Often we break and eat medicine pills and tablets. We all have this habit. To reduce the dosage of such medicines or if they do not get medicine of equal potency from the medical shop, they consume more MG tablets by half. Many times the doctor prescribes 250 mg, and the shopkeeper gives 500 mg and says to take half of it. The question to consider is whether taking half of the medicine is beneficial for health or not. Doctors say about this that breaking every medicine and eating it can prove to be injurious to health. That's why it is important to know which medicine should be broken and eaten and which should not.
Read the letters on the medicine pack
A lot is written on the back of medicines. There are some letters in them which means that you have to swallow that pill only and not eat it in half. You must have often seen that on some medicines, SR is written which means control release, and on some, it is written XR which means extended-release. All these medicines are asked to be swallowed whole. These medicines cannot be chewed or broken and eaten. These medicines are made in such a way that after going inside the body, it slowly dissolves with the blood, and after that, it starts showing their effect. If these types of medicines are eaten by dividing them in half, then their formula changes, and instead of showing effect, these medicines harm the body.
Enteric or protective-coated drugs
Some medicines are such that they are enteric or protective coated. From the point of view of safety, a layer is placed on these medicines. If these types of medicines are broken, then the layer on top of them also breaks, due to which causes a burning sensation in the stomach.
These medicines can be broken down and eaten
Medicines that can be broken and eaten are identified by a line that is made in the middle. These medicines are called Scor tablets. This line made on these medicines is the identity of the fact that they can be eaten in half or if you eat them by breaking them in half, then their power is also available in half. On the other hand, if it is not a scored tablet, then there is a line in the middle of it. Will not happen. Even if that tablet is a normal painkiller.
Take these precautions before taking the medicine
Do not decide between breaking the medicine and eating it yourself. For this, talk to the doctor or pharmacist first.
—If you are taking the medicine by breaking it, use a pill cutter instead of a knife or other object to break it. This will cut the medicine normally. Cutting the medicine with a knife can result in several pieces which are not safe to eat.
—If you have more than one medicine, take a bite just before eating instead of all at once to get the full effect of the medicine. If the tablet is kept broken, its effectiveness is reduced by exposure to air and moisture over time.
(PC: Lifeberrys)
