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Can 150mg Of Wellbutrin Be Cut Into Half And Taken?
Question: can a 150 mg Wellbutrin tablet be cut in half to supply an additional 75 mg of the medicine (rather than the usual increase of 150mg to 300mg)? Thanks
**** Psychopharmacology
**** Psychopharmacology
Brief Answer:
yes you can
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for writing to us.
Technically when you break XL preparation in to two it becomes plain preparation. By this drug does not lose its effectiveness . We also face this problem frequently due to unavailability of 75 mg. It may lead to somewhat more amount of drug instantly in to body due to changes in preparation. However most of the patients of mine can tolerate it well without any significant discomfort.
You also should inform your treating doctor about the same.
Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.
yes you can
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for writing to us.
Technically when you break XL preparation in to two it becomes plain preparation. By this drug does not lose its effectiveness . We also face this problem frequently due to unavailability of 75 mg. It may lead to somewhat more amount of drug instantly in to body due to changes in preparation. However most of the patients of mine can tolerate it well without any significant discomfort.
You also should inform your treating doctor about the same.
Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your thoughtful answer. It sounds like you and your peers have actually effectively prescribed this way. Is that correct? I ask because Glaxo states in its detailed description that the XL drug "should be swallowed whole and not be crushed, divided, or chewed."(Para2.1)
Can you provide the general background of the question's reviewers as I am sure that my doctor will be interested in your experiences.
Can you provide the general background of the question's reviewers as I am sure that my doctor will be interested in your experiences.
Brief Answer:
yes I have prescribed in 8-10 patients
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for writing back.
In XXXXXXX we do not have 75 mg strength of bupropion probably! In patients who are on 150 XL preparation and want to reduce the dose , do not have option of 75 and stopping suddenly causes drug discontinuation features.
In those patients I work with two strategies.
- I suggest to take them on alternate day for 2 weeks and then on every third day and gradually stop to prevent discontinuation symptoms.
- Patients who find it difficult to take alternate day , above strategy is changed. I told them to break the tablets in half. And most of them were able to tolerate it well and no discontinuation symptoms.
Whatever Company has written is true. Breaking XL changes some chemical properties and make preparation instant release and can cause some side effects. So legal point of view company has to print the same.
For your information: We use XL preparation for depression and SR preparation for smoking deaddiction.However more or less no significant difference found out clinically. So no harm in taking 75 SR preparation if you have.
Hope this answers your concern.Feel free to discuss further.
yes I have prescribed in 8-10 patients
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for writing back.
In XXXXXXX we do not have 75 mg strength of bupropion probably! In patients who are on 150 XL preparation and want to reduce the dose , do not have option of 75 and stopping suddenly causes drug discontinuation features.
In those patients I work with two strategies.
- I suggest to take them on alternate day for 2 weeks and then on every third day and gradually stop to prevent discontinuation symptoms.
- Patients who find it difficult to take alternate day , above strategy is changed. I told them to break the tablets in half. And most of them were able to tolerate it well and no discontinuation symptoms.
Whatever Company has written is true. Breaking XL changes some chemical properties and make preparation instant release and can cause some side effects. So legal point of view company has to print the same.
For your information: We use XL preparation for depression and SR preparation for smoking deaddiction.However more or less no significant difference found out clinically. So no harm in taking 75 SR preparation if you have.
Hope this answers your concern.Feel free to discuss further.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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