Does Antibiotic Drug Amoxicillin Expire, And Is It Safe To Consume After It Expires?

Bacterial infections need timely treatment. People who leave such infections remain untreated may are likely to witness near-fatal or fatal outcomes. Your treating doctor may prescribe antibacterial meds such as amoxicillin to treat conditions triggered by bacterial attacks. This drug is used for treating infection of the airways (such as bronchitis), skin, throat and nasal infections. But, does this drug expire, and is it a safe practice to take it after the drug has expired? It is worth your while to know more on these fronts.

Amoxicillin is available in many forms namely, as a pill, capsule, a chewable pill as well as liquid syrup. The typical dose is two times each day i.e., once every 12 hours. If the infectious condition is fairly acute, doses are enhanced; in such cases, you are advised to take this drug thrice per day. It is essential to take amoxicillin at the same timeslots all through your medication plan. Those using the liquid form are advised to shake the container well prior to use. The chewable form of pills must never be bitten or crushed inside your mouth.

Amoxicillin may start giving positive results within a few days into your medication plan. However, if the signs of infections continue – despite taking this med – it is essential to consult with your caregiving team / pharmacist. Also, it is dangerous to stop taking this antibacterial without telling your doctor. An abrupt discontinuation of this drug may cause a relapse of infections. Hence, it is a good practice to continue taking this med till your physician tells you to stop the doses.

Does amoxicillin expire; also, is it safe to take it after expiry date?

This antibacterial med (its tablet and capsule forms) has an expiry of almost two (2) years, if stored under standard storage conditions. On the other hand, the liquid form has a relatively shorter expiry; it is as short as 9 days’ time from the time of its preparation. Intake of expired antibiotics is not a safe practice. People who used these drugs post-expiry may experience a few harmful side effects as well as toxicity.

It is strongly recommended to dispose drugs such as amoxicillin one they have reached their expiry date. The efficacy as well as treatment capabilities of this med will start declining during the period after expiry. However, antibiotic meds – upon being stored in their original packaging as well as kept under proper ambience – can retain their potency for more than a year i.e., after the date of their expiry.

Retention of potency after expiry is more likely among solid versions of amoxicillin – especially, its tablet and capsule forms. Solid forms may however experience narrowing of their treatment capabilities. On the other hand, it can be dangerous to use liquid forms of this antibacterial after expiry. Above all, you also need to remember that meds can also expire prior to their expiry date; this can happen if you are not storing the drug properly.

You are advised to follow all good practices associated with safe storage of antibiotics such as amoxicillin. For example, it is unsafe to store this med in your bathrooms or cabinets located inside toilets. Efficacy of amoxicillin can come down drastically owing to its exposure to excessive levels of humidity. Also, it is equally unsafe to store such antibacterial inside your car; here, exposure to excessive heat may impair the treatment capabilities of antibiotics.

In sum, there are no / little evidences to show the impact of taking amoxicillin post-expiry. In general, it is safe to avoid taking such meds after they have reached their expiry date. You are advised to talk to your caregiving team and / or pharmacist prior to using such drugs.