First of all, keep all medication in a cool, dark place. if you follow those guidelines, OVER THE COUNTER medications like Tylenol, Motrin, Advil, etc will still be good for up to 3 months past their bottle’s expiration date. However, they may not work as well as they did when they were fresh. you can boost this by taking your pills with a cup of coffee! The caffeine speeds up the medication into your bloodstream. It is also a mild analgesic so you’ll get 2 benefits. Tums and Rolaids can work after up to 2 years past their expiration date!!! BUT, be sure to take Prisolec, prevacid, and other over the counter proton-pump inhibitors when they are NEW for best results. The chemicals in cough medications such as Mucinex, Dayquil, and others can last up to 3 months past expiration. Three months after their expiation date is a good time to replace your sleep medications as they will be less effective and if you want a good night’s sleep that’s not good news!