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Antibiotics are a particularly bad kind of medication to play with. Due to many deterioration factors the dosage and efficacy can no longer be guaranteed.
Taking a dose insufficient to kill the infection can result in the bacteria developing a resistance to them, and drug resistant bacteria are really not a good thing. They make for good Horror flick plots, though.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO CONSIDER Pay close heed to the information given above. If you take a 250mg capsule of an antibiotic it may have degraded in effectiveness after a few months. With that in mind however, you can safely take a 'some' antibiotics for certain issues. For instance I have had great success with slightly higher doses of older antibiotics. Say taking 500 mg Amoxicillin 3x per day for ten days for a specific kind of an ear ache. Studies show that expired drugs may lose some of their potency over time, from as little as 5% or less to 50% or more (though usually much less than the latter). Even 10 years after the "expiration date," most drugs have a good deal of their original potency. If your life does not depend on an expired drug - such as that for headache, hay fever, or menstrual cramps - take it and see what happens. One of the largest studies ever conducted that supports the above points about "expired drug" labeling was done by the U.S. military 15 years ago, according to a feature story in the Wall Street Journal (March 29, 2000), reported by Laurie P. Cohen. Another thing to keep in mind is that generic analogs do not keep as well as the name-brand medications. This is one of those corners that gets cut to make them cheaper. If you take them right away there is no difference at all, but over time a generic will lose effectiveness faster.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoDepends how old it is and how it was stored. If it was stored properly and is only just out of date, then in if there is no other choice, use it. However, if it is old or has been stored incorrectly it should not be used.
In matters of health it is best to use medicines that are in date.
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoThe expired medication cefuroxime axetil is not as effective after it has expired. It is also not dangerous to take it after it has expired.
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Will expired RA insulin still be effective?
Medication should not be used after the expiration date printed on the label. After the expiration medicine can lose its potency which can be very dangerous.
Does insurance still cover a claim for damages when not at fault and hit by an uninsured motorist if the vehicle's registration is expired at the time of the accident?
yes the coverage is effective even though the registration is expired.
How long if cephalexin liquid last in refrigerator?
i have a liquad cephalexin that i had filled on may 21st and vever used. can i still use it
Are enoxaparin injections still effective if used about 4 months after expiration date?
Enoxaparin isn't something you want to fool around with - if it's expired, get a new injection because it won't work effectively. That's what expired means.
Will an expired epi-pen still work?
It is never a good idea to trust the usefulness of an out of date medicine but for the most part medicines are still majorly effective after the expectation date for several years
Will an expired epi pen still work?
It is never a good idea to trust the usefulness of an out of date medicine but for the most part medicines are still majorly effective after the expectation date for several years
What are beauty products that are dangerous to health?
Mostly just expired ones. Expired beauty products can often irritate skin if used and possibly not work the way they're supposed to, like lotion leaving the skin still feeling dry.
Can you still use an expired postal order?
If it has expired you cannot use it.
Is an expired license still valid?
no it is not .if you drive with a expired license you are breaking the law
Can you still use a moisturizer if it is expired?
can you??
Is an expired Ca Id still Id?
If it was still good, it wouldn't have an expiration date. If the ID expired, you need to renew it for it to be valid.
Is a promissory note still due if no payments were made on it and the time to make all payments has expired?
No. It has expired.No. It has expired.No. It has expired.No. It has expired.
