Help with something

[nana418]

Is it ok to take a 20mg oxy and cut it in half. Take 1/2 in the am and 1/2 in the pm.. I am trying to wean off of them all todether. I also take alprazolam(Zanax) mid way thru the day to help with the panic feeling. Again I had 1mg pill so I cut them in 1/2 and take 1 midway thru the day and 1/2 at bedtime. Looking for some help. Thanks

[Dav125]

And please don't view my words as some kind of "ok" to mess with time release meds..Because I'm not..This is oxycontin specific and was done for three reasons. To stop IV abuse, to stop nasal abuse, and to halt the ability to get the full dose of the med in a highly concentrated form by crushing it bypassing the time release design as before it was a thin coating on the outside of the pill that controlled that aspect..I'm beginning to think I shouldn't have mentioned what I have learned of this..

Nana, best thing to do is what Brian has suggested. Discuss this with your Dr...

[Dav125]

Just for general info, there may still be some of the original oxycontins out there (stamped "OC") but I suspect most are gone now and replaced with the reformulated "OP" stamped oxycontin...The new one's that caused allergic reactions with me and a few other's in here..Them doing that was probably a blessing in disguise as had they not been changed, I probably would still be having them prescribed and never quit.

Back to your thought on the time release aspect though... Its my understanding in all the research I could find on this reformulation,, that with this new polymer based whatever they added to make the oxycontin tamperproof (can't crush them into powder for IV or snorting purposes) that it doesn't matter if they are cut in half if one is able to do it.They are extremely hard and rubbery..This polymer is mixed thruout and only will release as intended..In other words, its going to hold that time release quality no matter what you do to it..Cut a 20 in half, your going to get a 10 thats going to time release like it was a whole 10 to begin with....Dav

[michellemarie1120]

I am the perfect resource for you but I need a bit more background information; i.e., why were you given these medications (diagnosis), why are you attempting to come off of them, what was your dosage before you began cutting back, and what other medications are you on?

[bmdad]

No....oxycontin is time released. If you cut it in half you take away the time release quality of it. If you are tapering off you need to get with your doctor and half him/her prescribed the 10mgs oxy. After that your doctor will probably drop you to regular oxycodone so you can continue tapering.

Never cut a time released medication.





Brian