Auvi-Q or epi-pen question

[cosmowife]

When you refill your prescription for your Auvi-Q or epi-pen, how far away is the expiration date of the product that you are given?  When I first got the Auvi-Q in October of 2013, it was good until December of 2014 (so 14 months).  My latest order was placed in November of 2014 and it is only good until May of 2015 (so 6 months).  I am working on calling around to other pharmacies to see if any stores carry a batch with an expiration date that is further out.  I can't help but feel this is a money-making tactic for the drug company.  If they used to be good for 14 months, why can I only get injectors that are now good for only 6 months?  What changed?  I have a $3000 deductible, so these things are costing me $285 per pack (I get two packs) out of pocket twice a year, and that is with a manufacturer's coupon.  So if all of my epi-pens are now only good for 6 months, I'm going to be paying nearly $1200 a year just to have them at home and at school.   :?  

What is your experience with this?

[blueberry10]

I just refilled DD's rx yesterday and the first batch of two-packs we had (received in Aug 2013) were good until January 2015. I just noticed that the new ones are only good until Oct. 2015 - not awesome, but better than 6 months I guess! Makes me want to call around and find a pharmacy that has some longer-lasting ones in stock. I would be even more unhappy if they were only good for 6 months like the ones you got!

[Deleted]

Ours have always been a year out.

[meij]

We refused one once that expired in six months. They understood and we got another one. It is something we've had to watch.

And yikes about the cost. We might be having to switch to a high deductible plan next year and I was already stressing about it. Ugh.

[redheadk]

Definitely take it back and exchange.

Just FYI, and I know this is a personal comfort thing, but they are actually good for at least 3 years. I wouldn't accept these but I would (did) keep the old ones around for backup.

[meij]

Dec 19, 2014 10:55:35 GMT -5 redheadk said:

Definitely take it back and exchange.

Just FYI, and I know this is a personal comfort thing, but they are actually good for at least 3 years. I wouldn't accept these but I would (did) keep the old ones around for backup.

We do this too. We write the year on it in sharpie to keep track but we've been told as long as it isn't cloudy it's ok.

Obviously our main set and the set at school are current, but we keep backups in my purse, at my parents, in the diaper bag and those are from last year or the year before.

[CloudBee]

Always check Epi-Pens before leaving the pharmacy. If you don't have 12 months of use on it, don't accept the script and have them order a new set. 6 months is a joke.