splitting tablets

[Teach48]

is it okay to split my 1 mg tablet in half? I seem to have read somewhere that this isn’t advisable.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

If they are the plain white uncoated ones then yes, but not if they are the coloured coated type (gastro resistant).

[Teach48 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thankyou! Mine are white so assuming they are okay.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Teach48]

Sure in the paperwork or on the box it will say if they are gastro resistant or enteric coated.

[SheffieldJane in reply to DorsetLady]

The 1mg coated are white and shiny the uncoated are white like a little aspirin. Only the later can be cut.

[Seacat30]

I think it says that in the instruction leaflet that comes with the pills? I cut mine all the time.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

You can split any plain, non-coated form of pred - more often than not white but occasionally 2.5mg plain pred can be pale yellow, You must not cut enteric coated/gastro-resistant tablets (only available in the UK) or Lodotra/Rayos tablets (not available in the UK)

If you are above 2.5mg per day, cutting a 5mg tablet is often easier as they are usually slightly bigger.

[Nextoneplease]

If you can get tablets in 5mg, 2.5mg and 1mg format, there’s no need to split until you reach 1.5mg dosage (unless you want to do a 0.25 dose). For example, for 10.5, I take 1x5mg, 1x2.5 and 3x1mg. Sure you can work this out but I have to admit I wasn’t clear on it when I first started tapering! 😂

[Teach48 in reply to Nextoneplease]

I need 9 mg and was hoping to use up the tables I have. I am having problems getting as many 1 mg as I need. The main difficulty is actually speaking to the doctor in the first place. I’m in UK.

[Nextoneplease in reply to Teach48]

Can you send in an eConsult asking for 1mg tablets? They know you’ll need them if you’re tapering, shouldn’t take them long to tick ‘approve’ (though I know it doesn’t always work that way). Alternatively I’ve simply sent in a prescription request for 1mg tabs and that’s worked too. Frankly I think sometimes they’ll approve requests if only because they don’t have time for a face to face!

Good luck, hope you get 1mg, makes life so much easier 😊x