How To Properly Use A Pill Cutter

A popular and easy way to save money on prescription drug costs is to split your pills in half. However, it’s not as simple as assuming that it’s okay to split your pills and it’s essential that you do it the right way as to avoid harming yourself or your health.

You may be doing it so that you can get the right dose or to cut the cost of your medication in half. Learn about how to properly cut or crush your pills using pill cutters and pill crushers that are meant to handle this type of job. It’s safe and a fine practice as long as you take the following recommendations and guidelines into account.

Check that Your Pills are Safe to Split

You’ll see a scored mark down the center of a pill if it’s approved by the FDA to split. The approval of the FDA confirms that the two halves of the pill will supply you with a relatively equal amount of medication. The most common types of pills that can be split are:

• Cholesterol-lowering drugs, like Crestor, Lipitor, Mevacor, Pravachol, and Zocor.
• Antidepressants, like Lexapro, Celexa, Serzone, Paxil, and Zoloft.
• High blood pressure medicines such as Accupril, Zestril, Diovan, Avapro, Norvasc, Tenormin, Toprol, and Cardura.
• Erectile dysfunction pills, like Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra.

It’s not a wise idea to split pills that are not scored to be split. The reasons you shouldn’t split some pills are because they’re time-released or long-lasting and tablets that contain a combination of drugs. It can be tricky to split them in half so that you’re getting an equal amount of ingredients in each piece.

You also shouldn’t split pills with a coating to protect your stomach and pills that crumble easily or irritate your mouth, along with chemotherapy drugs, anti-seizure medicines, birth control pills, and capsules containing powders or gels.

Consult with Your Doctor & Pharmacist

It’s worth having a conversation with your doctor and pharmacist to verify that your pills are safe to split. You can also make sure that splitting them is actually saving you money and worth the effort. Discuss options with your healthcare provider and see if they may be able to prescribe a tablet with twice the dose that you need to cut your prescription costs down. Together, you should be able to come up with a plan that meets your needs and where you’re receiving the proper dose at a reasonable cost. If you’re not sure if your pill or prescription is safe to cut in half, ask your doctor or pharmacist who will know which drugs can and can’t be split.

Follow the Prescribed Dose Carefully

Carefully follow doctor’s orders and only take the dosage amount that your provider has prescribed to you. For example, you’ll want to split your pills in half if your pill size is double the dose that you’ve been prescribed. It’s easy to make mistakes about dosage amounts when you’re working with half sizes. There are a few ways to help you remember to take the right amount of your pill. For example, you can keep a sticky note on your medication bottle or keep your pill-splitter or pill crusher with your medication to remind you to cut them in half.

Picking out the Right Pill Cutters or Pill Splitters

Avoid using a knife or scissors to cut your pills in half. Instead, it’s best to have the right type of equipment so that it’s an easy process and the pills are split precisely in half. There are a variety of pill crushers and cutters on the market at a reasonable price point that you should consider purchasing to ensure a smooth and proper pill cutting experience. The reason you need these cutters and crushers is so that you can split them evenly. If they’re uneven, you risk having pieces with different dosage amounts, which can be dangerous. Keep your pill cutter in a safe place and out of the reach of children.

You may also want to purchase a multi-purpose pill-splitter if you need to crush some and split others of your pills. You can get the job done using one product this way.

Healthcare professionals recommend splitting each pill as you’re going to take it instead of splitting the entire bottle at one time. Doing so will help keep the drugs from deteriorating due to exposure to heat, moisture, or air. While pills can safely be split in half, you should never cut them into smaller portions such as thirds or quarters. Store any cut pills back in your regular medicine bottle.

For a safe pill cutting and crushing experience, follow the directions on the equipment that you buy. For example, place one pill inside the grooved edges of the pill-splitter, and press down firmly on the pill-splitter until the lid is completely closed. Remove the half pill from the splitter and take according to your doctor’s instructions. Remember to try to split the pill just before you’re ready to take it.

A few reminders to keep in mind so that you can accurately and safely use a pill cutter and feel safe doing so, include:

• Double-check that your pill is safe to split, and get a doctor’s approval before you split your medication.
• There is always a risk of getting an improper dose when you split a pill.
• Follow the doctor’s or pharmacist’s instructions carefully to be sure you’re getting the right amount of medication.
• Always be careful when handling a pill-splitter, and avoid touching the sharp blade.
• Wash your hands before handling your medication.
• Clean your pill-splitter with a cloth or paper towel if you plan on using it for multiple medications.

You should now know the proper way to use a pill cutter and more about if cutting your prescription in half is right for you. Remember that obtaining the right pill cutting or crushing equipment is going to make this a much more feasible and simpler task for you.