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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Expired Tramadol

johndoe216

Greenlighter
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
Messages
4
Well I don't know much about drugs, and I came across this site a while back when doing some research on some other pills. Basically, I have bad toothaches, really really bad. My roommate gave me a bottle of Tramadol 50mg, but the thing is they're expired and have been for a little over a year. By expired I mean the bottle has a "use by (date here)" stamp on the label. Are they safe to take? Of course I googled this before posting here, and some people said it was fine to take, and others said it wasn't. I also remember reading about expired tramadol a while ago and I THINK I read that one of the ingredients in it goes bad after it "expires". Sorry for this post being so long.

TL;DR - Is it safe to take 50mg tramadol that's been "expired" for over a year?

Thanks for the help!
 
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^ That's not what he asked now was it?

When did they expire? Typically drugs last WAY past their exp date, in fact there's a whole documentary on this. Apparently it's so big pharma gets you to throw out your meds early. If they only recently expired I wouldn't worry about taking them. Just keep in mind that tramadol also works as an SNRI/SSRI and there's interaction with anti-depressants and MAOI's, if your on any medications check for interactions online. Tramadol also lowers the seizure threshold so never exceed 300mgs a day, you may be able to get away with more but it's not worth pushing your luck.
 
Hey Kratom, thanks for the reply. I totally misread the bottle at first, but it says "Use by 6/5/12"
 
^ That's not what he asked now was it?...

We all know many pharmas can be expired and still useable.

However, this is a harm reduction site, not a place where new members come to be enabled and encouraged to abuse strong drugs that are not prescribed nor medically supervised and expired and we don't know what conditions they were kept in, nor the other health or mental status of the OP.

When they expired in this case is irrelevant. What is relevant is since they were acquired from his roommate, not prescribed, nor his "really bad toothaches" being investigated or the Tramadol useage being medically supervised, there is a bigger picture here. Tramadol is a highly addictive drug.

I asked a valid question - what will he do when these run out?

Many an opiate addiction starts this way. Seen it happen many times with Tramadol as gateway to hard opiates.
 
Your post made me fucking laugh, honestly. Tramadol is a fucking shitty, weak painkiller that this person would be given had he went to the dentist IF he wasn't prescribed vicoden which he is even more likely to get and is way more euphoric and easier to get hooked on. Second of all the OP only has ONE bottle that he got from a friend so he can't refill it so how is he gonna get a steady supply of it. I'm not retarded and although I've only been a member for less than a year I've been lurking since 08 so don't tell me what this site is about, HR and the info I gave had a hell of alot more HR than your useless post. What if the op decided to take em anyways (something many inexperienced users would do) and happened to be prescribed an SSRI or MAOI? What if the user had no idea that tramadol lowers the seizure threshold and ended up exceeding the max dose? I don't doubt that it would be a good idea to visit a dentist but not everyone has the money to see a dentist so should those people suffer until they can. When an OP asks a question resolve the question before throwing your 2¢.

Nobody deserves to be denied access to HR regardless of whether you agree what the OP wants to do. Tramadol is barely stronger than tylenol when it comes to analgesia IMO and although it may be addictive for a very small minority of people taking them temporarily for a toothach is nothing. Here's a thread on expired pills [ http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/712672-When-Do-Pills-Expire] notice how even moderators agree that pills exp dates are a joke. Also what's the difference if his doctor gives him a bottle of tramadol and him recieving tramadol from his brother? Their both gonna give out a zero refill bottle so he would be in the same dillemna. If you had a cough and found a bottle of codeine syrup in your cabinet would you take some or would you drive to the doctor for the same damn medicine and pay a shitload for the visit AND same medication? I'm not promoting recreational use but medicinal use. Btw here's another similar thread that a MOD okayed: [http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/714058-Found-a-1mg-Lorazepam-exp-2009-Would-it-do-anything]
 
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It is regrettable that your complacency, defensiveness and narrowed insight has contributed to your view that Tramadol is a "fucking weak shitty painkiller" and confused you as to what constitutes harm reduction and what constitutes adding to risk needlessly.

Tramadol is a strong drug to the opiate naive and is associated with a number of adverse events and deaths.

Contrary to your assertions, my eminently sensible reminder, that we on a forum cannot substantively determine whether or not a bottle of expired Tramadol are safe to take, particularly for a new poster, new to drugs, with an unknown medical history or age and with new, undiagnosed severe pain of sudden onset and that a dentist/doctor should be consulted, instead of self medicating, does not constitute "a lack of HR". Indeed, quite the opposite. Whilst you were busy creating excuses for OP about money, etc and putting words in the OP's mouth, despite no insight into his location, finances or reasons for bypassing doctors - you missed the key points I made, so I have spelled them out again.

Tramadol is not a drug to underestimate for someone whom is new to drugs and entirely opiate naive and whose background we know nothing of and whom is planning to take Tramadol without medical supervision. Your surmising over the expired element and safety or otherwise of the expired Tramadols given to the OP by his room-mate, is semantics, not harm reduction, since you fail, so categorically, to consider the bigger picture. Even basics, such as dose, frequency, etc, were ignored.

We can surmise on this site about the status of any number of expired pharmas, but in this particular instance, this is missing the salient points, that all new severe unremittting pain of sudden onsent warrants medical attention - in this instance, harm reduction means seeking to ascertain the following points:

-what dose is the OP planning to take, whilst self-medicating?
-how often/frequency of dosing, whilst self-medicating?
-has this pain happened before?
-what other meds is he on?
-what other known health problems does he have?
-Has he ever suffered a seizure?
-did this pain appear suddenly?
-is there pain elsewhere?
-Other symptoms?
-how long has he had this pain?
-Any signs of infection?

My further key points, which you missed in your angry reponse, was that firstly, no new, severe and persisting pain should go uninvestigated, nor substituting self-medication attempts, without a dentist or doctor at least examining the patient. There could be an INFECTION there, which simply throwing Tramadol at, will not help and will simply mask pain whilst it gets worse and causes potential severe issues. Doctor or dentist needs to assess matters overall and supply apppropriate and fresh pain medication with appropriate dosing advice and whatever other meds may be required, or indeed deal with the underlying problem should a procedure be required.

Secondly, we do not know what other medications the OP may be on, or what other health conditions, diagnosed or not, they might have. Tramadol interacts with a number of other medications. Again, this is why proper medical advice is crucial.

Thirdly, the roommate gave OP one bottle - he may well have access to plenty more or a regular script, it happens. What may result if his pain remains even after using a bottle of expired Tramadol? What then? Room mate gets him another bottle? Sourcing Tramadol is hardly difficult, you can buy them like candy. Medically, not only can some people can react badly to Tramadol, not just with the risks with tolerance, or seizure risks above certain doses, or all the other issues inherent with Tramadol, etc, but also severe nausea and sickness/redosing, etc.

Regrettably, your post relies on a number of erroneous assumptions, irrelevant conjecture, perceptual narrowing and defensive posturing, none of which are helpful, rational or focused on proper harm reduction. Disappointing conduct.

Having just checked, since you mentioned mod responses - the previous time the OP also posted this specific scenario, he was in fact then also urged by a moderator to see a dentist.

Plenty others tragically also thought Tramadol was an innocent painkiller, until it factored in their death.
 
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Expired meds are generally fine to take. You can probably call a pharmacy & bullshit a situation to get a more knowledgeable answer.

~~> BDD
 
Lol cool story bro, hope you enjoyed wasting your time. TL;DR

WantsToBeBorn has a plethora of valid points- if you're so comitted to HR you would keep your mouth shut about it.

Though I totally agree about the expired pharms thang, besides drugs like insulin and anything else (vials mainly) that need to be kept cool. I couldn't find any info about specific pharms that are especially suscepetible to breakdown. Never a problem with one, though others had almost always eaten them first; I didn't mind being a guinea pig that's just how it went.

Seizure is the most common Adverse event with tramadol, not to mention seratonin syndrome o course. Plenty of people have gotten a ride on the bus for combining with SSRI/SNRI/Ecstasy/amphetamines,dxm etc...

One of the most ashamed drug moments I've ever had was when I gave my ex girl and I mdma after taking 5-htp 4 hours before- Ouch... I thought I knew better.
 
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Your right, I was pretty intoxicated yesterday, don't mind me, I can be an asshole sometimes. After his first rather irrelavent post I didn't even bother reading what else he had to say. I just hate when people ask a simple question and get everythung but an answer. Tbh though I think my first response was more than enough info needed for the OP, it's not like I didn't warn him of tramadol's dangers and interactions... You should ALWAYS assume the OP is gonna take the meds anyways so why not give him a straight answer first and your opinion on what they should do later.
 
Without getting caught up in the blasphemy before my post, I will just give you a straight answer here. Those trams are fine to take. If you got from your roommate, I'm assuming that's not some guy who's going to be pressing his own pills and selling you some fake shit. Secondly, just ask him to make sure that the pills have been sealed properly in the bottle all these years. If you really want, you can check the imprints and make sure it looks legit and checks out as 50mg tramadol. I almost always check imprints of prescription pills when I get them. a couple years back, I took some percs that expired in 99' and they were fine. If anything, they will lose some potency. Probably the more important question here since I'm pretty sure you're going to end up taking those..... Are you seizure prone? If so, you should refrain from tramadol. If you've never had a seizure, you should be fine. They say seizure threshold is around 300-450mg. I wouldn't go past 300mg. I would start around 100mg then maybe work my way up if you're looking for any recreational effects. At 200mg and no opiate tolerance, you can probably feel something off that. Venturing past that, may be slightly risky. One thing I will agree with said above^, even if you don't plan on taking them recreationaly, which I don't condone. I'm going to give you the information just on the chance that you are taking them for a high, I don't want you to over-do it. I agree information IS harm-reduction.
 
Without getting caught up in the blasphemy before my post, I will just give you a straight answer here. Those trams are fine to take. If you got from your roommate, I'm assuming that's not some guy who's going to be pressing his own pills and selling you some fake shit. Secondly, just ask him to make sure that the pills have been sealed properly in the bottle all these years. If you really want, you can check the imprints and make sure it looks legit and checks out as 50mg tramadol. I almost always check imprints of prescription pills when I get them. a couple years back, I took some percs that expired in 99' and they were fine. If anything, they will lose some potency. Probably the more important question here since I'm pretty sure you're going to end up taking those..... Are you seizure prone? If so, you should refrain from tramadol. If you've never had a seizure, you should be fine. They say seizure threshold is around 300-450mg. I wouldn't go past 300mg. I would start around 100mg then maybe work my way up if you're looking for any recreational effects. At 200mg and no opiate tolerance, you can probably feel something off that. Venturing past that, may be slightly risky. One thing I will agree with said above^, even if you don't plan on taking them recreationally, which I don't condone. I'm going to give you the information just on the chance that you are taking them for a high, I don't want you to over-do it. I agree information IS harm-reduction.

Thanks for adding the essential info about seizure threshold. Take this seriously OP, even if a FOAF took an excessive dose and never had a seizure, flopping around, hitting your head, losing oxygen to the brain and resultant complications are SO not cool ; )
 
You can also have a seizure from a dose lower than you've taken before. For example, say you've been taking 300mgs for as long as you can remember, a 200mg dose still has the ability to induce seizures. Tramadol is a real tricky drug, it baffles me that this the the opioid of choice for most doctors in the US. Withdrawing from tramadol is akin to withdrawing from bot an opioid AND anti-depressant, tis nasty stuff IMO.
 
Your right, I was pretty intoxicated yesterday, don't mind me, I can be an asshole sometimes. After his first rather irrelavent post I didn't even bother reading what else he had to say. I just hate when people ask a simple question and get everythung but an answer. Tbh though I think my first response was more than enough info needed for the OP, it's not like I didn't warn him of tramadol's dangers and interactions... You should ALWAYS assume the OP is gonna take the meds anyways so why not give him a straight answer first and your opinion on what they should do later.

I thought you didn't seem your usual self, but thought you had just missed your morning coffee or something! :D

I'm a she by the way not a he. LOL.
 
I truely apologize both for my rather aggressive attitude and refering to you as a "he", lol from now on I'll refer to users of unknown gender as he/she =D. I was a grumpy pants yesterday and a combo of opioids and benzos got the best of me, just know that I'm usually a friendly person who has no qualms helping someone out if I can...
 
I truely apologize both for my rather aggressive attitude and refering to you as a "he", lol from now on I'll refer to users of unknown gender as he/she =D. I was a grumpy pants yesterday and a combo of opioids and benzos got the best of me, just know that I'm usually a friendly person who has no qualms helping someone out if I can...

Lol. I know this as you helped me out on your kratom thread, then turned had a thrombo on me here dude! =D

No harm done, CaptainKranky hahaha. =D

I prescribe you a long mellow smoke and some relaxing tunes.... %)
 
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