Petty Vents

[Phaedra]

I was looking the lines in the middle of that pill. I wonder if you can just break it in half. I have some potassium pills that are horse tablets, but they have a line down the middle and I break them in half with my fingers.

As a general rule of thumb, if a pill has a score mark it usually means it can be cut. Cleanly cut, not broken, as if broken it is possible that part of the ingredients might powder off during breakage, so the dosage might not be 100% accurate. It is not a problem with potassium and other supplements, but can be with prescription meds.

Cutting with a knife is not advised - a good pill splitter should be used [and cleaned well after each use]. However, most pharmacists will cut the pills for you if ask.

 

[Andy M.]

If you take a pill that's so large it's difficult to swallow, ask your doctor to prescribe two smaller dose pills of the same medication that add up to the correct dose. e.g. instead of an 80mg pill, take two 40mg pills that would probably be smaller. Just a thought.

 

[Marlingardener]

Back to the "I want to learn to cook" lady. Would you believe she called yesterday and "was willing to give it another try." The nerve!!!
I told her I wasn't willing, nor would ever be. I have better things to do than listen to her whining. I don't care how she feels--I feel better now.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

If you take a pill that's so large it's difficult to swallow, ask your doctor to prescribe two smaller dose pills of the same medication that add up to the correct dose. e.g. instead of an 80mg pill, take two 40mg pills that would probably be smaller. Just a thought.

If you do that, first be sure to check the cost per dose. Himself was on a medication one time that was infrequently called for in the dose he needed, but one lower dose pill cost way more than the twice-as-strong dose. Our doctor put him on the needed lower dose, ordered the stronger pill, and told him to use a pill splitter.

 

[Chef Munky]

Back to the "I want to learn to cook" lady. Would you believe she called yesterday and "was willing to give it another try." The nerve!!!
I told her I wasn't willing, nor would ever be. I have better things to do than listen to her whining. I don't care how she feels--I feel better now.

She's a Narcissist. "Willing to give it another try?" LOL!
Out of curiosity who's kitchen was used the fist time?
She said never cooked. Where did the pots and pans come from?
If she thinks frozen foods are expensive now she's going to suffer what everyone else is right now sticker shock.

If you want to have a little fun direct her here. J/K.
You were right.Keep her in her lane.

 

[dragnlaw]

CG, just a thought, even should the doctor suggest that (as in split the pill), they may not even know if that pill is one that can be split.
Doctors know what they want to give you (for whatever reason) but they also may not know the last up-to-date facts on some meds. Here, we trust our pharmacist to flag conflicting meds that one or more docs may have prescribed for us.

That's a very interesting note on the price of two different sized pills - never considered that. Thanks!
Although my pharmacist has suggested on more than one occasion, and asked my permission, to switch to a generic med instead of the one prescribed by the doctor. Much cheaper. That is something else you could ask the druggist.

 

[Chef Munky]

Okay, so this the anti-viral I was given:
View attachment 63982
It's like a horse pill!
I have to take this twice a day for 7 days - it's a struggle to get it down let me tell you! Ya see the big "F" on it? You know what that's about!!!

My husband had to take a few pills like that after his stroke.
He could and still can only open his jaw just so far. What I did was cut the meds they had the chop mark to, in half.
Placed in on a teaspoon of yogurt to make it easier for him to swallow.

 

[dragnlaw]

Good point Chef Munky. Pills can be crushed and mixed with something like yogurt. It's not like you are only taking half and chancing missing part of the meds.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

CG, just a thought, even should the doctor suggest that (as in split the pill), they may not even know if that pill is one that can be split...

No, our doctor was aware. He mentioned that this particular pill came with a score line specifically for that purpose.

 

[GotGarlic]

CG, just a thought, even should the doctor suggest that (as in split the pill), they may not even know if that pill is one that can be split.
Doctors know what they want to give you (for whatever reason) but they also may not know the last up-to-date facts on some meds. Here, we trust our pharmacist to flag conflicting meds that one or more docs may have prescribed for us.

We do the same, although in my experience - as recently as last week when I spent two days in the hospital - doctors look up contraindications, side effects and other information when considering what and how much to prescribe. Absolutely everything is online now in one place or another lol

Although my pharmacist has suggested on more than one occasion, and asked my permission, to switch to a generic med instead of the one prescribed by the doctor. Much cheaper. That is something else you could ask the druggist.

They are certainly cheaper, and usually just as good, but also in my experience, sometimes they don't work exactly the same as the name brand does. Just something (else) to think about. The body is a complex set of systems.

 

[Marlingardener]

Chef Munky, the first and only cooking lesson was in my kitchen. I'm sure she is feeling so sorry for herself now, and complaining that no one is willing to help her. If another poor fool steps up, they will find out!

 

[dragnlaw]

We do the same, although in my experience - as recently as last week when I spent two days in the hospital - doctors look up contraindications, side effects and other information when considering what and how much to prescribe. Absolutely everything is online now in one place or another lol

They are certainly cheaper, and usually just as good, but also in my experience, sometimes they don't work exactly the same as the name brand does. Just something (else) to think about. The body is a complex set of systems.

totally agree! they should perhaps have disclosures as to 'who' exactly makes the generic. Sometimes it is actually the brand name company.

The body certainly is complex! Although not unheard of, in either of the two cases I'm about to mention... it is rather weird. One friend, given most sedatives becomes hyper active. Another, same thing, most sedatives, and she vomits violently, little awkward in the OR.

 

[Andy M.]

totally agree! they should perhaps have disclosures as to 'who' exactly makes the generic. Sometimes it is actually the brand name company . . .

I get Rx via mail order and the Rx label always lists the name of the company that manufactured the med.

 

[dragnlaw]

These are prescription drugs? via mail order? like Amazon?

here, (Canada) only drugstores can dispense regulated drugs.
I know we can order prescription glasses on-line, but not drugs.

 

[taxlady]

We do the same, although in my experience - as recently as last week when I spent two days in the hospital - doctors look up contraindications, side effects and other information when considering what and how much to prescribe. Absolutely everything is online now in one place or another lol

They are certainly cheaper, and usually just as good, but also in my experience, sometimes they don't work exactly the same as the name brand does. Just something (else) to think about. The body is a complex set of systems.

Yes, in a hospital setting, I would certainly expect the doctors to be up on what other medications other doctors might be prescribing. And sure, everything is online. But, pharmacists have studied pharmacology and understand the drugs even better than doctors do. They keep up on drugs, specifically. They hear about side effects before most doctors do. I like getting input from my pharmacist. Hmm, I seem to remember my GP, when I had one, telling me to talk to the pharmacist about some drug and possible interactions. In a non-hospital setting, there can be a number of doctors prescribing medications and not talking to each other. I think it is more efficient to have the pharmacist vet all of that.

 

[taxlady]

These are prescription drugs? via mail order? like Amazon?

here, (Canada) only drugstores can dispense regulated drugs.
I know we can order prescription glasses on-line, but not drugs.

Yeah, but we don't really need to go hunting for the best price on most drugs.

 

[dragnlaw]

Correct, I paid (4 x 4.11) 16.44$ for 4 different prescriptions which would have cost me $118.81 without government assistance.
Once a year, I pay $100. then after that (for most drugs) I pay only $4.11 per rpescription.

 

[medtran49]

These are prescription drugs? via mail order? like Amazon?

here, (Canada) only drugstores can dispense regulated drugs.
I know we can order prescription glasses on-line, but not drugs.

A lot of insurance companies in the U.S. have their own pharmacies that dispense medications to save themselves money, and sometimes patients, and they are mail order. Some of the chain pharmacies will also set up refills for you via the mail.

Years ago when Craig's brother was on hospice because of lung cancer, he got his opioids via FedEx. I don't know if they still do this given the current over reaction to opioids in the U.S.

 

[Andy M.]

These are prescription drugs? via mail order? like Amazon?

here, (Canada) only drugstores can dispense regulated drugs.
I know we can order prescription glasses on-line, but not drugs.

My Rx are sent to a mail order pharmacy that fills the Rx and ships them to me. The same service as your local pharmacy except the drugs are delivered to your door. We can choose to have Rx filled locally at a CVS or other pharmacy.

 

[dragnlaw]

How interesting. I wonder if that is done here. I'll have to ask around.
Here, at least for me, my prescriptions are for 6 or 9 months between refills, with the pharmacy dispensing 3 months worth of pills at a time. The exception is opioids, those are only dispensed once a month.

Edit: I sort of like to get out to shop, it's just a quick stop on my rounds as I always phone ahead.