Question about expired meds: Hey everyone, yes... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

137,154 members160,838 posts

Question about expired meds

dang profile image
dang
11 Replies

Hey everyone, yes this is a serious question and I already likely know the answer, but on the premise of no such thing as a stupid question, here goes:

I have a lot of expired T4 and T3, any time my medication was changed in the past I just put what was left over into a cool dark drawer. The oldest ones expired in 2018 and the more recent ones expired at the start of 2020...

Now is it pointless for me to keep holding on to this medication? I figured that in case of some sort of emergency at least I’d have some meds, but could taking expired meds do more damage than good?

Also is there a preferred way to dispose of them?

Written by
dang profile image
dang
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
11 Replies
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

I would hang on to them

If you want to get rid, take to pharmacy

dang profile image
dang in reply to SlowDragon

Thanks! it never occurred to me that I can bring them back to the pharmacy. That’s a good call.

Not sure if you would know this, but I assume they would just be less effective if expired, but not necessarily dangerous to take? (Assuming I take a standard dose)

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to dang

They wouldn't be dangerous to take, no. They might be slightly less effective, but most medictions keep their potancy for a long time after the expiration date. In the past, I've taken T3 two years after the date and it was fine. :)

dang profile image
dang in reply to greygoose

Thanks for the info and sharing your experience! In this case I’ll keep holding on 😁

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to dang

Oh, I would, if I were you! You just never know when you're likely to need them!

dang profile image
dang in reply to greygoose

Yea luckily so far I haven’t had that experience, but one thing about your life being dependant on a little pill you take every morning is that there is always that stress: what if I run out? So even just for the stress relief I like to have some sort of backup stock

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to dang

Absolutely! Totally agree with you.

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator in reply to dang

Once upon a time I doubt they had a date on the packet.

dang profile image
dang in reply to shaws

Really? Hehe this is all news to me (good news) the meds I get (prothyrid and thybon) are always within a year of expiry, even if they were recently produced they “expire” so fast I always thought it was a finicky compound. I wonder if it’s just regulation that they have to put short expiry dates on these type of meds

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator in reply to dang

This is an expert:-

"if you decide to take the medication, will it be a fatal mistake or will you simply continue to suffer from the headache? And how long is a prescription good for?

This is a dilemma many people face in some way or another. A column published in Psychopharmacology Today offers some advice.

It turns out that the expiration date on a drug does stand for something, but probably not what you think it does. Since a law was passed in 1979, drug manufacturers are required to stamp an expiration date on their products. This is the date at which the manufacturer can still guarantee the full potency and safety of the drug.

Most of what is known about drug expiration dates comes from a study conducted by the Food and Drug Administration at the request of the military. With a large and expensive stockpile of drugs, the military faced tossing out and replacing its drugs every few years. What they found from the study is 90% of more than 100 drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, were perfectly good to use even 15 years after the expiration date.

health.harvard.edu/staying-...

dang profile image
dang in reply to shaws

This is really interesting! Thanks for sharing this :)

You may also like...

\"Your medical exemption certificate is about to expire.\"

cert is going to expire. I thought these were good for ages. It can't have been more than three-ish...

A couple of questions about thyroid meds and interaction with other things

multivitamin type tablet and she takes it with her thyroid meds in the morning and I of course went...

Thoughts on Expired NDT?

have found a stash of expired NDT, and some expired Cytomel, and some expired NutriAdrenal...

Questionable reduction in thyroid meds

for endo appointment) I have some concerns regarding a drop in my medication over the course of...

Expired Thybon still effective for you?

Hey all, I am using up some of expired Thybon from 2021, I think I have seen some posts saying it...