Does Amoxicillin Go Bad With Age? (Page 3) (Top voted first)
UpdatedI bought 100 amoxicillin caps about 3 years ago and stored them in a dark place and I was curious if they would still be good to take.
WE AR ALL TAKING ANTIBIOICS ALL THE TME!!! It is not smart if you don't take the entire prescription because of building up resistance of course, but look into HOW MANY antibiotics are used for cattle poultry and other meat!!! It's in our meat our drinking water and basically everywhere at this point.
I used to raise chickens (3 to 5) and bought chicks. They have feed WITH ANTIBIOTICS in them for the first 3 months. You're supposed to stop giving it to them before they start laying of course, but look at the millions (billions) of meat animals we go through in the US! Do you seriously think the 6week old 5 lb chickens or beef you buy is not Filled with them??? Look it up I dare you (of course you'll be lucky to find ANY info that's less than 5 years old). There are laws in place now to even talk bad about food. How many beef recalls do you hear about yet look at the recall list for ANY SUPERMARKET CHAIN!
Taking the expired amoxicillin for this one illness will most likely not cause you personal harm. But you have to weigh the benefits and risks of taking an antibiotic that may have reduced potency. The potency may still be enough for it to work but it may not. But when confronted with the same situation, after having done a lot of research on the topic, I reminded myself that even newly manufactured antibiotics sometimes aren't potent enough to kill an infection in one round and then require a second visit to the doctor. I concluded that the worst that would happen would be that I would have to go to the doctor for the US govt mandated expensive permission slip to get un-expired antibiotics. I was fine and the infection went away for a few months before my deviated septum trapped some more bacteria in my sinuses, at which time I let the infection get bad before going to the doctor for the permission slip, because I couldn't afford to go and had to cut something else out of my budget that month. If I had still had 5yo amoxicillin, I would have taken it again.
For the soap boxers here: I am a very globally minded person and have spoken at times against over-use of antibiotics. The biggest contributor to antibiotic overuse is the person who buys and consumes foods every single day that are laced with them, not individuals who have legitimate reasons for taking antibiotics at specified short periods of time in order to get back to work to have money to pay bills and taxes. If you want to reduce the overuse of antibiotics, boycott foods that are laced with them instead of jumping on some innocent fellow who is sick and needs medicine to get better.
Amoxicillin is one of the most durable antibiotics well past the manufacturer's expiration date. As long as it is stored in a cool, dark, moisture free area... it should last you several years past the expiration date. Scientists have tested Amoxicillin for our own USA military in experiments and it showed only small percentages of loss of potency. The estimated time frame past expiration date could range anywhere from 2 years to 15 years depending on how the drug has been stored. Again, all drugs are different so it would be wise to study the molecular structure of all compounds. For instance, over the counter Ibuprofen loses majority of it's potency right at the manufacturer's expiration date. So, the bottom line if you have a bacterial infection with a sore throat... it would be wise to get on an antibiotic that you know you aren't allergic to. My body responds well with Amoxicillin... so I know it does well for me.
There might actually be hope for this planet yet! (*pats the 11 year old on the back*) Good advice kiddo... You have a very promising future ahead of you, do something to make this world a better place!
I have taken care of feral cats for years. Meaning food water shelter. I also have rescued abandoned cats to become indoor cats. Certain medications like amoxicillin I keep in case needed for feral cat. It appears to have helped. Broken down into powder & mixed into wet can cat food.
LOL! Thanks, Rick and there's a reason I am here!
Anyone that wants to can do the research themselves and check my answer.
There is also more information about antibiotic resistance here:
https://rxchat.com/wiki/Antibiotic_resistance/
Is there anything else I can help with?
we are the people who DO NOT GO TO THE E.R. FOR A LITTLE COLD, no, we keep some of those antibiotics LAYING AROUND because we do diagnose ourselves, so what?
I was in the military and they just over load you with whatever pills they perscribe. i was just reading this to see if they go bad cause i have about 90 sitting here. I cant imagine I actually needed 100 pills when they perscribed them. anyway they are 2 yrs old now... down the hatch
My brand new bottle of Amoxicillin it states the capsule is supposed to be yellow in color.
I have to take this before EVERY dentist visit therefore it is always in my house just in case. I get a new prescription every year and use it only for the dentist. Please don't assume everyone with "leftover" meds did not take as prescribed.
Amoxycillin capsules last up to three years, after that they start to lose their strength. Definitely throw them away if they are more than four years old.
My son is complaining about his throat hurting,he had some liquid Amoxicillin I save from 12/2014 which make it 4 mths old,can I still give it to him?
In 2011, my doctor gave me the standard 500mg Amoxicillan prescription. (That is standard...for those who like to freak out about things like dosage and expiration dates.) These were capsules. He told me that I may not need the entire prescription, (again, for those who like to freak out about "zOMG!! You have to use them all when they are prescribed!!!11!!!"), and that if I stored the remained in the fridge, that they would last at least....note those key words, "AT LEAST" two years. Okay, Katie's of the world? It is NOT dangerous to take amoxicillan years later if you store it correctly, and sometimes the doctor will give you a prescription for more than you need.
Where do you go to get it on line I have some liquid amoxicillin that my husband had prescribed to him about a year ago and it didnt take long for it to clear up and he didnt finish it he still had 2 bottles never opened and didnt no if it actually went bad and now he has the same exact thing happening again.
Funny thing about the 11 year old boy. Excellent comment.....he is now 19 years old.
I'm still waiting for a post from someone who has a clue. Are any of you medical professionals? Are any of you MD's or Pharmacists? If so, I weep for the future of medicine
It's not that we have them laying around! Some people like myself have had a hip replacement and have to take 4 500 MG when I go to the dentist or anything that requires needles or anything that could cause an infection! So that's why I keep 20 on hand!
That's right you don't always have to go by the book if you are smart enuf to understand what your body needs. Some people don't have that 2 cents. Doctors get stuff wrong all the time like they know everything please. I'm thankful for doctors but there are a lot of educated i****s out there. There are home remedies that are way more effective like raw garlic if you are not a wimp about it. All natural no bad side effects except garlic breath which is a small price to pay. And it's inexpensive. But most people reading this probably have no real education about natural healing and a closed mind and will think I'm weird for even mentioning this. But closed minded people stunt their own growth so choose for yourself that is if you even think for your self. Or if you think the way the system wants you to think. Just saying ask questions deep if you dare. Life and understanding is not black and white.
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