How can I divide a capsule of medicine in half?
October 19, 2014 11:22 AM Subscribe
I want to take half of my 60-mg capsule now and half tomorrow (long story which is not relevant. Please don't ask about doctor's advice etc. - this question is purely technical).
Can you help me divide a 60-mg. capsule of medication into two 30-mg. doses?
First of all -- this is an extended-release medication. Does that mean that the gelatin capsule itself is at least partly responsible for the extended release characteristic, so that, if I were to pour out approximately half of the powder and take it without the capsule I'd be screwing up how the medication was going to activate in my system? or would taking half the powder without any capsule be the same as taking it with the capsule intact?
Second -- if I need to take the powder within a capsule, where can I get 30 empty gelatin capsules in New York City? Things seemed to have changed since I bought empty capsules in different colors for a history project in 1962. At that time you could go to a drugstore and buy capsules for any use. This doesn't seem to be the case anymore.
Third -- is there any way to divide the powder into two equal portions other than "eyeballing" it?
Thank you!
Can you help me divide a 60-mg. capsule of medication into two 30-mg. doses?
First of all -- this is an extended-release medication. Does that mean that the gelatin capsule itself is at least partly responsible for the extended release characteristic, so that, if I were to pour out approximately half of the powder and take it without the capsule I'd be screwing up how the medication was going to activate in my system? or would taking half the powder without any capsule be the same as taking it with the capsule intact?
Second -- if I need to take the powder within a capsule, where can I get 30 empty gelatin capsules in New York City? Things seemed to have changed since I bought empty capsules in different colors for a history project in 1962. At that time you could go to a drugstore and buy capsules for any use. This doesn't seem to be the case anymore.
Third -- is there any way to divide the powder into two equal portions other than "eyeballing" it?
Thank you!
This REALLY depends on the medication. People have died from doing what you're proposing.
posted by showbiz_liz at 11:28 AM on October 19, 2014 [7 favorites]
posted by showbiz_liz at 11:28 AM on October 19, 2014 [7 favorites]
Best answer: Yeah, sorry, but I work with people who have swallowing difficulties so I'm often looking into what medications can be crushed / dissolved in water / taken out of their capsules. The advice on all extended release medication is that you can't break it down in any way without changing the way the medication works - it will certainly no longer be extended release and may give you too much, too fast.
posted by kadia_a at 11:47 AM on October 19, 2014 [8 favorites]
posted by kadia_a at 11:47 AM on October 19, 2014 [8 favorites]
But if you really want to check, pharmacists can give you a definitive answer and they're usually pretty helpful.
posted by kadia_a at 11:47 AM on October 19, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by kadia_a at 11:47 AM on October 19, 2014 [3 favorites]
This might be helpful . Sorry, no time to read, summarize or follow up.
posted by rmhsinc at 11:50 AM on October 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by rmhsinc at 11:50 AM on October 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you all -- this was very helpful.
posted by DMelanogaster at 1:32 PM on October 19, 2014
posted by DMelanogaster at 1:32 PM on October 19, 2014
LA Times article with pharmacist input.
tl;dr: You shouldn't.
posted by dhartung at 1:37 PM on October 19, 2014
tl;dr: You shouldn't.
posted by dhartung at 1:37 PM on October 19, 2014
Health food stores/organic co-ops often carry empty gel capsules. They're cheap in my experience.
posted by Ferreous at 3:54 PM on October 19, 2014
posted by Ferreous at 3:54 PM on October 19, 2014
Normal gel capsules, however, will not have the appropriate time-release properties.
posted by KathrynT at 6:55 PM on October 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by KathrynT at 6:55 PM on October 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by drpynchon at 11:27 AM on October 19, 2014 [17 favorites]