Breaking my pills in half doesn't have same effect

[Amber98]

I had a medicine emergency 2 nights ago. I've been taking two 50mg pills of Seroquel, so far that's the only med that's helped me sleep and in effect helped a bit with my depression.

I don't see my original psychiatrist anymore that prescribed this. Well my prescription finished but I knew I had a refill so I waited, and when I went to the pharmacy, they gave 200mg pills instead of 50mg and told me the Psychiatrist had increased it.

I told them I wanted 50mg but they said they wouldn't give it to me because that wasn't the doctor's orders. So i paid FULL price for it (the last of my savings) and I decided to take half of it (thinking it would still equal 2 pills of 50mg).

Well I had a horrible night, it didn't suit me well and was up all night, same thing happened last night. My doctor's office is closed for the long weekend so I had to go to the urgent care clinic and get a prescription for 50mg pills, then went back to the pharmacy today and paid for it with me credit card since I spent $100 last time!!! I was so mad.

But anyway, why wouldn't breaking a 200mg pill in half be the same as taking 2 pills of 50mg??

Anyone experience this??

[RubyWitch]

Sorry to hear of your med problems. You're not alone.
I don't understand........if you are no longer seeing the pyschiatrist who prescribed the Seroquel, when did he change the dose? And most p-docs won't up you by 100mg without seeing a real need for it and also discussing it with you. It just seems fishy to me. I hope you call his office and get some clarification on this.
As to why you probably had such a rough couple of nights is that when they make the pills, they really have no way of making sure the drug is spread out evenly throughout the pill. So when you break it in half, you have no way of knowing if you've got 50mg or the whole 100mg in the half your're taking.
Don't be angry at the pharmacist. He/she cannot change anything about a prescription without clearing it with the doctor as they are required by law to fill it exactly as written.  
I hope things get better for you soon.
Stay strong
Peace
Greenlydia

[stirewalt]

seroquel are not scored tabs diff to breaka nd even see what you are taking. ??? pill splitter and a pray. Large increase