasonable conditions retain at least 70% to 80% of their original potency for at least 1 to 2 years after the expiration date , even after the container has been opened.

CAN expired allergy medicine make you sick?

Allergy medication, pain relievers (like ibuprofen or acetaminophen), and cold medicine likely won’t hurt you. But avoid taking expired antibiotics, supplements, and eye drops . Truthfully, you shouldn’t have any antibiotics expiring on you anyway.

What medications become toxic after expiration?

Practically speaking, Hall said there is a handful of drugs known to degrade quite quickly, such as nitroglycerin tablets, insulin and tetracycline , an antibiotic that may become toxic to the kidneys after it expires.

Is it safe to take expired allergy pills?

It may be fine to take an allergy medication that’s a month past its expiration date . But there is some risk in taking a heart rhythm medication that, if ineffective, could lead to an unstable and dangerous heart problem.

Do medicines really expire?

Medical authorities state that expired medicine is safe to take , even those that expired years ago. 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.

Do antihistamines lose effectiveness?

The causes for the diminished effect of antihistamine drugs are far less clear . The bulk of evidence will tell you that drug tolerance does not occur no matter how long or aggressively the drugs are used. If anything, their prolonged use will reduce a person’s tolerance to their side effects, particularly drowsiness.

What happens when you take expired medicine?

Expired medical products can be less effective or risky due to a change in chemical composition or a decrease in strength. Certain expired medications are at risk of bacterial growth and sub-potent antibiotics can fail to treat infections, leading to more serious illnesses and antibiotic resistance.

Is expired Benadryl still effective?

If you have expired antihistamines hanging around in your medicine cabinet, they’re probably still effective . “Diphenhydramine, a common antihistamine, was studied to last almost 15 years in the tablet form,” Langon said, but added that “liquid OTC antihistamines should be discarded on their expiration date.”

What happens if you take old Benadryl?

by Drugs.com

This means that Benadryl solution that has expired six months previously should work , especially if it has been stored in a dry cool space away from light in its original container. There is a possibility that it may not be quite as effective, but it is unlikely to do you any harm.

How long can you use after expiration date?

It’s hard to tell how long your food if good for once the expiration date has passed, plus each food is different. Dairy lasts one to two weeks, eggs last almost two weeks, and grains last a year after their sell-by.

How long is Claritin effective after expiration date?

Antihistamines, one of the main types of allergy medicine, can be safe to use after the expiration date. For over-the-counter medicines like Claritin and Zyrtec, the listed expiration dates are typically around two and a half years after manufacturing .

Can you take expired anti inflammatory?

(Reuters Health) – Even medicines that are years past their expiration date and haven’t always been kept in strict climate-controlled conditions may still retain their original potency, a small study suggests.

Does amoxicillin become toxic after expiration?

Even though it might not be toxic past its expiration date , it may have lost some of its potency. If it’s not as effective in treating infection-causing microbes, it might even help these germs build immunity to the drug. That means the next time you need amoxicillin, it might have little or no effect.

Can I use expired Lorazepam?

Do not take Ativan after the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack. If you take it after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well or have no effect at all.

How do you know when a medicine expires?

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James Park
Author
James Park
Dr. James Park is a medical doctor and health expert with a focus on disease prevention and wellness. He has written several publications on nutrition and fitness, and has been featured in various health magazines. Dr. Park's evidence-based approach to health will help you make informed decisions about your well-being.