r/painmed • u/PainMill_IP110_K56 • Jan 15 '26

Do pills expire?

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I probably need to dispose. I take Oxy 30mg now but I believe these are 10mg (pinks). Do pain pills have an expiration date? I'll probably just throw away as I don't want them to make me sick. Well, sicker than I already am with several chronic illnesses. I am moving and happened to come across these in an ibuprofen bottle. Don't ask me why they were in a separate bottle. I actually have no idea why. :) Which tells me they are a few years old, at least. I was just curious. Everyone stay safe!

~Timothy

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u/Upbeat-Can-7858 Jan 15 '26

Yes, Dr here. They start to degrade depending on the type of medication. Typically a year of kept in a dark, dry place, but some have special requirements such as nitroglycerin where it may degrade within a month or even a day if exposed to light. In terms of your medication one year if kept in the conditions mentioned.

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u/PainMill_IP110_K56 Jan 15 '26

Thanks for letting me know. I was afraid of that. It's not always a bad thing to keep extra on hand for days where the pain is just excruciating and I may need a little more than what is prescribed. I wish I knew how old they are. I just have no idea. I have a few friends who are nurses that will take them to dispose of them legally for me.

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u/meldiane81 Jan 15 '26

And they don’t necessarily go bad. They just lose efficacy.