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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by HappyGirl on September 26, 2009, at 6:50:26
Hi:
Can Wellbutrin SR 150 mg. 'Cut' in a half?Somewhere in Internet, I read Wellbutrin SR can NOT be cut in a half. If do, Wellbutrin SR lose its efficacy?
Your help on this would be truly appreciated.
Posted by Phillipa on September 26, 2009, at 12:25:59
In reply to Can Wellbutrin SR Cut in a half?, posted by HappyGirl on September 26, 2009, at 6:50:26
If it's time release all the med would be delivered at once and in the stomach not the intestine. I'd ask my pharmacist to explain. Phillipa
Posted by Zyprexa on September 27, 2009, at 2:53:16
In reply to Can Wellbutrin SR Cut in a half?, posted by HappyGirl on September 26, 2009, at 6:50:26
I've cut them in half. Does not seem to make a difference. No doctor or pharmacy would say that. Mind you its the generic I cut. I tried with brand once and it was a quick release.
Posted by HappyGirl on September 27, 2009, at 7:43:23
In reply to Re: Can Wellbutrin SR Cut in a half?, posted by Zyprexa on September 27, 2009, at 2:53:16
Thanks both for the responses.
The reason I asked on this board is that I went the pdoc. explaining my vivid and annoying dreams every nites that interrupted my sleep pattern. The pdoc. agreed with me that Bupropion 300 mg. too much for my system and taking only morning dosage, 150 mg.
I work evening shift, then I asked the pdoc. 100 mg. in case my energy level getting low with only 150 mg. in the morning, but he didn't give an rx 100 mg saying a need coming back in that case.
If I'd go back to him asking another 100 mg. rx., he might offer Wellbutrin XL which I detested. I want to stick with the generic, because I'm on four different meds. for my stablization. Particularly one of med., Zyprexa 5 mg. is very pricy.
I'm very glad to hear fellow folk's experience assurring that I am able to cut a 150 mg. generic WB SR, Bupropion 150mg.
Thanks,
Posted by yxibow on September 27, 2009, at 22:16:28
In reply to Can Wellbutrin SR Cut in a half?, posted by HappyGirl on September 26, 2009, at 6:50:26
> Hi:
> Can Wellbutrin SR 150 mg. 'Cut' in a half?
>
> Somewhere in Internet, I read Wellbutrin SR can NOT be cut in a half. If do, Wellbutrin SR lose its efficacy?Mind you, I'm not trying to use you in particular as an example.... but please, people, DONT cut your time-release medications. There's a) no point in it as it will become instant release and b) becoming instant release could spike plasma level all at once and cause serious problems.
So no, do NOT cut SR/XL in half.For one, SR/XL has a purpose, especially SR -- it is one of the few patent extenders that actually has a place in medicine.
Wellbutrin IR has a NON-zero chance of causing seizures, especially in those who didnt know they were vulnerable to them, and even in those who are not.
SR has a much reduced chance of this, it has been noted in studies.
But if you cut through the time release formula, you are dumping IR straight into the intestine and into your blood stream. Hence, you will spike everything at once as IR.
One might as well be taking IR multiple times a day then.
I could go on with other time release medications -- really, besides patents, a fair amount of lab time has been invested in making a tablet/pill/blob that will survive the hydrochloric acid in your stomach in a time release fashion, with food or without food depending on its nature, for a certain period of time.
This also goes for medications that are in capsules and people open the capsule to have "micro-doses" of a medication.There are only a set of medications that are specifically designed for this, and they're called sprinkles.
Otherwise, one runs the risk of chewing the pellets in a capsule, and getting an instant bloodrush of a medication that would not be there had it taken its time to have the gelatinous material holding the pellets dissolve in the stomach.
-- tidings.
Posted by Phillipa on September 28, 2009, at 19:02:41
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin SR/XL and time release meds » HappyGirl, posted by yxibow on September 27, 2009, at 22:16:28
What xiybow says is true. Phillipa
Posted by Zyprexa on September 29, 2009, at 15:42:56
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin SR/XL and time release meds, posted by Phillipa on September 28, 2009, at 19:02:41
I've had a doctor who said it was ok to split a niaspan er tab in half. And is the time release of bupropion sr, no the same thing all throughout the pill. Don't they just mix some type of time release chemical with the pill. And there for cuting a pill in half, and not a hundred pices be the same as half the strenght?
Posted by HappyGirl on September 30, 2009, at 6:15:48
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin SR/XL and time release meds, posted by Zyprexa on September 29, 2009, at 15:42:56
Thanks again for sharing the experience.
First of all, my insurance, BCBS allows ONLY generic which is Bupropion SR, ... not WB SR. I should have clarified this in the first place, but anyway it works.
Like you, I'm able to cut them in half and taking them without any problems since the day when I read your response.
My next appt. is 4 - 5 months away, then I need one Bupropion 150 mg. in the morning and another in the evening, 1/2 Bupropion 150mg. It works great and I can sleep well.
Thanks,
Posted by Zyprexa on October 2, 2009, at 2:14:44
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin SR/XL and time release meds » Zyprexa, posted by HappyGirl on September 30, 2009, at 6:15:48
Good to know it worked for you as well.
This is the end of the thread.
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