Splitting pills saves money, but irritates drug companies

[Steve]

I've been splitting Cialis for years, and even a month or two later, the split open tablet works just as well.

[Juan]

I've just started using Cialis, which my insurance refuses to cover. My doctor recommended splitting the pill as well. By splitting the 20mg pill I can get the Cialis for about the same cost as my copay.

I found a nice cutter at Wal-Mart that has a V shaped pill holder. If I get the pill in just right, it splits pretty evenly length wise for 10mg. The problem is how to split the two haves to make 5 or 2.5? I've done this pretty much by sight with good success, but not always.

Anyone worked out a cutting diagram for this?

Also, I've found that putting the broken pill in a capsule and taking the capsule gives much more consistent results. I suspect the pill get's hung-up on the way down and the capsule helps get it to down faster.

Second question, has anyone tried dissolving the pill in say 6 OZ of water (or orange juice, etc.) and then splitting into dosages based on fluid volume? This might give a more consistent dosage?

[Iceman]

I take an acid blocker for acid reflux, and I have never had heartburn while taking Viagra, not once. Try an over the counter acid blocker like Pepcid AC, and maybe that will eliminate your heartburn.

Roy wrote:

I have used Viagra successfully for several years - I am 63 years old. In recent months it seems like the acid indigestion that follows after taking viagra is worse than ever, and lasts for several hours. Does anyone have recommendations other than eating bread, crackers, taking Tums, etc.

[Dawlfin]

I've been splitting Virga 100Mg int0 25 mg for years and never had a problem with it - seems to work fine and also the rest never lost its strength - even when I took the rest weeks later.
But I had the headaches, nose problems, etc like everyone else. I would always take with a lot of water and also at a meal if I could. Say full bottle of water seemed to solve the stomach problem.
I just switched to cialis and seems ok - i cut it too but unsure how to cut into more than half - I have 20 mg pills -
Frankly - to cut viagra, I would just bite it with my molar and cut it that way - all the way into quarters - would get bitter taste sometimes but not always and it worked just fine.
I tried pill cutter but didn't work well.

question - do others have say 10 or 5mg work for 36 hours? is that right?
I took 10mg this evening and we'll see how long it works for.

[johndig]

been using viagra for years, split them and they still work but what are you using for those headackes...mine are killers.

[bill]

I take Ibuprofen, two tablets. Works well with Viagra. Cialis can cause killer backaches and shoulder aches. Sometimes they're not as bad as other times. Glad to know that I can cut Cialis as it works better than Viagra. Guess I should start taking Lipitor again if High Cholesterol is causing me problems. Also, I'd love a hot 35 y.o. gal but it costs big bucks to dump the current one. Hmmm, what's up with that Cougar thing?

[Bob]

I've been splitting 100mg generic Viagra into quarters or fifths (I can do good even splitting into 1/6ths) I get offline for several years with no problems in the 'left-overs' from the split losing potency. The friggin runny nose and headaches though are making me want to try Cialis as a change. It sounds like people here splitting 20 mg. Cialis are having no problems.

[Mitchell_27]

Yes, cutting the pills saved me lots of money before. Nowadays, i just do order generic medicine online! It is extremely expensive, so you even can have levitra or cialis 20 mg for only 2 dollars per pill!!! Do not even need to cut the pills anymore! Fantastic!

[Cody]

Your pharmacist is either an incompetent pharmacist or a good salesman. What makes Cialis last 24-36 hours is its unusally long 17.5 hour half-life. That means that 50% of the original dose is still in your system 17.5 hours after you first take it, and half of that after 17.5 more hours. Eventually the level in your system drops too low to work. It has nothing to do with a time-release coating.

Wes wrote:

My pharmacist just said I shouldn't split Cialis because the coating makes it last 36 hrs, and splitting it makes the ingredients go into your blood faster, raising something (other than your tool). He also said the remaining piece loses it's potency while you wait for the next time. I'm not sure I agree, but wanted to hear if anyone else has experience or knowledge on this. They're too expensive NOT to split.

[Jim B]

Try powdering the Viagra and putting it under your tongue and letting it dissolve (best done right after you brush). That should eliminte the acid buildup. Plus if you have 100 mg pills and cut them in 4 you'll get great results because when you take the pill most of it gets absorbed by your liver when you powder it and take it sub lingually it goes right into your bloodstream. The taste is awful but it works great.