what is the possible effects of taking expired zyrtec?

Question:

Answers:
The pill will not have its full strength.

Other Answers:
It really won't hurt ya.

Depends on how old the pill is, it will just lose it's potency.if it's only 6 months old(ish) you won't even feel the difference.

medications have an expiration date for a variety of reasons. the most common is that after that date the active ingredient in the medication is no longer in its original form. As time passes molecules can change conformation and or configuration. Sometimes the molecules can interact with the oxygen in the air or with the inactive ingrediants present in the pill itself to form a different molecule. Prior to the expiration date, these interactions/changes in the medication are insignificant but beyond the expiration date the medication has changed to the point where:

1) There is significantly less active ingredient than is stated on the perscription (you may think you are taking a 10mg pill but its really only 8mg now because 2 mg of it has changed to another form because of the interactions i've listed above, and now 2mg of the 10mg pill is inactive; and therefore you are not getting the full and proper treatment anymore.

2) After the expriation date a medication could "spoil". This is not typical of pills that do not require refridgeration.

3) This is usually the least likely possibility but if you are well beyond the expiration date, than it is possible. The interactions i referred to above could lead to the creation of a molecule which could lead to health problems. When i say "well beyond the expiration date" what you should understand is i mean greater than 20% of the difference between fill date and expiration date. If you got it filled jan 1 2005 and the expiration was jan 1 2006, you have got about 20% of a year extra (2.5 months) and you SHOULD be okay. So do the math based on your fill and expiration dates, and see how far past it you are. your most likely "side effect" is going to be that the medication is no longer as effective.

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what is the possible effects of taking expired zyrtec?

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