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Epi-Pen

30K views 30 replies 19 participants last post by  Akademee 
#1 ·
Got a 2-dose unit of Epi-Pen last year that out-dated in 8 months. I thought it should last at least a year. Does anyone know if it's still any good after more than a year? 2 years?
Dave
 
#3 ·
I bought a 2-pak in May this year and the expiration is August, 2015. It just depends on what the pharmacy has in their inventory. While mine was fine, the "next" time, I will definitely think to look at the expiration date before accepting it - or ask the pharmacy in advance what the expiration date is and that I want one at least a year out.

I don't know if I agree with Dave that they *don't* put expiration dates on them to make money (cynic that I am) but I probably wouldn't use one that is a year out of date. Maybe a couple or 3 months but that's about it for me.
 
#7 ·
I guess it depends on how much you value your life. 365,366,367.... at what point does it become ineffective? I have taken Ibuprofen 6 months out of date but I am not taking it for a life saving purpose.
 
#8 ·
Kind of twisting the topic of an old thread a little bit here ...
My epi's expired in Dec & I dutifully got new ones, but I am still carrying the old ones in my day pack, for now.
as others stated, they dont suddenly implode at 12:01 am the first day of the month after the exp date.
But , using the pack rats motto, they gotta be good for something.
What do you do with your expired pens? I think I turned them in to the police dept with a bunch of expired pain killers last year. I may just toss these into the wood burning heater in the shop, or something ... the carry case might be good to sheath a steak knife to cut honey comb with, or store drill bits, or jigsaw blades in my tool box. maybe a case for my queen marking pen, if i go back to marking with a pen.
I will probably [very carefully] disassemble one of the auto injectors, just to see how they are made.
suggestions or comments? any one?
 
#9 ·
Its old, but I kind of know the answer to this. The liquid in Epi pens crystalises over time - the expiry date marks the point they are no longer certain there are no crystals.

Injecting the crystals is easy - those things fire like the clappers! - but it is agonisingly painful and your body can't move crystals around the way it can a liquid. The only legal pens here have a window where you can view the liquid with a shake to establish if it is still fluid.

If someone was dying I'd still give an expired pen a shot in case, but a fresh one is the only certainty.
 
#12 ·
Because you can die from anaphylactic shock. Didn't the doctor explain that to you? And it can happen to anyone at any time, and it has. Beeks who have been stung 200 times previously can suddenly have a potentially fatal reaction.

Fortunately for me, I had a bizarre reaction when I was stung on my side but my hand, which had been stung many times previously, also turned red and became swollen and itchy. I was tested and found to have a severe allergy to bee venom. I started bee venom immunotherapy and now have a much milder reaction to stings; however I still keep up to date EpiPens available.
 
#17 ·
My doctor insisted that I have one because I am doing Bee Venom Therapy on my own. Have never needed it, but I do keep a bottle of liquid benedryl handy. Have used that a time or two when I had a systemic (not anaphalatic reaction, and not a local reaction) reaction to a sting on my head. My hands and feet started to itch like mad. The Epi-pen is only if you have a reaction where you can't breathe.
 
#18 ·
I checked out the label for the Epi Pen and it stated it should be stored at room temperature with brief exposure up to 86 degrees F. For those of you that carry the Pen, how do you deal with summer temps and having it in a vehicle or in your back pack when working out yards? Or is this a big concern?
 
#25 ·
I injected myself with epinephrine subcutaneously after a sting (had an allergic reaction in the past) and I think I came close to calamity. Not all venoms have the same antigens and your response to antigens will change over time. Don’t use epi unless you are in serious trouble. Take some antihistamine pills and topical antihistamine and steroid cream at the sting site. It is likely that many bad outcomes from allergies are iatrogenic (treatment caused), like a heart attack from an epi injection.
 
#27 ·
Dchap, that’s what I did. Don’t accidentally draw up the wrong dose. If you are going down that road then get some diphenhydramine too. Much less risk. No heart attack. I still think the risk of epinephrine is usually higher than the bee sting (based on anecdotes.)
 
#31 ·
EpiPen is a brand name and is extremely expensive, but they make generic epinephrine auto injectors called Adrenaclick now that are basically the same as EpiPens but apparently are legally distinct enough to be a 'different' product. Literal life saver. If you ask your doctor for an EpiPen, he'she will write you a Rx for the brand name EpiPen and you will be out a lot of money. But if you specifically ask for the generic, you will get a Rx for that. A two pack runs me $60.

The vials and syringes are certainly cheaper, but the whole point of an auto injector is that it is pre-dosed and spring loaded so when you going through shock and lose your fine motor skills, you can administer it yourself with minimal ability. Always ask your doctor what options are available to you.
 
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