Crushing Tablets

[tcsarah]

Did anybody in the UK hear on the news yesterday the dangers of crushing tablets? It's something that never even occured to me! Apparently crushing tablets or opening capsules, for ease of swallowing, can change howthe medication works.


"If a tablet is crushed or a capsule opened, it could mean that the medicine is released into your body all at once when it should be released slowly over many hours.It could also make your medicine less effective because you do not receive the correct dose, or even dangerous because you may receiveall of thedose in one go."


Some meds can be crushed, if it is safe to do so the accompanying patient info leaflet will say so. Or if you are unsure ask your pharmacist.

[missminty]

I didn't hear about it but i crush stuff/empty capsules all the time! Im rubbish with swallowing pills so if I couldn't crush them I don't know what I'd do?!! x

[tcsarah]

Don't worry some tablets are perfectly safe to crush, and open up. If you are unsure read the info leafletthat comes with your tablets, have a look online or have a word with a local chemist. I was a bit worried too, as I always break my anti-depressants up, but becaus ethey have a groove down the middle they are perfectly ok to. Here's some info I just got from online:





Is OK to crush or split pills?

<TABLE borderColor=#07649f cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=8 align=right bgColor=#c6d9e4 border=1>
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<TD vAlign=center></TD></TR></T></TABLE>In some cases it's OK to split or crush a pill; in other cases it's not. If you are uncertain as to whether a particular pill or capsule can be safely split or crushed, it's always best to ask your pharmacist, says Jennifer Bair, PharmD. In general, however, there are some guidelines for when it's OK and how to go about it.


Know the score. If a tablet is scored – or has a grooved line running down the center – it's OK to split. That's why it's made that way. If a tablet is not scored, it's still probably OK to cut it but you will need a pill cutter, available for about $4 to $5 in most drug stores.


Bag it. Most tablets that can be cut are also safe to crush. To determine if a tablet is safe to crush, Bair recommends placing the pill in a Ziploc bag and then crushing it with the back of a spoon. If the tablet crushes easily, it's probably OK to take. If it doesn't, toss it and take your remaining tablets whole.


Check its coat. In general, any tablet that has a gel coating should not be split or crushed.


Open up. If a capsule opens easily, it's probably OK to open it and mix the contents with water (as long as you drink the mixture immediately). If a capsule is sealed, it should probably stay that way.


Check the timing. Pills or capsules that are formulated to release a drug into your bloodstream slowly throughout the day should never be split or crushed, says Bair. Medications for arthritis that fall into this category include Voltaren-XR, Arthrotec, LodineXL, Indocin SR, Naprelan and EC-Naprosyn. If you are not sure whether a medication you have been prescribed is time-released, speak to your doctor or pharmacist before opening, breaking or crushing it.

[breezie]

wow....I don't take any meds but when I have in the past I'd always ask before hand if it was ok to crush them up and they said it was alright.





Always ask the doctor first...if you can't crush them at least break them into smaller peices