Ask The Pharmacist: Can I Ever Cut My Pills In Half To Make Them Easier To Swallow?

Q: Can I ever cut my pills in half to make them easier to swallow?

A. A lot of tablets can be quite big but always ask your doctor or pharmacist before cutting them up because it can change the dose and this can be an issue for some medication with a very precise dosage, for example, some of those used for bipolar disorder or for heart rhythm problems and heart failure.

You could end up getting slightly too little or too much, making the drug less effective or causing side-effects, warns Anshu Bhimbat of LloydsPharmacy in Buckinghamshire.

Some tablets have a special coating to delay the drug release: cutting them can make the dose ineffective or irritate the stomach.

You may be able to get the same or a similar drug in a liquid form - talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

If it is okay to cut your tablets, use a pill cutter - a device a bit like a pencil sharpener - rather than a knife or breaking it with your hands.



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