Is There Any Danger To Splitting Pills Up?

[bluefortress]

Sorry if this sounds a bit sad but I haven't got much else interesting going on. 

I've been taking half a ceritizine tablet everyday (5mg) for about 7 years for persistent rhinosinusitis. (allergy tests are negative yet ceritizine works). Reason I don't take a full one is because it makes me feel very tired/weird. I've tried other antihistamines they don't seem to do much  

My symptoms have worsened lately so I dared to take a full one and felt crap/ tired afterwards. 
 

So have bought a pill cutter and am taking 3/4 which seems to be just the right dose. 
 

My only concern is because the tablet isn't being divided on the score line could it have any impact on the stomach lining if I continue to do this everyday forever?
 

 

[davebro3]

No - no more than taking a full or half tablet would.

[Canary42]

Can you not ask your doc to prescribe a different dose (or ask your pharmacist).

[gingejbee]

Depends on the pill...some will have a coating on them and shouldn't be messed with. Best to ask your pharmacist about this particular drug.

[bluefortress]

Thanks. It does have a score line on it halfway if it makes a difference, of course it's 3/4 of the pill I want though not half. 
 

I have had a look online they only do 10mg tablets

[davebro3]

//some will have a coating on them and shouldn't be messed with.//

If the pill has  score line it is made to be split for use - the coating will not be on the inside.

[brainiac]

I get bad hay fever in the summer and do something similar to you: take half a ceritizine 10mg tablet every day by cutting down the score line on the pill, and it works well for me - a full one tends to make me sleepy.  Can't imagine taking three-quarters would be any problem at all.

[davebro3]

PS - I suffer badly from dust mite allergy & have been taking Piriteze which helps. One tablet a day doesn't seem enough so maybe 1.5 would be better - I never noticed the score line before as the pills are so tiny. Thanks for pointing it out! 

[Old_Geezer]

Ask the doc who prescribed them. Some pills release the active ingredient gradually. Probably best not to split them and get the whole half dose at once.

[jourdain2]

If the pill has a 'half-split' line, then it must be OK to subdivide it further, surely?

 

[Khandro]

I only take half of the recommended dose of everything, except alcohol

[Peter Pedant]

Some pills release the active ingredient gradually.

yeah I wondered that - they dont

I was asked in a prize exam the difference between a pill and a tablet ( one is stuck together by an excipient and  the other is struck like a coin) - didnt get the Prize

if it has a score line then do it

and halve the half to get a quarter

It is also available as liquid so clearly  is not a slow release prep

capsules I think you are stuck with the whole capsule

[bluefortress]

Thanks all, guess I'm overthinking again, I'l just continue to do it. 
 

Davebro - yea I think mine is a dust allergy though I have tested negative for everything. 
 

Khandro - same here until recently I always took half of everything but with being only 5ft I think it makes sense to. 
 

Peter pendant - that is the most sense you have ever made to me, thankyou. I might try the liquid version. 

[rowanwitch]

As a general rule   score lined tablets can be split

Smooth surfaced ones shouldnt be.

How I was trained, I don't think the rules have changed

[bluefortress]

Thanks Rowanwitch