BC expiration - still good within the expiration year?
My boyfriend and I have chosen to remain on the birth control pill since condoms are often irritable and takes away from the spontaneity and pleasure. Anyway, I've been on Orthotricyclen since January but for the past 3 months have been spotting and getting bad bouts of nausea. I went to my doctor 2 days ago, asking for a switch in birth control pills, hoping I will find one that my body works well with. Instead of giving me a prescription for something new, she gave me a 2 samples of Mircette 28 day packs and asked for me to get back with her on how it works out for me. I don't need to start a new pack until next Sunday but I noticed the sample packs expired in May of this year. i left a message at my doctor's office that the pills expired and her nurse returned my call saying that the pills were fine to take, that they are still good within the year of their expiration. I didn't feel reassured by that and kept asking her if it was really okay, that I don't want to get pregnant anytime soon and if she could just call in a prescription for me and I'd gladly purchase a new pack. The nurse insisted that the pills were good and said not to worry. Have any of you taken bc pills after the expiration date, but within the same year? Have any of you heard that bc pills are still good within the year of its expiration? Just wondering and worrying. Also, any one on Mircette? Has it worked for you? All replies welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.
Re: BC expiration - still good within the expiration year?
They are expired, do NOT use them. What would be the point of putting an exact expiration date on drugs if it didn't really mean anything? Tell the nurse thanks, SHE can use expired birth control pills, but you refuse.
Re: BC expiration - still good within the expiration year?
My cousin is a Pharmacist and she told me that most all your prescriptions are good 1 year after the expiration date. And why would the doctor give them to you if they were expired, obviously they know its okay to take them otherwise they wouldnt give them too. Hope that helps!
Re: BC expiration - still good within the expiration year?
Quote:
Originally Posted by atvgirl03
My cousin is a Pharmacist and she told me that most all your prescriptions are good 1 year after the expiration date. And why would the doctor give them to you if they were expired, obviously they know its okay to take them otherwise they wouldnt give them too. Hope that helps!
I'm sorry, but that information is NOT correct. Many prescription drugs break down and become unstable or ineffective soon after their expiration date. That's the reason there ARE expiration dates. If a drug was good for an additional year, the expiration date would reflect that.
As to WHY the doctor gave out expired samples, she obviously didn't know and didn't check. Physicians get large numbers of drug samples from pharmaceutical reps and they shove them all in a closet.
Why should the poster have to take expired bc pills? Why should she risk a possible pregnancy?
Re: BC expiration - still good within the expiration year?
Thank you for all your replies. I called my doctor and insisted that they call in a prescription to my pharmacist. I pick up my pills tomorrow in time before Sunday when I need to start a new pack. Thank you so much!
