TRAMADOL

[ratcatcher]

In today's Thailand news forum, there is a topic about Big Joke, tourist police chief, raiding a factory, purportedly producing copies of this drug Tramadol.

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1053332-big-joke-turns-his-attention-to-illegal-tramadol-factory/

 

Six  months ago a friend of mine gave me a box of capsules called TINDOL, which he had been using for relief of back pain. 

My question is this : The expiry date on the cards of 10 caps is 19/8/17. Are these usable or binnable. Is there a best by date for sealed meds and after which, are they hazardous?

 I am not a heavy user of pain relievers, taking the odd Norgesic when needed.

Thanks.rc

[Chivas]

Tramadol is pretty useless for back pain or headaches for that matter (not that you would take for the latter)

I got meds at home dating back to 2011 which I keep because they come in handy rather than needing a precription from GP at home. Bear in mind though tempertures much lower in uk

Am sure someone else can advise further

[carlyai]

Tramadol is pretty useless for back pain or headaches for that matter (not that you would take for the latter)
I got meds at home dating back to 2011 which I keep because they come in handy rather than needing a precription from GP at home. Bear in mind though tempertures much lower in uk
Am sure someone else can advise further

This is not a put down, but why is tramadol usless for back pain?

I recently had some spinal surgery and in follow up I mentioned that I only take penadol for pain, and he said better to take tramodol, better for you.

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[seajae]

I was on tramadol ER for quite a few years(severely damaged discs in the lower back) and they did work to a certain extent, they kept the edge off the pain but I was on 400mg a day so they knocked the crap out of me, took me a while to wean myself off them too. I was also taking oxycodone when the pain was severe, both are potent and both are synthetic and you can become addicted to them. These days I do have some 25mg ones that I will only take when pain is bad, they were out of date 2 years ago

[carlyai]

I was on tramadol ER for quite a few years(severely damaged discs in the lower back) and they did work to a certain extent, they kept the edge off the pain but I was on 400mg a day so they knocked the crap out of me, took me a while to wean myself off them too. I was also taking oxycodone when the pain was severe, both are potent and both are synthetic and you can become addicted to them. These days I do have some 25mg ones that I will only take when pain is bad, they were out of date 2 years ago

Christ....i only take a 50mg once or twice a week....and they bugger me up as well on the low dose. I used to get a reaction, really itchy, but these new one don't cause that.
Anyway glad you're on a lower dose and hope you are coping.

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[ThaiPauly]

2 hours ago, seajae said:

I was on tramadol ER for quite a few years(severely damaged discs in the lower back) and they did work to a certain extent, they kept the edge off the pain but I was on 400mg a day so they knocked the crap out of me, took me a while to wean myself off them too. I was also taking oxycodone when the pain was severe, both are potent and both are synthetic and you can become addicted to them. These days I do have some 25mg ones that I will only take when pain is bad, they were out of date 2 years ago

If you don't mind me asking how long were you taking 400mg of Tramadol for?

[Chivas]

2 hours ago, carlyai said:

This is not a put down, but why is tramadol usless for back pain?

I recently had some spinal surgery and in follow up I mentioned that I only take penadol for pain, and he said better to take tramodol, better for you.

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk
 

Fair enough it works for you. For me has no effect

[Chivas]

19 minutes ago, ThaiPauly said:

If you don't mind me asking how long were you taking 400mg of Tramadol for?

I take 200mg a day (2 x 100) in the modified release version for chronic fibromylgia since 2001.

We have had plenty of threads on here over side effects, must not drink, dont drive, etc etc absolute load of poppycock. Fair play if it was stopped I may well struggle but please lets not have this "dont ever take this drug" etc etc (not saying you were)

 

Its up to the GP to prescribe and for me I know its a life time I accept

[Sheryl]

To get back on topic:

 

The expiration date on drugs is the date through which the manufacturer can gurantee-- provided correct storage -- the drug will still be safe and potent. Most drugs will be fine for a couple of years beyond that if they have been well stored in cool dry conditions. Conversely if a drug has had any exposure to heat and/or high humidity, or direct sunligjt, it may go off well before the stated expiration date.

 

Most drugs will simply inactivate (all or in part) when too old but there are a few that become very dangerous e.g. sulfonamides ( Bactrim etc) and tetracyclines.

 

I have not heard of any safety issues with expired tramadol.

 

One year past expiration is not much PROVIDED it has been consistently stored in cool dry conditions.

 

 

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[sometimewoodworker]

I have used (and still use) aspirin and codeine tablets that were quite a few years over the expiry date, (due to extremely infrequent use) they were still effective. 

 

YMMV. this is not a recommendation.

[thecyclist]

Most drugs are safe and potent for at least a year or two after expiration date. When the color changes or they crumble I would stop taking them. 

[fleur3]

expired medicines. Sherly gave a correct answer. I am a pharmacist worked in the pharmaceuical industry. The expirydate is as it says the ultimate date a medicine is garanteed. But in most countries the legal expirydate can not be longer than 3 years.  For many DRY (!!) medicines. so tablets powder etc that can be much shorter than the effectivity is (partly) gone. So the real expirydate can be much longer.I have some medicines at home that were withdrawn for commercial reasons. I still incidentaly use them. Aspirine and alike will start to smell , a acid smeel, after some time. Degradation!.The most important: keep medicines dry and cool.

[VBF]

2 hours ago, fleur3 said:

expired medicines. Sherly gave a correct answer. I am a pharmacist worked in the pharmaceutical industry. The expiry date is as it says the ultimate date a medicine is garanteed. But in most countries the legal expirydate can not be longer than 3 years.  For many DRY (!!) medicines. so tablets powder etc that can be much shorter than the effectivity is (partly) gone. So the real expirydate can be much longer.I have some medicines at home that were withdrawn for commercial reasons. I still incidentaly use them. Aspirine and alike will start to smell , a acid smeel, after some time. Degradation!.The most important: keep medicines dry and cool.

@fleur3  I'm an amateur so excuse my adding to your and  @Sheryl  advice as professional medical / pharmaceutical people.

 

Whatever pills I happen to have, I keep them in the original blister packs if at all possible.

 

If not possible or if they're all in one big pack, once opened I put them into one of those "ziplock" bags or a sealable container.

In all circumstances, I keep them in a dry and cool place (as you say) but that place should be a dark cupboard or drawer so no exposure to light. I mention it because some of the blister packs are transparent. or semi-transparent.

Edited August 19, 2018 by VBF

[Lacessit]

21 hours ago, Sheryl said:

To get back on topic:

 

The expiration date on drugs is the date through which the manufacturer can gurantee-- provided correct storage -- the drug will still be safe and potent. Most drugs will be fine for a couple of years beyond that if they have been well stored in cool dry conditions. Conversely if a drug has had any exposure to heat and/or high humidity, or direct sunligjt, it may go off well before the stated expiration date.

 

Most drugs will simply inactivate (all or in part) when too old but there are a few that become very dangerous e.g. sulfonamides ( Bactrim etc) and tetracyclines.

 

I have not heard of any safety issues with expired tramadol.

 

One year past expiration is not much PROVIDED it has been consistently stored in cool dry conditions.

 

 

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

 

I store my medications in a refrigerator. Not that I ever go past the use-by date; however, I think it makes sense to treat them kindly.

[Lacessit]

On 8/18/2018 at 5:57 PM, Chivas said:

Fair enough it works for you. For me has no effect

Everybody has different reactions to medications. Morphine is utterly useless for me. Endone and Demerol send me as high as a kite.

[Chivas]

57 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Everybody has different reactions to medications. Morphine is utterly useless for me. Endone and Demerol send me as high as a kite.

Bizarre because oramorph has absolutely no effect on me at all as well

[hugocnx]

On 8/18/2018 at 1:53 PM, Chivas said:

Tramadol is pretty useless for back pain or headaches for that matter (not that you would take for the latter)

I got meds at home dating back to 2011 which I keep because they come in handy rather than needing a precription from GP at home. Bear in mind though tempertures much lower in uk

Am sure someone else can advise further

Can second this. Expiry dates are good for turnover. Not that I am an expert on this, but I believe that dry ingredients pressed into a pill can last for quite a while.

Also every person is different and reacts to medication in a different way. I get no pain relief from Tramadol. For me Diclofenac works in most cases.

[hugocnx]

3 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I store my medications in a refrigerator. Not that I ever go past the use-by date; however, I think it makes sense to treat them kindly.

Refrigerators tend to be humid inside

[Chivas]

15 hours ago, hugocnx said:

 

Also every person is different and reacts to medication in a different way. I get no pain relief from Tramadol. For me Diclofenac works in most cases.

Bingo nailed it....its the diclofenic I keep more than anything hard pressed pills in the pop out containers. Take a couple days worth pain gone and back in the drawer as opposed to ringing GP getting appointment in a weeks time and you can work out the rest

[sometimewoodworker]

18 hours ago, hugocnx said:

21 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I store my medications in a refrigerator. Not that I ever go past the use-by date; however, I think it makes sense to treat them kindly.

Refrigerators tend to be humid inside

That is why I keep my pills in sealed containers and when opened use silica gel packs to keep the humidity as low as possible.