Shelf life of Coumadin?

[almost_hectic]

Wondering if the many pill bottles that I have accumulated of Jantoven (generic for Coumadin) which are quite full might be slowly going bad. I have several bottles as I was previously on prescription for 5mg daily and 2 mg twice a week. Well the way the prescription was always written was always for the max number of pills for both doses. So I would amass a lot of extra of the smaller dose. Ive always kept them on hand figuring it would be my emergency stash. Wondering how long those pills are good for? They're kept in my kitchen cabinet in a climate controlled house, they're even in the dark. Any reason to think they would go bad or expire?

 

[Unicusp]

The expiration date should be on the bottle. Coming from Pharma, I know that expiration dating is based upon stability and accelerated stability testing to show 100% potentcy at expiration. The normal standard is 2 years from mft date. Although it is highly likely, if stored properly, can be good out to 5 years. But, generic manufacturers don't invest in long term stability, so usually just put 2 years on it.

 

[slipkid]

Wondering if the many pill bottles that I have accumulated of Jantoven (generic for Coumadin) .....

Jantoven is not the generic name for "Coumadin" - the generic name of the drug is "warfarin sodium" or warfarin for short.

I am not 100% positive but I think that "Jantoven" is just another "brandname" that warfarin gets sold as, like Coumadin is.

 

[almost_hectic]

Jantoven is not the generic name for "Coumadin" - the generic name of the drug is "warfarin sodium" or warfarin for short.

I am not 100% positive but I think that "Jantoven" is just another "brandname" that warfarin gets sold as, like Coumadin is.

Was never 100% sure myself. But when I was in the hospital, Jantoven is what my surgeon prescribed and its what I have been on ever since. I knew it was Warfarin so I used the term generic as sort of a broad term. If its a brand name maybe its somewhat obscure

 

[Eva]

I won’t take them after the expiration date. Why take a chance, especially if your insurance is providing you with newer ones!

 

[LondonAndy]

I won’t take them after the expiration date. Why take a chance, especially if your insurance is providing you with newer ones!

I would, and have, though admittedly only by a few months beyond their 'use by' date so far. As has already been said, the most likely effect of the longer use is a decline in effectiveness. If tablets have been stored in reasonable conditions, and sealed in their original packaging, then my assumption would be of a gradual decline in effectiveness. One joy of self-testing is that I could test that assumption by my weekly testing, or indeed increased test frequency if I found a really old box of them. If the testing shows a lower INR than expected for no obvious reason then the first thing I would do is revert to in-date tablets.

 

[almost_hectic]

Anything that could be done to prolong the shelf life of drugs? Like I mentioned Ive only been saving them for a couple of reasons. 1) it seems a waste to throw them away. Plus I don't even know if its right to throw them in the garbage or how to dispose of unused drugs 2) Now I have an incase of emergency stash of the pills I need to essentially stay alive. What if something catastrophic happens like an alien invasion, or society crumbles and zombies roam the planet? Ill have lots of anticoagulant stashed away to keep me ticking for a long time

 

[Eva]

… most likely effect of the longer use is a decline in effectiveness.
… If the testing shows a lower INR than expected for no obvious reason then the first thing I would do is revert to in-date tablets.

I agree and I was going to suggest the same! But since testing more frequently is somehow expensive if one pays for the strips without insurance, why do it when Warfarin is very cheap!

 

[Eva]

…Plus I don't even know if its right to throw them in the garbage or how to dispose of unused drugs

No, you it’s not ethical to throw in trash or in sink.
Any pharmacy will give you an address where to send any unused pills to! I too have lots of them and of my Thyroid medicine. Pharmacist kept refilling my prescriptions during the pandemic without asking me until I put a stop to refills!

What if something catastrophic happens like an alien invasion, or society crumbles and zombies roam the planet? Ill have lots of anticoagulant stashed away to keep me ticking for a long time

Yes, I agree
Then, give them to the aliens and watch for side effects on them

 

[LondonAndy]

Anything that could be done to prolong the shelf life of drugs? Like I mentioned Ive only been saving them for a couple of reasons. 1) it seems a waste to throw them away. Plus I don't even know if its right to throw them in the garbage or how to dispose of unused drugs 2) Now I have an incase of emergency stash of the pills I need to essentially stay alive. What if something catastrophic happens like an alien invasion, or society crumbles and zombies roam the planet? Ill have lots of anticoagulant stashed away to keep me ticking for a long time

I agree: it is important to remain anticoagulated whilst being eaten by zombies. Since both the US and British governments now concede that there really are UFOs, the possibility of aliens hunting us down has gone up - insurance premiums are sure to rise.

Storing the tablets in a dark, cool place (but not refrigerated) would be best.

 

[almost_hectic]

Not sure what I might do once I run out of warfarin, but I would have to try something. Maybe I should start a stockpile of booze as well. If I can't medicate I can just drink every day in hopes of thinning my blood.

 

[slipkid]

Not sure what I might do once I run out of warfarin, but I would have to try something. Maybe I should start a stockpile of booze as well. If I can't medicate I can just drink every day in hopes of thinning my blood.

A couple weeks ago I was really really tired b4 going into work and forgot to take my pills (warfarin and some others). I used to take it the warfarin in the evening when I got home around 8PM but that got turned onto its head when I got forced into a 12 hour nightshift this year. So instead I decided to take the pills when I got up, b4 going into work, about 5:30-6PM.

But since I 4got that meant if I waited until I got home would mean holding out until 15 HOURS later. However "luckily" I keep extra pills in my work "lunchbox" which dates back to even when I was on dayshift, since there were times that I got stuck late a couple hours.

So I checked my lunchbox emergency pill stash - it was several years old - the pills crumbled to dust in my hands. Didn't seem like that would have a good thing to try taking. Instead I bit the bullet and told work I needed to go home & take my pills, then come right back - however the slaveshop I work in we are not permitted to be late, we are not permitted to be "sick" and not able to come in, nor are we permitted to leave after our shift starts for any reason. We get penalty points for that stuff (then get fired when we reach a certain #). Since my INR had tested on the low side of spec 3 weeks in a row I was not comfortable with risking being late 15 hours on my pills. I informed a Supervisor what was going on and went home for the pills.

Later when discussing the situation with a coworker who also has a mechanical aortic valve he told me - and I am totally serious he actually said this - that I didn't need the warfarin, I could have just stopped at the nearby bar around the corner and had a couple shots since that "thins your blood"!!! He actually does that rather than take warfarin sometimes. Wow...

 

[Chuck C]

Later when discussing the situation with a coworker who also has a mechanical aortic valve he told me - and I am totally serious he actually said this - that I didn't need the warfarin, I could have just stopped at the nearby bar around the corner and had a couple shots since that "thins your blood"!!!

And we wonder why some people get bleeds and clots!

The statistical graphs show that we are safe from clotting and bleeds if we stay reasonably within our INR range. Drinking alcohol instead of taking warfarin? There is always the dumb dumb factor which will skew the mortality data.

 

[almost_hectic]

I thought I read a story once, maybe someone here will recall... something about a mechanical valve patient who went several years without Coumadin and seemingly had no problems... I think he lived in India or something like that.

 

[Chuck C]

I thought I read a story once, maybe someone here will recall... something about a mechanical valve patient who went several years without Coumadin and seemingly had no problems... I think he lived in India or something like that.

There have been a few cases like that. That is not the usual outcome for going years without taking Coumadin with a mechanical valve. Not a wise thing to conduct our own n=1 trial to test if we are one of those statistical anomalies that will survive.

 

[tom in MO]

Expiration dates on drugs are supported by stability studies so you can be sure that your warfarin is 95-105% of label claim before the date. However, the dates are also set by businessmen for business considerations. The first being warranty claims. Even is a drug is stable for 10 years, it will probably get a 2 year expiration date. CVS assigns a year to everything. Do what the FDA requires manufacturers to do, use your oldest drugs first, then you will always have more drugs within the expiration date.

 

[charlottekaye]

And we wonder why some people get bleeds and clots!

The statistical graphs show that we are safe from clotting and bleeds if we stay reasonably within our INR range. Drinking alcohol instead of taking warfarin? There is always the dumb dumb factor which will skew the mortality data.

I would like to know who he works for.

 

[Chuck C]

I would like to know who he works for.

Hopefully not Air Traffic Control

 

[Mister_James]

By the way if you fill your prescription at a national chain, you can go in and ask for an emergency dose.
I went out for a long weekend drive and realized that I left my warfarin, called 24 hr CVS explained to the pharmacist what I needed and he gave me a 3 day dose for free. I believe he won't charge you for a lunch time dose.

 

[almost_hectic]

I have a small waterproof pill container I keep in my car glovebox with a dozen extra doses of warfarin and some low dose aspirin. Thats my just incase stash. If I should realize I forgot a dose, or in the event I don't get home until the next day I have pills handy. Its been relied upon more than a few times.