It's been a long time since posting here but have still been checking on posts, periodically. Have been on sub-cut B12 for many years now, in spite of GP saying I wasn't deficient. Hmm!
I have just realised my stock of Vit B12 injection has an expiry date of March 2022. Has anyone any idea if these shouldn't be used? I'm not one for expiry dates but do use my initiative regarding expiry dates. They don't 'suddenly' become dangerous 1 April, for instance. I've got enough for a long time yet, but expired. I don't really like to think I need to discard them
Advice pleae? Many thanks
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JMN2017
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Thanks very much, Nackapan. I value your opinion, in particular, plus certain others I must have had an expired one in May too. I've deliberately gone 12 weeks between injections, just to see if it made any/much difference. Don't think it has.
So, I've injected today with an expired ampoule. Looks like I need to re-order some more but in less quantity. I have to admit I was taking it more frequently at the time of ordering too. Shame about the remaining 29 amps
I agree with Nackapan . The ampoules were probably OK for a short while after expiration , but I would not use them now 4 months later . Effectiveness is paramount Yes waste is always to be avoided where possible. , but in this case it’s justified I believe .
I agree. The chemical structure of the constituents of any drug can change with the passage of time rendering the drug ineffective or harmful. IMO not worth the risk..
I'm using mine to good effect and intend to use up the whole box - I've got another couple of month's worth of similar dated ampoules.
They don't seem to be temperature sensitive but I know they are much more UV light sensitive so, provided they are kept in the dark, I don't worry about mine. If I accidentally miss a jab I know I have by mid afternoon, with a return of symptoms. If I use an out of date one it makes no difference to me, so I know mine are still effective for me.
Different brands use different preservatives so this may make a difference to how OK, or not, they are.
That said, it always pays to err on the side of caution and I wouldn't use out of date ones in somebody else, unless I had no option!
I read a report of an assessment of medicines and expiry dates a couple of years ago. It was done by one of the UK medical schools. They found the period of validity was the one they had used for the tests that had been done. The drugs were found to be still good after that period. They had not then tested further. So the expiry dates is after the same period which had been used for the original test.
What the report concluded was that the drugs did not ‘go off’ after the expiry date. So long as they had been properly stored and there were no signs of deterioration then they were safe to use.
I wish I had kept a copy of the study but I didn’t.. I have used drugs well beyond their expiry date ever since without any adverse effects.
Yes, not B12 related but recently treated a dog with a previously unopened antibiotic cream that was a couple of years out of date and it worked well. Was expecting an expensive vet visit but we avoided it.
I found a few articles about ‘expired medicines’. They were all American, one from Harvard Medical School. They were referring to a study by the Federal Drug Authority in USA who looked at the effectiveness of old drugs,, some as old as thirty years and found them still as good as new.The NHS take a different view.
The manufacturers tested their drugs after a storage period. When they found them still effective that became the expiry period. They have no incentive to do more study as expiry dates mean unused ones will be thrown away to be replaced by newly made ones.
As always ‘follow the money’ as that’s where the answer lies.
I am using mine and they are dated March 2022 and they are still effective.
I was originally of the same opinion,bin and reorder,and I chucked 2 years supply because I wasn’t allowed to offer to anyone else sadly, not anymore.Look at what’s happening in our supermarkets to our foodstuffs including fruit veg and
Milk!
They are removing use by dates and best before dates so that has made me have a total rethink.
As others have advised yes they will put best before dates etc on these products so we all chuck any excess we have bought and rebuy.That’s where their profits come from obviously,repeat customer like all businesses.
I have been using my b12 ampoules 4 months now since expiry date on them ,I’m down to twice weekly shots now and perfectly fine so I will continue to use them and if need be I will increase my frequency but as I said I’ve been perfectly fine.
You have to consider the financial side for people right now,surely it’s not the time for us to be gambling on repeatedly paying around 80-90 euros plus postage
it really will make people think about dumping stuff that may not need dumped.
Your descision of course but I’m fine with my choices as sometimes circumstances dictate.They say best by dates and use by dates are guidelines when it suits them dont they,use your instincts on this one is my advice.
As you say, Wedgewood, a lot of contradictory opinions!!! That's typical of life, of course. Did I really expect a clear-cut yes , or no, response? Ha, well, I was hoping, of course
It is good to hear differing opinions and perspectives on anything, I find. Sometimes I do feel I'm right, of course but, in this case I was really not sure.
So, now to consider what to do...
The ampoules have been stored in my filing cabinet so dark, relatively undisturbed and reasonably constant room temperature, obviously a bit warmer this summer.
On appearance, they look as they always have done. The fluid is still the same quantity and clear.
I've never taken 'expiry' / 'best before' / 'use by' dates totally to be adhered to, except in certain circumstances. For instance, a 'use by' date on canned produce is hardly relevant when you consider canning was, at one time, one of the most reliable forms of preserving foods. However, if a can is dented, etc, then the integrity of the can is broken and the food inside could well have become unsafe.
When working as a nurse, in hospital setting, all expiry dates would be taken seriously but the, one is dealing with another who is not making the decision etc hence a different situation entirely.
Dairy, for example, ones nose can generally determine whether it's OK to eat, or not, although it possibly wouldn't do harm. Other food stuffs might. If mold is growing, ie on cheese, I wouldn't eat it although my ol' Dad would say it's home-grown penicillin so good for you LOL I drew the line at this but he did survive until he was 95 yrs old so, maybe some truth in it LOL
I've got another couple of months to think about the arguments for and against but, I think, I'll likely continue using the ampoules until I feel uncomfortable about it ... or if I fall ill ......
Thanks, everyone, for all your suggestions and advice. It's all been very interesting and useful perceptions which have given me a lot of things to cogitate over
😅
I have just got my order of hydroxocobalamin acetat 1000ug.ive realized they are 2ml ampules.can i just take 1ml out of ampule? Ordered from amazon depot.
HI, you would need to check what strength the ampoule / box says. It could be twice the dose in twice the amount OR it could be the same amount in twice the amount of liquid. My ampoules are '1000 iu / 1 ml' so, by injecting the whole of the 1 ml from ampoule, I get 1,000 iu.
If it says 2000 iu / 2 mls, then take 1 ml to get 1000 iu.
On the other hand, if it says '1000 iu / 2 mls' you'll need to inject 2 mls.
Yes, I would agree with a lot of what you say. Additives, only the manufacturers might know about how long they work in various situations. Losing taste would relate to food, rather than injections
Food Poisoning, well, if one does use when out of date/expired, then you have to accept consequences but things like milk, yoghurt, cream etc, one's nose and eyes can give a strong clue. As for injections, without obvious signs, then who knows?
A nurse is likely to adhere to hospital procedure whereby one checks the expiry date and doesn't contine if out of date/expired. I feel that's a different situation from injecting on a personal level. Different motivation for each, most likely. Also, a 'professional' giving another an injection will be aware of libel actions if using an expired ampoule etc. I doubt I'd be sueing myself, eh? An injection at the surgery is a different situation to that of injecting personal contents of expired ampoule. I wouldn't accept an out of date injection at the surgery. Why? I don't know how it's been stored, where it came from, or anything else about it. Nor would I accept out of date (oral) medication from pharmacy/hospital, for the same reasons. What I, personally, decide to do is MY choice, not what another wants me to do.
Why am I asking now? Simply because of have a number of expired ampoules and considering what I'll do next ...
As for food, I've used my initiative as to whether food is edible after a 'sell-by date/ best before / expiry date. Food has ways to show it's not fresh so, again, initiative! If food looks as if it's already 'past it' on the shop shelves, I just don't buy it. I make a personal choice and accept the consequences.
Was just going to say the same thing, I have nose and eyes and was pretty horrified when sbd’s came into operation. The world has gone mad and turned us into a bunch of softies, although it does mean more offers at the supermarket 😊
I totally agree. Somethings I appreciate the guide regarding dates, like dairy etc as can help with 'rotating' what's in your cupboards/fridge. Meat, for me, is the same but usually goes in freezer until I'm ready for it.
Sell by dates on everything, tho? I feel it's to protect the supplier regarding law suits. We've become very much a claim culture, following in the footsteps of US, I believe. It's nothing to do with any date when the food may be less than fresh or unsuitable to eat.
What happened to common sense? Went out of the window a very long time ago now. Everyone is out to protect themselves!
My personal opinion only and very briefly so please don't nit-pick on anything I've said LOL
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I must have had an expired one in May too. I've deliberately gone 12 weeks between injections, just to see if it made any/much difference. Don't think it has. 
Use-by dates for B12
B12 Expiry/Shelf-Life?
Expiry date
B12 Ampoules
