# expired ativan?



## butterflyashes (Aug 19, 2012)

ok...to make a long story short... i was prescrubed pristiq, ativan, buspar and topamax to cope with severe depression, anxiety and migraines about 2 years ago... at the beginning of last year i found out i was pregnant and had to stop taking everything (needless to say it was a rocky pregnancy from having to stop everything) ...anyway...my daughter is almost 10 months old now and i just stopped breastfeeding and am able to start taking my meds again. i get horrible horrible anxiety attacks at night and it takes me so long to fall asleep. i do have ambien that i could take, but i choose not to (my husband is deployed and i worry that if i take one to sleep and my daughter wakes up in the middle of the night i wont hear her/wake up). but my question is, i have some ativan that expired the middle of last year...and i was just wondering if anyone had any issues with taking expired meds, or if the effectiveness just diminishes a little... i have been trying to get in tosee my psychiatrist, but since i go to a military facility, they rotate psychs every year and i havent gotten assigned a new one yet... any opinions? and i am currently taking zoloft, if that makes any difference... i just worry about EVERYTHING and think im going to die...i really need the ativan to calm me down...i physically cannot handle these sleepless nights anymore and freaking out 24/7 is more than likely not good for my infant...


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## T-Bone (Oct 1, 2010)

butterflyashes said:


> ok...to make a long story short... i was prescrubed pristiq, ativan, buspar and topamax to cope with severe depression, anxiety and migraines about 2 years ago... at the beginning of last year i found out i was pregnant and had to stop taking everything (needless to say it was a rocky pregnancy from having to stop everything) ...anyway...my daughter is almost 10 months old now and i just stopped breastfeeding and am able to start taking my meds again. i get horrible horrible anxiety attacks at night and it takes me so long to fall asleep. i do have ambien that i could take, but i choose not to (my husband is deployed and i worry that if i take one to sleep and my daughter wakes up in the middle of the night i wont hear her/wake up). but my question is, i have some ativan that expired the middle of last year...and i was just wondering if anyone had any issues with taking expired meds, or if the effectiveness just diminishes a little... i have been trying to get in tosee my psychiatrist, but since i go to a military facility, they rotate psychs every year and i havent gotten assigned a new one yet... any opinions? and i am currently taking zoloft, if that makes any difference... i just worry about EVERYTHING and think im going to die...i really need the ativan to calm me down...i physically cannot handle these sleepless nights anymore and freaking out 24/7 is more than likely not good for my infant...


Well i'm not sure about the safety to be honest with you. I'm guessing no harm though. But i know one thing, i would take them, and yes they would still work.


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

Yeah, expired meds are just fine, as long as they were stored in a place that didn't get too hot or moist they will have maintained their potency. Expiration dates on meds are really unnecessary. I have never had any trouble using an expired med. take out those panic attacks and get some sleep!


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## butterflyashes (Aug 19, 2012)

thanks guys! i did end up taking one and it seemed to work alright...got to sleep about an hour later... i guess they are just less potent...


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

yeah, that's the only problem with old drugs usually is loss of potency. Next time put it in a dry, dark, airtight container and put that in the freezer. Should stay good for at least 10 years.


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## basuraeuropea (Jul 25, 2012)

istayhome said:


> yeah, that's the only problem with old drugs usually is loss of potency. Next time put it in a dry, dark, airtight container and put that in the freezer. Should stay good for at least 10 years.


just as many medications should not be stored at very high temperatures, neither should many be stored at very low temperatures, either, e.g. in the freezer, ativan not being an exception.

http://www.medicinenet.com/lorazepam/article.htm



> LORAZEPAM STORAGE - Tablets should be kept at room temperature 15-30°C (59-86°F). Oral solutions should be refrigerated at 2-8°C (36-46°F). Injectable solutions should be refrigerated.


although refrigeration has been advocated - http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update1103a.shtml


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