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Sumitriptan Injections - past use by date - safe to use?

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#1 Thu, 09/06/2016 - 12:53
Kit
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Sumitriptan Injections - past use by date - safe to use?

Hello all. I'm a long term ECH sufferer who had been on a blissful 30 month remission.

Yay - must be cause I'm getting older!

I'm now anticipating the return of my nemesis as I'm getting shadow headaches and single attacks which is really weird.

During my last bout there was a national shortage of injections due to a batch recall and there were none to be had for love nor money. It was horrendous. At the time I swore that I would never run short again. I retained about a weeks supply once the attacks were over. I would be suprised if most ECH sufferers don't do the same TBH.

Anyway - enough rambling. I revisited my stockpile of injections the other day to find that, not unexpectedly, they were all out of date. The use by date on these is 09/15.

So my question is quite simple. Can I safely use these now or are they only fit for the bin? 

I know the stock answer is that they may have degraded, be potentially unstable, might make you more ill etc etc but like use by dates on food, is that just put there by the manufacturer to shift units or is there a real danger if I use these?

I have used three of the old stock already because I needed to and didn't have access to fresh stocks. It worked as well as I remember and I haven't suffered any unusual symptoms or problems.

I now have some fresh refills and could probably bin the old stock but loathe to waste it unless I have to, especially given the cost of the shots.

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Kit

 

 

 

Mon, 13/06/2016 - 10:57
Val
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Tough one Kit, it's down to you regarding the risk, strictly speaking you should use them by the 'use by' date.  Not sure if they degrade in any way, or if the chemical make up becomes volatile after a certain period.  Think the best thing would be to ask a pharmacist who would know more about it.

Val.

Thu, 16/06/2016 - 18:28
Kit
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Thanks Val - I never throw food out when it's past its sell by date but it's not possible to test the efficacy of the injections is it!  I have spoken to my pharmacist who gave the stock answer which is to bin it. Just seems a terrible waste is all.

 

Kit

Fri, 17/06/2016 - 12:13
Val
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Ah well, you tried Kit!  I'm sorry I can't give you a definitive answer either.

Val.

Sat, 18/06/2016 - 10:23
John S
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Joined: 26/02/2014 - 14:41

I have used them when they were 18 months out of date. Worked fine, it's a personal choice for the individual really. Both doctor and pharmacist say don't. 

Sun, 19/06/2016 - 06:28
Harrietjt
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Joined: 22/10/2014 - 12:47

I may be wrong, but I think that the use by date with meds is not so much about whether they might cause you harm after that date.......but is more about the active ingredients in the medication have a certain length of 'life' and are not guaranteed to retain their clinically effective qualities past that date. 

Harriet

Sat, 17/09/2016 - 14:14
MarkShepley
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Currently using up old batch of Imigran that's dated 01-2015. Works fine. Advised doc and he said officiallly you shouldn't but if you do, worse thing than can happen is they lose their effectiveness as maybe the potion degrades over time.

I like the security of having 10 to 12 injections in reserve which invariably means that when your bout ends, they just go on the shelf till the next time. This works if your remissions are shortish - luckily for me, my remissions get longer and longer as I get older, so old stock drugs will be an issue for me I guess.

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