Is it dangerous to cut extended release morphine in half?!
Question: I have been prescribed these 15mg time release morphine pills. Since it's such a low dosage is it still dangerous to take halves? (If these were 50mg or something i wouldn't be asking)
Answers: I have been prescribed these 15mg time release morphine pills. Since it's such a low dosage is it still dangerous to take halves? (If these were 50mg or something i wouldn't be asking)
By breaking the coating on the pill you are going to get enough medicine at once to last half of the time the pill is supposed to last (if you take half) ALL AT ONCE!!!! I would not do it because even if it does help the pain better, it won't last long and you will feel really sick to your stomache, it will feel like it is rolling around and you will not like it. I would call the doctor. I would say No.
its just a bad idea because the pain relief won.t last as long......
YES!
ER medicines are designed with a special coating to dissolve slowly. By cutting it in half you are obviously negating this property. Why do you want to do this?
Unless you know you are opioid-tolerant from long term use, assume it is dangerous.
If you are using this legitimately as prescribed for analgesic relief, they are designed this way to give you the best relief for the longest term. You should take them as indicated. If they aren't working out talk to your physician.
EDIT- "I don't want to take two but one isn't doing the trick."
It sounds to me like you need to manage your pain better, not necessarily take more. If you aren't already, take your dose on the recommended schedule, even if it's a PRN. Don't wait until you have severe pain in between pills. Use them prophylactically for now. If this doesn't work or you are already doing it, talk to your physician. If this is post surgical or some kind of acute pain, you should be able to call the on-call physician at any time.
By breaking, crushing, or cutting an extended release pill you run the risk of overdosing. These are designed so that they release over an amount of time. When you break or cut them in half--the entire amount enters your bloodstream at once.
Since your only looking at an immediate dose of 7.5mg, this is probably not going to have a huge impact on you.