pill splitter: since most here "are of a certain age"

S

Spock

Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Joined
Jun 24, 2016
Messages
1,963
Since a lot of people here "are of a certain age"... :angel:
I'm looking for recommendations on a pill cutter/splitter to cut prescription pills in half.
We got one for the last dogs heart meds, but it shattered pills more than it cut and left powdered pill all over.

With the empty store shelves, I've been skipping meals and in the process have lost about 34lbs so far since 'rona started in mid-March.
Combine the weight loss with the lack of caffeine, my blood pressure is down 20-30pts. Dr. Google suggests a reduction in BP med dosage. Since I got 180 days of BP meds, I thought I'd start splitting 1 pill out of 7 a week for a 14.3% overall weekly dose reduction, taking the 1/2 pills about 3-4 days apart to smooth things out. If I keep refilling at the same size, this would also extend supplies an extra 52 days a year.

Any of you pill poppers have a brand/model of splitter you're happy with and would recommend?
 
I hope the skipping of meals and losing of weight was voluntary and not something necessary for you to get by.

Losing 34 pounds is a great accomplishment. Lowering your blood pressure is also a great result. I don't know about a pill splitter, but unless you are seriously short on funds, I would go to a doctor and discuss future medication with them.

From a laymen point of view, why would you decrease the dose? Has the 20-30 point drop taken you out of range at the low end? To a point, there's no harm in a lower than average BP.
 
I don't take any medications, but my wife has a cheap plastic pill cutter from the grocery store that seems to work well. It's essentially just a razor blade in a plastic housing that holds the pill to be cut. When the blade is new and sharp it does fairly well, but crumbles more as the blade dulls. Regardless, since pills are hard there's always a tiny bit of pill dust leftover.

I can never figure out why they don't just provide 10mg pills instead of cutting 20mg pills in half (for instance). Seems dumb to me, but I'm not a drug store.
 
mountainsoft said:
....

I can never figure out why they don't just provide 10mg pills instead of cutting 20mg pills in half (for instance). Seems dumb to me, but I'm not a drug store.
Click to expand...


So that's the (or one of the) irritating factors.

The original script was for 1/2 dose the current pills 2x a day.
The @$#%& pharmacy took it upon themselves to alter the script to 2x size pills 1x per day. That way they dispense fewer pills. It's cheaper.
 
Have had 3 or 4 different ones. I too have issues with them pulverizing pills. Then if you have odd shaped ones it's hard to get them to center the med before you cut it. I haven't been enthralled with any that I've purchased. I have one I split daily by hand because it's small and can be eyeballed for accuracy
 
I use whatever we acquired at points in time. I believe it's technique not the splitter. As someone who has had hypertension and lost weight I'm not convinced 1/2 dose a week will change much, at least it didn't for me.

What medication are you on? Some medications aren't not supposed to be split. What is your BP running?
 
Spock said:
So that's the (or one of the) irritating factors.

The original script was for 1/2 dose the current pills 2x a day.
The @$#%& pharmacy took it upon themselves to alter the script to 2x size pills 1x per day. That way they dispense fewer pills. It's cheaper.
Click to expand...

Can't you just adjust this through the pharmacy with a phone call? My BP meds are very cheap, are yours?

Agree with others the MD should be consulted before altering your dose. It's good to be perfectly frank with your MD.
 
mountainsoft said:
I can never figure out why they don't just provide 10mg pills instead of cutting 20mg pills in half (for instance). Seems dumb to me, but I'm not a drug store.
Click to expand...

Some years ago I was on a medication where the cost of the medication was primarily driven on a per pill basis, regardless of the strength of the dosage. It was much, much cheaper to cut the 100mg pills in half than to buy the 50mg pills.

More recently, I was on a heart medication that can in 25, 50, and 100 tablets. Started on the 25 dosage, had significant side effect, bradycardia, since already on the lowest dosage tablets, doc had my cut the pills in half to lower the dosage. Eventually, directed to just stop taking the med. I am so glad to be off that med.
 
Last edited:
Do not know what she bought but my oldest sister bought an expensive one that she said is "Dr grade" because of the same problems you seem to have... not sure how much she paid but I think it was in the $100 range...


Read this... I did not read it much


https://bestreviews.com/best-pill-splitters
 
Xacto knife. Score pill on both sides and snap.
 
What's the "certain age"? Or do you just mean old? Old is okay to say.
 
Congrats on the bp drop; that's great. When something similar happened for me, I just started breaking the pills in half by hand. Sometimes they come out a little uneven, but it's no big deal. I get a little extra one day, then a little less the next.

You should track your bp at home, if you're not already doing it. That way, you can monitor the effects and report the results to your doctor.
 
ER Eddie said:
I just started breaking the pills in half by hand. Sometimes they come out a little uneven, but it's no big deal. I get a little extra one day, then a little less the next.
Click to expand...

+1
 
Amethyst said:
What's the "certain age"? Or do you just mean old? Old is okay to say.
Click to expand...

Being certain of your age is one thing, being 'uncertain' could indicate problems.
 
pill splitter: since most here "are of a certain age"

Deleted
 
I can't remember which brand of pill splitter that I bought, BUT, let me tell you a story.

i bought this pill splitter a couple of years ago . . . same deal . . . pills splitting in all kinds of ways EXCEPT cleanly in two.

One day, quite by accident, I had the pill splitter laying on a couple of thickness of towel. To my astonishment, the pills started splitting cleanly into two halves. I have never looked back.

I will add that the pills that I split have a score mark down the center of them. I make SURE that the score mark lines up with the cutting blade inside the splitter.

Try this trick. I hope that it works for you as good as it works for me.
 
mountainsoft said:
... When the blade is new and sharp it does fairly well, but crumbles more as the blade dulls. ...
Click to expand...


I think I'll go this route... I have no idea how old (dull) the splitter were were using for the dog is so I'll try another cheapie with a (hopefully) sharper blade.
 
Walt34 said:
The one I have I got at CVS years ago but looks similar and it has the little "V" thingy to help center the pill.
Click to expand...

One of my pills is oblong-ish so I think the V would end up making it harder to line up perpendicular to the blade. But thanks!
 

Attachments

  • Splitter.jpg
    Splitter.jpg
    52.6 KB · Views: 16
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
I'm Mike, and I'm back after nine years. Here's what's happened since...
Replies
11
Views
3K
ncbill
N
F
  • Locked
My response to shuttered "Busted a stealth wealth magnate today" thread
2 3
Replies
57
Views
7K
MichaelB
MichaelB
imoldernu
Experimenting with drugs
Replies
5
Views
2K
Helen
Helen
braumeister
Old age and medications
2
Replies
37
Views
4K
Lisa99
Lisa99
Z
54 and asking for a review of retirement plans - can you help?
Replies
21
Views
5K
Zuma
Z

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom