Does Suboxone® expire?

Do you have expired Suboxone® sitting around, wondering if it’s still safe to use? Or thinking about taking extra to make up for any loss in potency? Here’s the short answer: don’t take any chances. 

Suboxone has a 12-month shelf life. Properly storing your Suboxone can help it last longer and stay as effective as possible. However, if your medication has expired, you can’t be sure what dose you’re actually getting, and that could sabotage your recovery efforts. 

We’ll walk you through what to do with expired Suboxone, why taking expired medication is risky, how to store it properly, and how QuickMD can help if you need an emergency refill.

What can you do if your Suboxone is already expired

If your Suboxone has expired, you can’t count on it to keep you stable. The safest move is to talk to your QuickMD provider immediately and let them know your medication is out of date. If you can’t reach your provider and withdrawal symptoms or strong cravings are starting, head to your local urgent care or ER.

Here’s what to do (and what to skip) to protect your recovery:

Do not take expired Suboxone without medical advice

While expired Suboxone won’t become toxic, it loses potency because chemical compounds break down over time. That means it may not be strong enough to manage your symptoms or prevent withdrawal, which puts your recovery at risk.

Contact your QuickMD provider immediately 

Let them know your Suboxone has expired. They can issue a new prescription to get you back on track. This happens more often than you may think, and your provider won’t judge you for it.

Safely dispose of expired Suboxone

You can dispose of expired Suboxone through:

• An approved DEA take-back program
• Medication disposal sites available in many pharmacies 
• Mixing the medication with coffee grounds or cat litter in a sealed bag before throwing it away if disposal sites aren’t available
  

What to avoid

• Do not take extra doses to make up for the loss in potency. You have no way to know what you’re actually taking, and you could accidentally overdo it and cause serious side effects.
• Do not accept Suboxone from someone else to tide you over. This is risky because you can’t verify what you’re getting, and this can jeopardize your treatment and sobriety.
• Do not try to flush it or throw it in the trash. Flushing can contaminate water supplies, and throwing it away risks someone else finding and misusing it. 
• Don’t wait until you’re in crisis to reach out. Your provider will be understanding and help you stay safe and in stable treatment.

Does expired Suboxone still work?

Expired Suboxone may still have an effect, but there’s no way to know how much potency it’s lost. Your provider has you on a specific dose tailored to manage withdrawal and cravings. With expired medication, you’re making a wild guess at what you’re actually taking. If it’s too weak, it won’t keep you stable and prevent cravings. If you try to compensate by taking more, you could accidentally overdo it and trigger side effects that disrupt your treatment.

How do you store Suboxone safely?

Because Suboxone is meant to dissolve under the tongue, it’s more sensitive to moisture and heat than other medications. Exposure to humidity can degrade the active ingredients and make your dose less effective. Here are a few tips for properly storing your Suboxone strips and tablets:

• Store your medication in a cool, dry place away from moisture. Avoid kitchen cabinets near the stove or other hot appliances, and skip the bathroom cabinet where steam from showers can affect it.
• Avoid storing the medication in direct lighting or sunlight. 
• Keep the medication in its blister pack until you’re ready to take it.
• Remove the cotton ball from the bottle if it has one because it draws in moisture that can damage the medication.
• Keep your medicine out of sight and reach of children. If possible, use a container or cabinet with a childproof lock. 

If you need a refill for expired Suboxone, book time with QuickMD

If your Suboxone has expired and you need an emergency refill, we can get you back on track quickly.