Antibiotics six weeks out of date

[whereischiomunk]

I have just realised I have taken four out of date antibiotics- phenoxymethylpenicillin. I have a chest infection and was prescribed them over the phone and had an old pack in the cupboard from last year from when I was given them "in case" of something worsening. I never used them and left them in the cupboard and I've been taking them from the wrong box.

The expiry date is 05/2021 so they are six weeks out of date. Is this harmful?

dont think they wll be harmful maybe just not as affective, id start taking the proper ones and take the whole course of them and bin the old ones

As said it won't be harmful, they just won't work as well. They have a shelf life of two to three years. The date of manufacture might be on the box. Pharmacists date them for a year for their own stock purposes.

They'll be absolutely fine.

Not harmful but you should never keep prescription antibiotics "just in case" drs aren't allowed to prescribe them in this way (due to resistance)

It shouldn’t be harmful. The expiry date is related to the date the manufacturer guarantees full potency (basically effectiveness) and safety of the medication. It is generally to do how far they tested to rather than it suddenly becoming unsafe or less potent the next day. There has been a large study that found the majority of medication was safe and effective to use after the expiry date including antibiotics (it was looking at military stockpiles in the USA)
I’ve often taken paracetamol that is past its expiry date.
I would bin the old ones, start the new ones but wouldn’t worry that you’ve done any harm taking the old ones initially.

I wouldn't think twice about it.

They have a great shelve life.

They ship out of date stuff to poorer countries and have done for years.

Slightly off topic but I get rotten side effects from antibiotics. The dentist prescribed them. Since then nausea rundown fatigue appetite loss metallic taste. Hope you get better luck than me.

They'll be fine, no harm and almost definitely effective still. One year out of date and they'd still do you no harm but might not be effective.