Can 10mg Brintellix Be Split?

Updated

Recently (within the last 24-hours) I was FINALLY taken off my Effexor. My blood pressure has been terribly high (189/99 yesterday) for at least two years and I always suspected it was related to my Effexor. My first day off Effexor, my blood pressure was down to 132/75. The Effexor was replaced with 10mg of Brintellix.

Sweet lord.... I cannot remember the last time I was, or have ever been, so violently ill. I was sick for HOURS. I tried to replenish my fluids. I was not successful. Well, more accurately, I was able to get some fluids down but they quickly reappeared.

I read the enclosed product information and 100% of the Brintellix website. I was unable to find information about splitting the tablets. I realize there is a 5mg tablet, as a dosing option. However, I'm returning back to work, after 9 months of unemployment and my insurance coverage begins on November 1. Furthermore, my physician provided a month's supply of Brintellix (10mg tablets), as he is amazingly considerate of my financial circumstances and believes in a "try it before you buy it" approach to new meds.

Am I able to split the tablets and titrate up to 10mg? Also, if I continue to have such a violent reaction (relentless vomiting) am I absorbing any of the medication? Connected to that issue, a little over 36-hours ago, I took my last dose of Effexor. I can already feel the hellish withdrawal symptoms creeping into my brain. I'm finally pulling out of my most terrifying bout of depression. I'm so worried. I placed calls to my doctor but they have gone unanswered.

11 Replies

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1

As long as a medication isn't time released or otherwise specifies not to cut or crush it, then it is usually safe to do so.

Regarding the vomiting, it depends on how soon you vomit, after taking it. If it's within about 2 hours, then you likely aren't getting much of the medication and should check in with your doctor. The vomiting may actually be a combination of both the withdrawal from stopping the Effexor and the side effects from starting the Brintellix.

Normal side effects to it may include nausea, dizziness, headache and hyponatremia.

Are there any other questions or concerns?

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2

I am taking Cymbalta 30mg once a day for joint and nerve pain. my dr, replace that today with brintellix 10mg. I am not sure if he understood what I am taking Cymbalta for. does brintellix help with pain associated with muscular skeltatel problems. iam not depressed.

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3

meme you realize cymbaltas primary use is for major depression and anxiety, it can have some effect on neuropathy. if it was working why did your doc change it?

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4

meme I looked up brintellix it is also for major depressive disorder, it does not mention anything about being for neuropathy or musculoskeletal discomfort. think id call your doc. hope this helps. all I did was type in brintellix and you get a number of sites to get medical info.

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5

Yes you can split the tablet. It is not time released. They have 5, 10 and 20mg and sample 10mg. There is no direction for cutting the tablet but after attending a informational dinner given by the company, I learned that it was appropriate

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6

Splitting 10 mg Brintellix in half certainly is not easy. I recommend using a pill splitter. It's an odd shaped pill and splitting it seems more approximate.

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7

Omg! Brintellix has an extremely long half life, up to 66 hours I believe. I actually like this medication but I did start to experience nausea again! I was the one who posted about taking it in hopes for improving cognition. I do not have depression so I can't speak for that part. I must be getting serotonin syndrome or something when I take a full 5 mg tablet everyday but I actually found that the 2.5 mg a night is just right amount for the adhd and cognition problems. I am also 5 '7 and 109 pounds so that may have something to do with me getting nauseous on it. When I first started this med, I would get sick 2 hours after I would take it but at least that has subsided so I don't have that problem anymore. I do get waves a of nausea every now and then. I'll tell you what though, it knocked my sleeping pattern back into shape! My favorite time of day was like 2 a.m. and by nature, no matter how early I went to bed, I never went to sleep until 4 am! Then wake up at noon. All I know is that my mom says that ever since I started this Brintellix, I do snore a little. But even at 2.5 mg a night, the dreams I have are extremely vivid and wild.

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8

I had to take half. Even now I am so tired I can barely function. Of course I cannot be crazy I have no energy to react to anything my doctors won't change these meds

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9

Raw ginger seems to get rid of nausea if sucked but not bitten into

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10

My Dr had me do a vey gradual switch from Effexor to trintellix, went down on Effexor for 2 weeks before I started on 5 of trintellix and still took very low dose of Effexor, had no problems

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11

Re: madies mom (# 5) Expand Referenced Message

Hi is it possible to open the tablet and mix in water as I think I have problems with the coating

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