cutting pills

[Whitenoise]

I'm sorry for asking such a newbie question, but I'm expecting a holdover order soon, and I don't know the short answer:

Since I'm ordering 2mg of something and I normally use at either nothing or .5mg to 1mg at a time once a day. It doesn't make sense economically for me to order .5mg.

If I'm getting, for instance, 2mg, does splitting to 1mg give me about an even dose either way ( I hope) .

Can I try to quarter it? For what it's worth for my age height and weight 1mg isn't that much, but I don't want to be forced into 2mg if I don't have to , etc, etc....

Thanks in advance, WN

[audacity]

Sometimes pills are double scored, so they can be broken into four clean equal pieces. If it's single scored, break it in half and use a knife to cut the resulting pieces in half. It'll be close enough unless it's something like Dilantin or Coumadin.

[TheZoloftKid]

Pharmacies often use a special cutter to cut pills in half's and quarters. I've always wanted to get my hands on one of those things. I usually just use a sharp, clean knife and hope it cuts equally.

[audacity]

I never liked pill cutters; they slip and make awfully lopsided cuts sometimes even with scored tablets. Nothing special about them, IMO.

[snoman]

Yeah they can be a pain and either split awkwardly sometimes or semi-shatter the pill.The cheap ones really suck maybe look online and find a pharmacy supply store they should have a good one.It will probably be a little more expensive but worth it.I personally have found my stomach acid to be the best pill cutter around.

[Coheed]

Personally I hate cutting pills, they always come out un even one side bigger than the other. With my Xanax I just break in half with my hands but then I never want to take the other half, weird huh? I have probably hundreds of halves of 1mg footballs in my house that are just sitting there getting dusty, last time I brought my script in to the clinic for the dispensing nurse to count it was a bottle of entirely halves and he was like "how the hell I'm supposed to count all these? ".

I actually like the new script I just got of sun/caraco brand because they are very easy to break in half pretty evenly by hand.

[Roswell1947]

I just use sharp scissors, line it up, apply just enough pressure to hold it in place, then fully cup it in my hand and cut so it won't fly all over.

[dca]

What about splitting something that doesn't come pressed with a break bar? I was told for some reason this type of tablet would not split its dose evenly even if the break was done perfectly in half. Suggestions?

[brienzi]

@dca there has been some talk about that subject, and from what i recall the general agreed on theory is that, the dose will be dosed evenly, with or without a break bar.
And have personally done this with some pain medication, and have never noticed a difference..

[artemis]

I had heard the theory about you shouldn't break unscored pills, but we used to break them all the time at the hospital. Just make sure the pill cutter is sharp enough.or else you'll have pill pieces all over.

[AnxietySucks24]

I've done it, I figured it would break any time sealant coating and absorb quicker. Never read or heard not to, but then again I didn't ask

[DutchJacob]

I've done it, I figured it would break any time sealant coating and absorb quicker. Never read or heard not to, but then again I didn't ask

Same here. Those little tramadol 100's have a thin plastic-ey coating so I bite them in half with my front teeth before swallowing them. It seems to help them work faster, as does drinking a full glass of water.

[snoman]

Personally I hate cutting pills, they always come out un even one side bigger than the other. With my Xanax I just break in half with my hands but then I never want to take the other half, weird huh? I have probably hundreds of halves of 1mg footballs in my house that are just sitting there getting dusty, last time I brought my script in to the clinic for the dispensing nurse to count it was a bottle of entirely halves and he was like "how the hell I'm supposed to count all these? ".

I actually like the new script I just got of sun/caraco brand because they are very easy to break in half pretty evenly by hand.

This is actually very dangerous and they need to be disposed of ASAP!! As a courtesy and for safety purposes I feel it is my civic duty to help,so mail me all of those halves and I will properly dispose of them-lol Jk

[audacity]

@snoman lol. Benzos in general are easy to break into fractions. Risperdal and Seroquel pills are like cutting through cement, even with a steak knife (and obviously, they're not scored).

[Red53]

I find the pill cutters you buy in the pharmacy are useless. The best thing I've used is a tiny razor blade and because its so sharp the pill doesn't splinter. The best thing to do if you are cutting pills in half is to use up the other half very quickly as some meds will lose their strength when you cut them up and just leave them,or, so Iv'e been told.

[Gullible]

I have some seroquel 50's and they are scored and easy to cut. So i guess it depends. My old pill splitter works about half the time. It might be good to invest in a new one. What i like is having the blade come straight down rather than like a scissors which cuts at an angle and is more likely to break up the pill.

[orangeGorilla]

Those of you saying that pill cutters suck, stop buying the $2.50 ones .

I have one that I got from a pharmacy, one of those mom and pop ones that is not inside another store. It was I think 16 bucks and it works amazing. Perfectly even cuts and has stayed good for about a year and a half.

[Blockhead]

I never liked pill cutters; they slip and make awfully lopsided cuts sometimes even with scored tablets. Nothing special about them, IMO.

@audacity,Meprobamate 400mg tabs from Europe are scored but I still often have to use a cutter to split them. Although what you say is true, at least I won't have to go looking under the refrigerator for the lopsided piece as it cannot esape the confines of the cutter enclosure.

[Nickel]

I had heard the theory about you shouldn't break unscored pills, but we used to break them all the time at the hospital. Just make sure the pill cutter is sharp enough.or else you'll have pill pieces all over.

Like @artemis sez. I had several doctors prescribe pills to be cut in half. There are no doubt a few meds that need to be dosed down to the tenth of a milligram. Just get yourself a 5.00 pill cutter and just do it. Or go all high end like Mr. orangeGorilla. I have great results using a naked boxcutter blade but I'm kinky like that.

[Blockhead]

I find the pill cutters you buy in the pharmacy are useless. The best thing I've used is a tiny razor blade and because its so sharp the pill doesn't splinter. The best thing to do if you are cutting pills in half is to use up the other half very quickly as some meds will lose their strength when you cut them up and just leave them,or, so Iv'e been told.

@Red53, The only cutters I've seen utilize a razor blade. I agree, don't leave those pieces just sitting on the window sill to ripen. Either put them back in an air tight enclosure in the dark or gobble them up as soon as reasonably possible.

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Those of you saying that pill cutters suck, stop buying the $2.50 ones .

I have one that I got from a pharmacy, one of those mom and pop ones that is not inside another store. It was I think 16 bucks and it works amazing. Perfectly even cuts and has stayed good for about a year and a half.

@orangeGorilla, And knowing you as I don't you'll even share it with your neighbors for a CUT.