Does viagra (sildenafil) expire? The shelf life of viagra
Viagra is a PDE 5 inhibitor. It is administered for the treatment of impotence among men; this condition is also known as erectile dysfunction (ED, in short). Men who have problems maintaining a hard penis while romancing a partner are advised to take viagra. This medication enlarges your arteries and supplies extra amount of blood to your pelvic parts. With an enhanced supply of blood, your penis gets hard and stiff. But, does viagra (sildenafil) expire? Also, what is the shelf life of viagra? It helps to have more inputs.
Most men who use this PDE 5 inhibiting drug have had a satisfactory act of physical intimacy with their partner. Sildenafil citrate is the key chemical of this med. This drug is available both as a branded version and also as a genetic med.
Dosage strengths range from 25 milligrams (mg) – 100 mg. It may take about 40 minutes for viagra to start working. So, you are advised to take it at least half-hour prior to engaging in a sexual act. The drug’s effects are known to last for more than 3 hours. In some cases, the effects have lasted for ~ 4 hours.
An important prerequisite is you need to be aroused for viagra to work. This drug will not arouse you. But, getting aroused is quite easy. All you need to do is think of engaging in a romancing act. Moreover, some users think this med can prevent the onset of sexually transmitted diseases (STD); this is not correct.
Does Viagra (Sildenafil) Expire?
A simple answer to this question is: yes, viagra has an expiry date. Like all drugs, ingredients viagra is made of tend to break-down with the passage of time. The potency of this med drops each day after the date of expiry. Expired drugs may also attract bacteria and / or fungi.
The Shelf Life of Viagra
Shelf life of this PDE 5 inhibitor is nearly 24 months. Past its expiry, this drug is unlikely to work as effectively as it worked before this date. People who used this drug after its expiry date may experience a few adverse outcomes.
These undesired effects include itchiness of skin, eyesight related problems like blurring / doubling of vision / inability to tell colors like blue and green apart, etc. In some cases, men have experienced pins and needles sensation all through their body. Complaints like painful muscles have also showed up.
So, if you have taken viagra after is expiry – you are advised to stop taking it with immediate effect. Also, if you have a stock of post-expiry drugs, you need to dispose them off with care. You have several options to dispose this drug: 1- check if the place you live has a med take-back scheme. You may need to fill a form for this, Bodies like the Drug Enforcement Agency – DEA takes back unused meds like viagra on a few pre-announced days.
Alternatively, you may also dispose expired meds in your trash can by sealing such drugs in a can. You may mix it with dirt or litter to make sure it is not reused. Sealing such expired meds inside a container is essential; this will help avoid these meds getting back to your household.
It is an unsafe thing to flush expired pills of viagra down your toilets. This is because this PDE 5 inhibiting med is not in the flush list. If you flout this list, you may cause harm to the local neighborhood.
You are also advised to read the instruction manual inside the pack. This manual contains the safe ways by which you can dispose this drug off. It is a safe thing to talk to your pharmacist to know how to handle unused pills of this PDE 5 inhibiting med.
How To Store Viagra Properly?
Drop in potency of meds like viagra has a lot to do with how you store them. You are advised to store inside bottles at 69 – 85 deg Fahrenheit. It is a safe thing to keep the bottle closed at all times i.e., when you are not using the pills. Keeping the meds away from direct exposure to sun’s rays can keep its potency intact. It is harmful to heat or freeze these drugs.
Expired meds – when taken with alpha blockers – may make you very drowsy. Intake of viagra along with poppers or nitrites like nitro-glycerine or nitric oxides can result in hypotension. This condition leads to a severe decrease in blood pressure. You may get dehydrated or may pass out. You are advised to seek medical help as quickly as you possibly can.
In such instances, seek medical help by calling 911 if you are in US. You can also reach out to the helpdesk run by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and take needful assistance. If you are living in a Canadian province, you may call a local poison helpline. As an alternative measure, you can also dial Health Canada for emergency help.
In sum, taking viagra after its expiry date is not a safe thing to do. Men who took such meds reported severe headaches, acute pain in their tummy coupled with nausea or vomiting, ache in your lower back region, turning dizzy, pin and needle sensation, etc. These effects may be due to development of bacteria or other microorganisms. The key ingredient i.e., sildenafil citrate – also may have lost most of its efficacy, resulting in these undesired side effects.
Last but not least, you need to dispose the unused meds responsibly in as sealed container. As viagra is not in the flush list, never dispose them down your toilets.