What’s the Shelf Life of Viagra?
Dear ED: I’m a married man who enjoyed a fairly active sex life until a serious auto accident incapacitated me for nearly a year. I’m finally getting back on my feet, and my libido seems to be fired up once again. I was using Viagra before my accident and have a few pills left in a container that was prescribed about 20 months ago. What’s the shelf life of Viagra? Will I run any risk if I take one of those older Viagra pills?
Carter V., Harrisonburg, VA
Answer: If I were you, I’d go for it. The worst that can happen is that the pills won’t work as well as you would like, but it’s very unlikely that you would experience any negative effects from taking these older pills. Ideally, Viagra should be taken within one year of the date on which the pills were dispensed. In your case, that obviously wasn’t possible. Over time, the molecules in the pill will break down, reducing the medication’s potency. However, pills that are 20 months old are still likely to work well enough to help you get and keep an erection. And if not, you’ll just have to see the doctor about getting another prescription.
If I were you, I’d go for it. The worst that can happen is that the pills won’t work as well as you would like, but it’s very unlikely that you would experience any negative effects from taking these older pills. Ideally, Viagra should be taken within one year of the date on which the pills were dispensed. In your case, that obviously wasn’t possible. Over time, the molecules in the pill will break down, reducing the medication’s potency. However, pills that are 20 months old are still likely to work well enough to help you get and keep an erection. And if not, you’ll just have to see the doctor about getting another prescription.