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Dear Savvy Senior,

Is pill splitting safe? I have several friends who split their prescription pills to save money, and several who don’t because they don’t think it’s safe. What can you tell me?

Split Decision

Dear Decision,

Splitting your pills – literally cutting them in half – is a simple way to save money on your prescription drugs but be sure you talk to your doctor first, because not all pills can be split. Here’s what you should know.

Savings and Safety

The reason pill splitting is such a cost cutter is because of a quirk in the way drugs are manufactured and priced. A pill that’s twice as strong as another may not be twice the price. In fact, it’s usually about the same price. So, buying a double-strength dose and cutting it in half may allow you to get two months worth of medicine for the price of one. But is it safe? As long as your doctor agrees that splitting your pills is OK for you, you learn how to do it properly, and you split only pills that can be split, there’s really no danger.

What to Do

If you’re interested in pill splitting, the first step is to talk to your doctor or pharmacist to find out if any of the medicines you use can be safely split. It’s also important to find out whether splitting them will save you enough money to justify the hassle.

The pills that are easiest to split are those with a score down the middle. However, not every pill that’s scored is meant to be split. Pills that are most commonly split include:

• Cholesterol lowering drugs, like Crestor, Lipitor, and Pravachol
• Antidepressants, like Celexa, Paxil, and Zoloft
• High blood pressure medicines like, Monopril, Prinivil, Univasc, Zestril, Avapro and Cozaar.

Having the right equipment helps too. Don’t use a knife to cut your pills in half. It can cause you to split them unevenly resulting in two pieces with very different dosages, which can be dangerous. Purchase a proper pill cutter. They only cost around $5 to $10 and are available at most pharmacies and large discount stores.

For convenience, you might be tempted to split the whole bottle of pills at once. But check with your doctor first. It’s possible that exposing the interior of the pills to the air could reduce their effectiveness. It’s also important to know that pills are only safely split in half, and never into smaller portions such as into thirds or quarters.

Unsafe Splitting

Many medicines, because of their ingredients or design, cannot be split safely. Here’s a list of pills that should not be split:

• Blood thinners.
• Chemotherapy drugs.
• Anti-seizure medicines.
• Birth control pills.
• Capsules of any kind that contain powders or gels.
• Pills with a hard outside coating.
• Extended-release pills that deliver medication over time in your body.
• Pills that are coated to protect your stomach.
• Pills that crumble easily, irritate your mouth, or taste bitter.

Again, your doctor or pharmacist will know which drugs can and cannot be split. If you’re taking a medicine that can be split, you’ll need to get a prescription from your doctor for twice the dosage you need. Then you can start splitting and saving, safely.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit http://SavvySenior.org.

About Jim Miller

Jim Miller is the creator of Savvy Senior, a syndicated information column for older Americans and their families that is published in more than 400 newspapers and magazines nationwide. Jim is also a contributor on NBC’s “Today” show, and is the author of The Savvy Senior, The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens, (Hyperion, 2004).

Jim is frequently quoted in articles about issues affecting senior citizens and has been featured in numerous high profile publications, including Time magazine, USA Today and The New York Times. In addition, he has made multiple appearances on CNBC, CNN, Retirement Living Television and national public television.

The Savvy Senior column is brought to you by Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County, CA

Home Instead Senior Care provides extraordinary senior care, personal care and companionship services to seniors in the Sonoma County area which includes Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Sonoma, Windsor and more. For more information, please visit our digital brochure or call our office at 707.586.1516 anytime.

Only about one in four Americans ages 50 to 64 regularly take advantage of preventive services such as screenings and immunizations, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with the AARP and the American Medical Association.

 “Promoting Preventive Services for Adults 50-64: Community and Clinical Partnerships” focuses on opportunities to improve the health of the growing number of adults in this age range. The report identifies recommended preventive services, such as influenza vaccine, cholesterol screening, breast and cervical cancer screening, as well as preventive screenings for behaviors that could negatively impact health, such as binge drinking.

In addition, the CDC’s healthy aging program provides tools and programs designed to help older adults live longer, more productive and independent lives.

“People aged 50 to 64 need access to preventive services to help them improve their overall health and to live vibrant, productive lives,” said CDC Director Thomas Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “CDC and our partners AARP and AMA are excited about this new resource because it enables our partners and others to more easily and effectively monitor improvements in health behaviors, screenings and immunizations. Our goal is to enhance the delivery and use of these recommended preventive services.”

To view the report and read about CDC’s healthy aging activities, visit the CDC Web site.

And, remember, if you have an elderly loved one who needs help getting to doctors appointments, or if they need something as simple yet critical as medication reminders, the CAREgivers at Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County are ready to help.  Just give us a call at 707.586.1516 anytime.