Does anyone cut 1mgm I half?

[123mossie]

Hi I’m tapering down slowly & reached 5mgm, no problems other than fatigue. I was diagnosed mid December 2019. I’ll be staying on 5 another 3 weeks before contemplating another drop but I’d like to go down 0.25 if possible. Any thoughts, thanks

[SheffieldJane]

You could try. My cutter would be sharp enough. It would be a gentle drop.

[Lookingforideas in reply to SheffieldJane]

Hi there - what brand of cutter do you use? And who sells it, pref on line?🙏

[herdysheep]

I cut a 1mg into 2 quite successfully but it doesn't seem to like cutting into 4. Perhaps because after the first cut, you have a 'crumbly' side. If you manage it, please let us know!

[Jackoh]

Yes have a go. My cutter is excellent at cutting 1 mg in half . Haven’t tried it for 0.25. 💐

[SnazzyD]

I managed it with my cheap little cutter. Perhaps I got lucky with the blade and pill type. Not always equal but I figured it was such a small dose a bit here and there wouldn’t matter. I did it when I was going below 1mg.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Using one of the slowed tapers, especially DSNS, and slowing it further by doing each step twice will also make a 1/2mg drop easier.

[Charlie1boy]

I've been cutting 1mg tablets in half for the past four years or so. Hardly ever had a problem.

Good luck.

Paddy

[Daffodilia]

I use pill cutter for 1 mg tabs

[Lafontainepam1]

I cut my 1mg in half all the time, best way to reduce!

[Clergyman]

Yes, I cut 1mg of Prednisolone in half and have done ever since I got below 9mg@day and was feeling side effects in my head for the first week of dropping down in 1mg drops. What's more in the first week of every reduction I reduce the taper to .25mg . And all I can say is that it works for me. No strange feeling in the head or fears of GCA flaring up. I get the .25mg drop by alternating my daily dose. So say I was going from 8mg to 7.5 that month. In the first week only I do alternate days of 8, then 7.5mg. then in weeks 2-4 keep to 7.5mg.

And my consultant rheumatologist is happy with that!! And all I use to do it is a sharp knife.

Good luck.

[Hollyseden]

I manage to cut 1mg in half but haven't tried for .25. I imagine I would have a crumbly little mess in my cutter box.

[Rokerman]

Well - when I do it, I get a decent 0.5mg if I’m lucky - and four 0.125mg..... (or a load of powder 🤣)

[MrsNails]

If you can get some 2.5mg (uncoated) they split beautifully into 1.25mg so with your 1mg you could make your dose up that way.

MrsN

[Hildalew]

As Mrs Nails says: Can you get 2.5mg pills to cut in half? I believe they may be rare but if you can get them, get out your trusty pill cutter and:

Option 1 1.25mg x 1, +1mg x 3, +.5mg x 1

Option 2 try cutting your 5mgs into 4 x 1.25mg and follow the formula above

Only option left: alternate days on 4.5 and 5

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hildalew]

Note - NOT the 2.5mg enteric coated version though!

[Cross-stitcher in reply to Hildalew]

I have had 2.5mg tablets throughout, and my GP has allowed me to order the right amount of 5mg, 2.5mg and 1mg tablets each month depending on where I am on my taper plan. It's not that 2.5mg tablets are "rare", but they are more expensive per box than the more usual 1mg and 5mg tablets, so some doctors and pharmacies are reluctant to stock them or prescribe them.

[MrsNails in reply to Cross-stitcher]

A lot of Pharmacy’s aren’t even aware they make them.....

I found out by chance when they offered me them as an alternative to the coated version & after that l always requested them if/when required. You may have to wait for the next days order as they don’t always have them in stock.

[MrsNails in reply to Hildalew]

They will actually break in your hand, even if you don’t want them too!

[Manchild]

Yes, I do .25mg reductions. I use a large toenail clipper and it works great to cut the 1mg pills into quarters. I found the the pill cutters that I tried do not work as well!

[dancersize2 in reply to Manchild]

Thank you. I'm going to try that.

[Dewdrop456]

Hello, I too just break the tablets by hand or cut them with a sharp knife. The 1 mgs are very soft so sometimes I get a few crumbs . I think it all spreads out over the week . I have been dropping by .25mgs using the DSNS method.

Good luck to you.

[IslandRN]

I use pill cutter to cut 1 mg in half and than a very sharp pairing knife to cut the half again for .25 mg dose which has worked well. Once I got to 4.5 mg I am reducing by .25 mg every 2-4 weeks as hoping to not flare.

[Lookingforideas]

Which brand pill cutter does everyone use? I got one from the pharmacy at Tesco ages ago and it wasn’t small enough to hold a 1mg properly. I use a small sharp knife at the moment but I often end up with very uneven pieces which means I have to guess at the dosage... and end up ... as some else on here said, “licking the crumbs”😃. A decent pill cutter would really help. Any suggestions on brand and where to buy it would be appreciated thanks😊

Ps I did see a post a while ago about a ‘small pill cutter’ but now I can’t find it🤪

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Lookingforideas]

What dose are you on? Cutting a 5mg to get 2.5mg and adding 1's is often simpler and works down to 2mg.

[Lookingforideas in reply to PMRpro]

Hi there, I was trying to taper from 5 to 4.75 in theory by cutting 2.5 into 1.25s and adding 1s, but due to inept ‘squint cutting’ of the 2.5s (Uncoated) I end up doing an inadvertently different amount daily... I know if I use both ‘halves’ on consecutive days it’ll balance out but it doesn’t half mess with my OCD 🤪😂 and when I was on 5 & 1/2 and cutting 1mgs I did quite regularly ‘shoot’ bits across the kitchen (as the cutter I’d bought wouldn’t hold them) or end up with a pile of crumbs and I hate the bitter taste. so I’d end up wasting some ... it’s not life threatening 😂 but I just think A decent pill cutter will make things so much simpler - especially as I (hopefully?) get lower🤞 - someone did recently post or reply to a post about a good small (and cheap) pill cutter that they used & loved but now I can’t find the post🤷‍♀️

[Lookingforideas in reply to Lookingforideas]

Sorry forgot to say in the bit above, also cutting the 1s to achieve the 4.75. I have managed to get my brilliant local pharmacy to source the Wockhart brand of 1s as they do have the small ‘cut line’ on them, as opposed to the more rounded ones, which helps to alleviate the ‘rocket firing’ across the kitchen 🤪

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Lookingforideas]

It's who you know that counts!

Not OCD luckily (except for everything in the kitchen having a place and order - especially in the dishwasher ) but if I were I'd get my pharmacy to make up the pills for me. Small charge but perfect results - compounding pharmacies rule! Not in the UK though - they are very few and far between.

[123mossie in reply to Lookingforideas]

🤣 visions of pred being licked off the floor

[Lookingforideas in reply to 123mossie]

Clearly you’ve not seen my floor 🤮,😂😂😂

[Singr]

I use a pill cutter. I find it easy to do but I think it must depend on the touch and the force. My family end up with the tablets crumbled into a million pieces. 😂😂😂. You can also get 2.5mg tablets if that helps.