Hello All, I had stopped taking anti-depressants a while back. But I was feeling some major anxiety from work, Christmas, life... and took one from my medicine cabinet. After I took it, I realized the medicine was 8 months past the expiration date... lol. It was the smallest dose, Do you think this can make me really sick?
Antidepressents usually take weeks of regular use before you feel any effects, so taking one really isn't going to do anything to tackle the anxiety anyway. First question: are you sure it's the expiration date? Second: when did you take this tablet? Third: how do you feel? If you feel sick, go see a doctor. Otherwise, dispose of the tablets, and it might be a good idea to see a professional to come up with a better srtategy to tackle your anxiety.
I don't know if it can make you sick. I wouldn't advise you to take it, though. Did your doctor take you off the medication, or did you decide to? Like Ben said, it can take a few weeks of regular use for you to feel any effects. If you're feeling anxiety, then I would suggest you go see your doctor and be put back on them.
Ben is right. You can't just take an anti-depressant once. They need to be taken over a period of time to work. I would go see a doctor first if you feel like you want to start taking them again.
Well, according to this, most drugs are fine, even ten years after the expiration date. The expiration date is more to do with degradation of the active ingredient itself, so taking the drug may just have no effect at all. However, you still shouldn't use them. It's best to go see a doctor and get a new prescription. Firstly, this may no longer be the right medication, secondly, you never know of this is one of the active ingredients that is pretty much non existent after the expiration date, and thirdly, it's always nice to talk to someone about your problems.
There's two issues: The expiration date: if the medication was stored in a cool, dry place, it will be fine 8 months after its expiration date. Taking a single dose of an anti-depressant: Anti-depressants aren't like most medications. A single pill is not going to do anything for your symptoms. It takes several days for the meds to work- up to 2-4 weeks in some cases. In cases like this, you should call your doctor and make an appointment. Your doctor needs to talk with you and determine whether you need to go back on meds.
