Some allergies can start unexpectedly, even without a prior history, so it’s understandable to find yourself unprepared.
It may even lead you to ask, “Can I take expired allergy medicine?”
Some medications aren’t as effective when expired and can sometimes be dangerous to take.
However, allergy medicine is quite different and may maintain its efficacy well beyond its expiry date.
Can I Take Expired Allergy Medicine?
It’s easy to apply the traditional definition of expiry dates to medicine just as you would with food.
In reality, it holds a slightly different meaning in the medical world, which can significantly affect how long your allergy medicines last.
According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), the expiry dates on medicine reflect three main facets:
- The length of time the medicine maintains its strength
- The length of time the medicine maintains its quality
- The length of time the medicine maintains its purity
That said, it doesn’t necessarily mean that when a medicine passes its expiry date, it is dangerous to be consumed.
The FDA determines the expiration date by the applications brought forth by drug applicants.
The manufacturer must disclose each formula’s proposed storage conditions and expiration date.
From there, the FDA looks at studies compared to the proposed medication and determines if the expiry date is accurate.
It is also important to note that when looking at the three criteria for determining expiry, the FDA doesn’t consider a medicine useless past its expiry date.
It simply suggests that the medicine cannot be guaranteed 100% effective beyond the proposed date.
Interestingly, this has led independent researchers to determine most medications retain most of their efficacy beyond expiration.
So, Is It a Yes or a No?
Depending on the medication, you might find these drugs could be effective several years after their expiry date.
However, there are certain exceptions, such as medications that are improperly stored and are past their expiry.
In these instances, the drugs may become unstable due to poor storage and, therefore, dangerous to be consumed.
Antibiotics and different types of liquid medications are two examples of this exception.
When Do Allergy Medicines Typically Expire?
You may take many different types of medicine for allergies, from eye drops to antihistamines.
Let’s dive into the average length of time these medicines can be effective, even if it’s beyond their date of expiry.
Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen – Four to Five Years
Common over-the-counter pain medications, such as Advil and Tylenol, are known to stay effective up to five years after their expiry date.
It’s best to consider when you first opened the bottle to determine the efficacy of these medicines.
With both types, between four and five years for pill forms will be the average expiry.
Liquid over-the-counter pain medicine, such as children’s Tylenol, is a major exception.
You should always follow the printed expiry date on the packaging with liquid medications for safe usage.
This is because liquid medications are far more susceptible to contamination with regular use.
It is also important to note that your liquid medicines will fare best when refrigerated. This can help prevent the buildup of bacteria when not in use.
How To Store Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen
Proper storage is essential to help extend your over-the-counter pain medication’s lifespan.
Ibuprofen does best in a dry and cool space away from sunlight. The same rules apply to acetaminophen, stored best in temperatures under 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cough Syrup – Follow the Expiry Label
Cough syrup can be helpful when dealing with allergies, as it helps alleviate coughing and discomfort.
Some types of cough medicine can also assist with alleviating sinus drainage and clogged respiratory passages.
That said, you will want to treat cough syrup like any over-the-counter liquid pain medication.
Avoiding contamination is the primary objective of keeping cough syrup good up until its expiry.
The most considerable risk of contamination for this medicine is how often it is opened and how long it is left open.
Avoid drinking straight from the bottle, and don’t insert objects, such as syringes, into the bottle unless instructed by a physician.
For your safety, it is always best to follow the expiry label when determining the expiry date for cough medicine.
How To Store Cough Syrup
It would be best to store cough syrup in the refrigerator to prolong its effectiveness. Doing so also helps prevent certain types of bacteria from multiplying inside the bottle.
As with other medications, it is best to keep this liquid away from sunlight to maintain its efficacy.
Nasal Sprays – Follow the Expiry Label
Nasal sprays are easily one of the most commonly prescribed medications for allergies. As effective as they are, they also come with particular storage and usage instructions.
You must follow the guidelines printed on the packaging and the instructions from your healthcare practitioner.
The majority of nasal sprays for allergies have preservatives in their formulas.
These preservatives assist with reducing contamination while maintaining the effectiveness of the medication.
Over time, these preservatives break down, which not only reduces the usefulness of the medication but can also make it unsafe to use.
How To Store Nasal Sprays
The most crucial step in storing nasal sprays is to keep them in a cool and dry place.
It is also best to keep the bottle out of direct sunlight, as it can deteriorate the preservatives quickly.
Another important tip for storage is to disinfect the bottle after each use.
You can use an alcohol wipe to get rid of any traces of bacteria, reducing the risk of contamination.
Eye Drops – Follow the Expiry
At a glance, eye drops may seem like a relatively basic medication, making them likely to be used beyond their expiry.
However, it’s important to remember that your eyes are some of the most sensitive organs in your body.
If your eye drops get contaminated, you could be putting bacteria straight into your eyeballs, which can then lead to significant vision problems.
It is always best to follow the expiry label on your eye drops and ensure you replace them regularly.
This is particularly important for medicated drops to avoid the likelihood of using contaminated products.
How To Store Eye Drops
Storing eye drops requires similar steps to other types of medicine, like keeping them in a cool, dry place out of sunlight.
It would help if you also take special care to keep the packaging clean, limiting the contaminants that could enter your eyes.
A fantastic tip is to ensure the eye drop bottle never touches your eye, especially if you are treating a contagion like pink eye.
Antihistamines – 10+ Years
The most notable allergy medicine is undoubtedly antihistamines, which have the most prolonged use period past expiry.
Like over-the-counter pain medication, always judge the genuine expiry of antihistamines by when they are opened.
Interestingly, Diphenhydramine has been shown to last up to 15 years in tablet form. However, if this ingredient is in liquid form, it should be disposed of on its expiry date.
Most companies that develop antihistamines test their products up to three years after opening.
This is a massive reason why the expiry dates are considerably sooner than expected.
How To Store Antihistamines
Storing antihistamines is easy; you only need to find a dry and cool place to keep them safe.
It can also be helpful to keep them in their original packaging to prevent sun exposure.
What’s the Point of Allergy Medicine Expiry Dates?
If you’re asking, “Can I take expired allergy medicine?” the answer is yes in most instances, especially with antihistamines.
Every medicine presented to the FDA requires an expiration date. As manufacturers can’t study their products for 15+ years, expiry dates are often lacking.
Fortunately, this means the old pack of allergy pills in your cabinet could still be as effective as they were when first opened!