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It is very interesting about the pharmaceutical industry. Those expiration dates probable have much more to do with marketing than product safety. The Navy did a study on drugs because they have to store drugs on big ships and it is very inconvenient to constantly restock drugs. What they learned is that most drugs are still good 10 years after the date of expiration. There are some important exceptions like nitroglycerin for the heart. I think I would want to know that my oral birth control pills have not expired. Busy cosmetic surgery office go through so much BOTOX that is is rare to have any expired product. If the BOTOX had been properly stored and reconstituted within 2-3 weeks of when you were treated, it is improbable that your issues are related to the expiration date on the vial. Again in a busy office, this would not happen because we go through product so quickly. How did you learn that the product was expired? Ultimately, if you are having an issue, I recommend that your get assessed by the appropriate medical specialist.
I believe the only side effect of expired botox would be loss of potency. Most botox doctors use enough that they never have an expired bottle.
You should contact the manufacturer, Allergan, as their science division might have the best answer for you. Chances are that as long as the product had not been mixed five months ago, and was stored sterilly in the freezer until it was mixed and then given to you, that there probably is no risk. After a long while, possibly years, a product might lose its sterility, but possibly there is a gradual loss of potency. Whether there is degradation of product that could cause a problem needs to be posed to the company but they may not have an answer as this might never have been tested. Please only use board certified physicians such as dermatologists or plastic surgeons, ophthalmologists and ENT doctors for botox injections.
Hi Mykr. The risk of expired Botox would generally not include eye spasms. It's more likely that if it was reconstituted (mixed) and then was left for 5 months that the chance of infection would be greater. Even more likely than this scenario is that the product simply would not work as well. Either way, the symptoms you are experiencing are likely not related to the Botox and you should visit your primary care physician. Good luck.
The expiration on Botox is very long. For instance, Botox in my office right now does not expire until 2012. However, Botox that has already been reconstituted or diluted should be used within 24 hours. If you had Botox that was sitting around diluted for 5 months then this is a problem since you are obviously being injected by someone who does not know what they are doing and does not do many Botox injections if they have Botox sitting around for that long. However, old Botox would be less active, no more active, so most likely your symptoms are coincidental. However, you should go back and see your doctor for an examination. Good Luck.
