Shelf life of Valium

Hi guys!
I was wondering if anyone knows what the shelf life of Valium is? Or, if anyone can point me in the right direction? I've run a few searches on the net but haven't come up with much... Is it still 100% potency after 4 months? 1 year? 5 years? 10 years? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Most medication will have its expiry date stamped somewhere on the bottle/packet. I have no idea how the potency is affected after this time, but you would assume there is a reason for an expiry date.

Vallium, stock up if its cheap!

Stoned sorry, getting about the point once well actuall last week during one of those occassional but sometimes frequent antenex binge's i seem to be having lately i found myself desperate enough to rade my poor old nannas cubboard and found valliums dated back to 1996, they seemed to do the job for me at the time, thats almost 8 years. shes also got a bottle of 100 capsuals in the cubboard that i suspect to be from pre eighties, dunno if i'd ever get desperate enough to try tho.

I see no reason chemically why diazepam would be unstable or decompose/ react over time. I've taken valium which had been in the cupboard for over 10 years. It had discoloured even though still sealed in the packet. They worked fine, although I did get a new script when next at the doc's

I've been eating 2 year old valiums this last week to come down from them beige As. They still do the trick but I dont think there as strong cos my GF had 3 the other day (5mg) and she said they didnt do as much as some of her friends ones.

Thanks guys... Phase dancer, your answer is the one that I wanted to hear, but thanks afor all the different opinions...

^^ but that doesn't mean I suggest taking old pharmaceuticals. Much better to get a new script and a fresh supply as many drugs do decompose or are oxidised over time.

I have tried valium which 'expired' in 1976 a few years ago, and it worked fine.

Some old dodgy housemates (mid 90's) used to walk around the inner city at night on speed and explore old abondoned houses - amazing what you find inside.

get beta blockers - they are WAY better than valium after pills or speed, especially the lipid ones (ones that enter the brain).

beta blockers are better absorbed with food.

Valium older than I am... Heh

I took some Panadeine Forte tablets that were 4 years past their expiry date (still sealed however). They worked fine. I'd recommend finding some new Valium though, because expiry dates have got to be there for a reason...

I had valium that was over ten years old found in my grandma's cupboard.. she was cleaningup/movies houses.. i told ehr i'd throwe it out and they worked fine.. they were 5 or 10mg. cannot remember. Blue? The pills looked a little dated, evebn tho they were still in the foil/fresh seal.. but the drug pretty much did what it was supposed to, but maybe the binders can go off, and make you sick?

I'd recommend finding some new Valium though, because expiry dates have got to be there for a reason...

Click to expand...

True.

I have a good mate who works in pharmaceutical analysis, and one of his jobs is to age generics (which they produce) and check for changes in a product over a 5 year period. The compound is exposed to conditions which range from mild (in the cupboard) to harsh ( >100 deg C )

Many compounds are indeed stable over both the time and extreme conditions of the tests. Some however, do change noticeably. Selegiline (deprenyl) is oxidised to amphetamine. But don't rush out for a script just yet. The product is all l amphetamine; the relatively inactive isomer.

But this example does illustrate how some chemicals can change. Many of the injectable hormone drugs have to be kept below 4 deg C. If not they react forming inactive compounds. So heed the warnings. Apollo is right. Dates are there for a reason, and not only just to get you back sooner for another repeat.

And remember to eat all your drugs before returning to get another script, it just another way we can all have a heathier PBS.