If you've been to the pharmacy lately, you're probably experienced a little sticker shock. Even with your co-pay, medication can be crazy expensive. But, a growing number of people are turning to a simple solution: they're splitting their pills - and their bills - in half!
But is pill-splitting safe? Some medication is safe to split, some is not.
Here's how it works: drug companies often charge the same for different doses of medication. So, say you take a 10-milligram dose. You ask your doctor to prescribe the 20-milligram dose, and then you cut the pills in half. A one-month supply will last you two months.
But you need to be careful about what you split.
Little Five Points pharmacist Ira Katz says you need to know what's safe to split - and what's not.
In the not-safe category: anything that time-release, controlled release or extended release. Those drugs are covered with a coating that slows down how your body absorbs them.
"So if you cut that you destroy the integrity of the controlled-release medication and that could be seriously harmful to the patient," said Katz.
So, Katz says, check the label for abbreviations of drugs, like Ambien CR.
"Controlled release, sustained release, extended release -- those are key words that translate you should not cut that in half," said Katz.
It's the same thing with some over-the-counter medications like Mucinex and some allergy drugs.
"There's a reason why there are directions on the back and it says, ‘One tablet every 12 hours,' said Katz.
You can safely split most tablets, but not capsules. Check to see if your pill is scored with a line down the middle to guide you.
If you decide you want to try splitting your pills, it's pretty easy. You just go to the drugstore and pick up a tablet cutter with a covered razor blade inside. Place the pill in the holder, snap it shut and it's split.
But before you start cutting, ask your pharmacist or doctor if it's safe to split.
"My motto: communicate before you medicate. Talk to your pharmacist," said Katz.
The basics: if the pill is coated time-release or a capsule, don't split. If it's a tablet, especially a once-a-day pill, you can split it.
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