Questions and answers about liquid medications, use by date, expiry

[ryan1982]

Perfect- thanks, Chessie. I’ll stay on the pills for now unless anyone thinks liquid could work better. 

[ChessieCat]

13 hours ago, jozeff said:

🤗🤗

Well, a syringe has what is called a dead volume. This is the volume that doesn't come out the syringe when you empty it! This only applies for the first check mark, in this case the first ml. If you empty a 5 ml syringe let's say from 5 ml mark to 4 ml you gave exactly 1 ml liquid. Same for 4 to 3 ml same for 3 to 2 ml. Same for 2 to 1 ml. Same for 1 to 0 ml, but in the latter case you will have some dead volume left in the syringe. You should left this in the syringe because it is designed this way!

 

So, if you suck up liquid in a syringe let's say from nothing to 1 ml mark. Thet total volume of liquid in your syringe is maybe 1.2 ml. This is 1 ml + 0.2 ml dead volume. If you empty the syringe it will release 1 ml. The 0.2 ml dead volume stays in the syringe.

 

If you taper using syringes use the 5 ml syringe from 5 to 1 ml if possible. Below 1ml use the 1 ml syringe. 

Never fill a syringe with another one because the dead volume messes up your calculation.

 

If you need let's say 4.6 ml you take the 5ml syringe and fill it to 4 ml. 

Empty this in a small cup, leave the dead volume in the syringe (the liquid that stays in the tip).

Fill your 1 ml syringe to 0.6 ml mark and empty it in the same cup., Leave the dead volume in the syringe.

Drink your liquid and flush you cup with water and drink that too. 

Flush your syringe with water and throw that away. Dry the tip of syringe with some toilet paper.

Don't drink de dead volume because you will be getting more than 4.6 ml...

 

Hope this is clear. It's important to do the same every day. That way you get the most accurate dosage.

 

I use a volumetric pipette for this (an old one from the lab) but this is not necessary. A syringe will do, I mean we are not talking about 1/1000 of a mg right? One day 5.45 mg and next day 5.46 will be ok. Such a small difference is negligible.

 

 

Good luck!!!

 

Jozeff

Analytical chemist

 

 

[SkyBlue]

If anyone can weigh in on liquid Paxil (expiry/use by date), that would be great. I'm using the manufacturer's oral suspension. 

 

Post moved, explanation added by CC

 

Edited February 27, 2019 by ChessieCat
added info

[ChessieCat]

14 minutes ago, SkyBlue said:

If anyone can weigh in on liquid Paxil, that would be great. I'm using the manufacturer's oral suspension. 

 

The oral solutions of a drug are different from the tablet form and I think it would be best to use before the expiry date and start a new bottle before the recommended time after first opening.

 

You might need to see a knowledgeable pharmacist to get the information about Paxil oral.  If you do get it, please add it to the Tips for Tapering Paxil topic because I've done some fairly indepth searching and can't find anything.  Only about storage temperature.  Thank you.

 

I found this for Lexapro the other day.  From:  https://www.lundbeck.com/au/products/our-products/lexapro/lexapro-oral:

 

Quote

Storage 

Keep LEXAPRO oral solution in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C. 

Discard LEXAPRO oral solution 10 mg/mL 3 months after first opening. 

Discard LEXAPRO oral solution 20 mg/mL 2 months after first opening. 

 

[nick1990]

From what I’ve seem through some

research Skyblue, liquid suspensions are different and for the most part should be used before expiry . 

[SkyBlue]

2 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

 

You might need to see a knowledgeable pharmacist to get the information about Paxil oral.  If you do get it, please add it to the Tips for Tapering Paxil topic because I've done some fairly indepth searching and can't find anything.  Only about storage temperature.  Thank you.

 

 

Will do. 

 

Yes, @nick1990, that sounds right. Better be safe than sorry of course!

[Frogie]

I just checked the expiration date on my liquid Lexapro. It’s manufactured by Camber. 

 

This was filled last month, and expires January, 2020. 

 

So, it’s good for 1 year as long as it’s kept in a cool dark place. Don’t refrigerate it or keep it in the medicine cabinet. That’s what my pharmacist told me.

 

 

[ChessieCat]

2 hours ago, Frogie said:

So, it’s good for 1 year as long as it’s kept in a cool dark place.

 

That's unopened.  Once it is open it will only be viable for a certain number of months

[Frogie]

3 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

 

That's unopened.  Once it is open it will only be viable for a certain number of months

Ok, my pharmacist is wrong then. She said as long as it was kept in a cool dry place it was good for expiry date on the label. I’ll have to let her know.

 

Thanks for the information. I really appreciate your knowledge 😊

[ChessieCat]

6 hours ago, Frogie said:

I just checked the expiration date on my liquid Lexapro. It’s manufactured by Camber. 

 

This was filled last month, and expires January, 2020. 

 

So, it’s good for 1 year as long as it’s kept in a cool dark place. Don’t refrigerate it or keep it in the medicine cabinet. That’s what my pharmacist told me.

 

 

 

Expiry date (unopened) is different from the after opening time/discard time.

 

I found this information recently:

 

From:  https://www.lundbeck.com/au/products/our-products/lexapro/lexapro-oral:

 

Quote

Storage 

Keep LEXAPRO oral solution in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C. 

Discard LEXAPRO oral solution 10 mg/mL 3 months after first opening. 

Discard LEXAPRO oral solution 20 mg/mL 2 months after first opening. 

[Frogie]

2 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

 

Expiry date (unopened) is different from the after opening time/discard time.

 

I found this information recently:

 

From:  https://www.lundbeck.com/au/products/our-products/lexapro/lexapro-oral:

 

Thank you for the valuable information.

 

I’m going to talk to my pharmacist about this matter. Obviously she is mistaken.

 

Once again I appreciate your knowledge on this matter. It makes a huge difference in the amount of time to keep the medication.

 

Hope you are doing well.

 

Take care,

Frogie xx

 

 

[Colonial]

Update from Yesterday from my long post in the Paxil taper forum

 

 

I seem to be very fortunate to have the Name Brand Liquid Paxil which after a long discussion today in person with the Head Pharmacist who just happened to be at the store.

Does NOT have 2 different expiry dates.

I explained to Her the issue and She spent a good long time looking into it...

And She says there is nothing from the manufacturer of My Particular NAME BRAND that indicates it will loose effectiveness just because the bottle is opened.

She did say that You DO need to maintain the temperature an out of the light, but at least for My Name Brand version there is NO  legal warning to "use by after opening".

If it did, there would be a huge legal disclaimer from the company both in the literature AND ON THE BOTTLE ITSELF..

 

Perhaps the generic liquid Paraxotine is different, or the formulas in different countries of this "type" of med have different regulations,

Or perhaps 7 years ago when this thread was originally started it may have been an issue .

 

But as of right now it seems the Name Brand Paxil Made in Canada by GlaxoSmithKline and Distributed by Apotex group out of the State of Florida doesn't seem to have a "use by" date different than Manufacturer expiration.

 

So if your in the United States, ask your Doctor-Pharmacist to work with You to get that particular Name Brand- Manufacturer.

As I said yesterday I'm finishing up the rest of a bottle that was dispensed to Me January of 2018  and the expiry date is December 31st  2019.and it's fine.

 

[ChessieCat]

I spoke to my compounding pharmacist today and asked about the dispose after opening date of liquid drugs.  He told me that generally a liquid needs to be disposed of 1 month after opening, unless is it alcohol based.  The disposal after opening date for alcohol based liquid drugs is 6 months.

 

I asked him specifically if the efficacy of the drug reduces and he said yes. 

 

I also asked specifically about brand name Paxil liquid and he said the same thing applies.

[India]

On 4/14/2014 at 6:19 PM, Rhiannon said:

I would ask the pharmacist or as Alto says, the manufacturer. 

 

It may be fine to dilute with water. We mix water and alcohol all the time, it's not a problem. I think Everclear is something like 50% ethanol.

 

But I'd see if you can get the info from manufacturer or pharmacist first, before experimenting on your own.

Any links on dilution of citalopram liquid 40mg/ml ?

What should I dilute it to as a guide??

I just can’t get my head around this??

To microtaper from 5.4

I use a 1ml syringe currently..

[Rapini]

I'm having some difficulty getting my mirtazapine tablets to dissolve properly in the water. I have noticed a white film on the bottom of the bottle after I have taken my dose. What am I doing wrong?

 

 

[TheCircle]

Hi all,

I read in the forum that most diluted AD could be kept in the fridge covered for 3-4 days.

I am tapering with escitalopram diluted twice, and noticed on the 3rd day that the taste of the liquid (tastes bitter and chemical) was waning.

Has anyone experienced the same waning taste on 3rd day with that drug?

I have therefore been consuming the solution over 2 days since. My rationale is that is the taste is waning, then maybe its effect as well but I might be completely wrong.

If anyone has some guidance on this, I would be happy to hear. 

Cheers!

 

[getofflex]

On 1/12/2023 at 1:47 AM, TheCircle said:

I am tapering with escitalopram diluted twice, and noticed on the 3rd day that the taste of the liquid (tastes bitter and chemical) was waning.

 

On 1/12/2023 at 1:47 AM, TheCircle said:

I have therefore been consuming the solution over 2 days since. My rationale is that is the taste is waning, then maybe its effect as well but I might be completely wrong.

I do not believe that the fact that the taste is waning is any indication that the active ingredient is changing.  I believe that your diluted liquid should still be good for 3 or 4 days.