Will Expired Diclofenac Still Work

I have Diclofenac that was prescribed in late 2006 but has no expiry date. Is it still safe to use?

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Hello, Bob! How are you?

I'm not sure how your country handles drug laws and expiration dates, so I can only provide you with information that I am familiar with from the U.S. FDA.

From their efficacy studies, when left in the original factory sealed containers, it was found to retain full efficacy for 3 years, but once that container was opened and it was dispensed in a pharmacy/chemist's container that exposes it to the elements that cause degradation, that efficacy could only be guaranteed for one year.

It was not, however, found to become dangerous after the expiration date, but after so many years, it is most likely worthless and you should just dispose of it.

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I have Diclofenac sodium 75mg with an expiry date of 10/2013. Are they safe to take?

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I suffer from back problems, and although the doctor took me off Diclofenac because I had been on it for so long, I have a small stash for bad days. However, it is now out of date by three years. It is like a comfort blanket to me, and I know it works; new meds are not the same. Am I being silly?

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Hi, I have some Voltarol tablets, and the expiration date is 2001. Can I still take them for back pain?

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Not silly, just addicted. LISTEN TO YOUR DOCTOR! Voltarin is an NSAID which can do damage to your liver.

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I have just had a severe allergic reaction this morning and an ambulance had to attend. I took one diclofenac tablet which was probably 2 to 3 years old, still sealed and mouth started swelling, difficulty in swallowing and an itchy rash everywhere with a bright red face, also painful indigestion. I have used this drug before with no problem but not for at least 2 years.

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I have Diclofenac 75 mg that expired in February 2016. I'm having the same pain again. Are these still okay to take?

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I have 2012 Dyfene 50 mhéid in my drawer. Can I use them for toe pain relief?

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My employer gave me Olfen Diclofenac, which I took three times today. When should I take it again? I'm worried because it expired in September 2016, and I'm still not okay. I've been feeling cold and have had headaches for four days now. I'm sick. ...Thank you for entertaining my question. God bless.

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This is an ansaid and could upset your stomach. Take an ibuprofen,(motrin), if you can tolerate it, over the counter, you take 2 200 mg tablets. These meds are good, but they could mess up your stomach. I had bad foot pain when I was a mailman, and a podiatrist made me orthotics and gave me a med called Feldene 20 mg twice a day. Took away the pain, but I started having bad stomach pains. Ansaid means non steroidal antiflammatory. Works great, but totally trashed my stomach, cannot even take an aspirin today.

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Re: Sandy (# 6)

Same thing happened to my wife. She has developed a allergy to nsaids,go and see an allergy expert.

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Re: Nancy (# 5)

Nancy, firstly, it's spelled VOLTAREN!!! Also, that is a completely unnecessary, highly offensive and uneducated answer. You obviously have no idea what you are talking about because VOLTAREN IS NOT AN ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCE THEREFORE YOU CAN NOT GET ADDICTED TO IT!!! ALSO YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO ASSUME SHE IS ADDICTED IN THE FIRST PLACE!!! I mean seriously, does an addict keep their drugs around for that long of an amount of time, not take them and let them get that old? NO, they do not... So please educate yourself before you post in the future, and don't make such highly offensive assumptions. Addiction is not something to be taken lightly The words addicted and addiction should NOT just be thrown around and used so lightly. Also, ALMOST ALL MEDICATIONS are damaging to either your liver, kidneys or and/or stomach lining. And she didn't ask if she needs to go see a doctor. I think it's safe to ASSUME that she already knows that and is probably trying to get some relief 'til then. It's not like everybody has the leisure to just go see a doctor at the drop of a hat. Also a simple yes or no would have sufficed for her question.

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I have Diclofenac SOD EC 50 MG 12/10/2015. Is it still effective? Can I still take it?

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Re: Felice (# 14)

I found research which suggests that expired Diclofenac could have some delayed effect, but it acts differently than when it is not expired. The short answer is that to achieve the desired therapeutic effect, you would likely want to get a new prescription if your old batch expired close to 5 years ago.

"Expired ibuprofen and diclofenac potassium recorded no activity at the 1st hour. However, there were activities in all 3 NSAIDs at the 2nd, 3rd and 4th hours...

Our study compared the control with either the expired or unexpired equivalents. The outcome of both comparisons seems different, suggesting that the activities of the expired and unexpired samples are not the same."

Keeping in mind that the study was conducted on mice and may not be conclusive. If you are still in doubt, you can check with your pharmacist. Please write back, I'd be interested to know what they say.

Source (PDF): http://www.imedpub.com/articles/evaluation-of-the-effectiveness-of-expired-antiinflammatory-medicines-in-tropical-africa-using-mice.pdf

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Re: Roy (# 15)

How long ago did the test samples reach their expiration date? Last week? Five years ago? With all due respect, that wasn’t a good detail to withhold.

I’ve taken Voltaren that was forty months past the labeled expiration date and achieved the desired result without noticeable ill effect. I store several medications in sealed metal ammo cans so they’ve in a relatively stable environment. I use my daily medications on a first in first out bases, and while I have not had older inventory tested by a laboratory, I personally have regular medical checks and my doctor confirms that my condition is stable, so it would appear that the medications are providing the desired effect. This account is obviously anecdotal. Take it for what it’s worth.

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I have a prescription for 75 mg that expired 3-31-2022. Is this still good, and will it still work the same?

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Re: Sandy (# 6)

What did the ambulance do for you as I think I'm having the same problem . I've took a diflofenac what was just in the pill tray with no box . But since I've took it my whole body is itchy and I have a a red face

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Re: Sandy (# 6)

I mistakenly took 2 tablets of expired Diclofenac 50mg and the following day itchy or stinging rashes around my stomach surfaced

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Re: Brenda (# 7)

how long will disiofenac sodium sr 75 keep for

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