Is cutting proscar into 4ths really such a good idea?

[Moormada]

That's what I'm doing, and I've been doing it for around 8 months. However, my pharmacist said it might not be such a good idea, as it messes with the timed release of the medication. Meaning, that while it will be effective for a period, it may not be effective for the whole 24 hours like a whole pill of propecia will, even though it's more of a dose (proscar 4ths being 1.25mg as compared to propecia's 1mg).

The reason I bring this up is because I seem to have lost quite a bit more on my left temple. Every person I ask about it says they don't think my hairline's moved since I started the medication, but it feels like it's receded past this bump in my skull that it used to cover, and I can't get it to sit quite like it used to. If it's truly better to get on propecia than proscar, I might man up and pay the extra for the real deal. Or would getting on dutasteride be a better option? My current regimen is 1.25mg finasteride (proscar 1/4th) once a day, and Nizoral 3 times a week.

 

[Nathaniel]

my pharmacist said it might not be such a good idea, as it messes with the timed release of the medication.

Reducing a dosage, i.e. from 5mg to 1.25mg has nothing to do with the time release effect of a medication as every single finasteride molecule is the same. That pharmacist is not a real pharmacist.

 

[pratc]

About the breaking up. I asked something similar about a year ago and Bryan said he didn't think it was of any consequence. My son seems to be having success and he uses (approx.) fifths.
Bryan is one of the people on the forum for whom I have great respect.

 

[Moormada]

my pharmacist said it might not be such a good idea, as it messes with the timed release of the medication.

Reducing a dosage, i.e. from 5mg to 1.25mg has nothing to do with the time release effect of a medication as every single finasteride molecule is the same. That pharmacist is not a real pharmacist.

Oh, I didn't mean just reducing the dosage, I meant actually splitting the pill into parts, so that the time release coating is removed from roughly 1/2 the surface area.

 

[pratc]

I too was referring to splitting. I asked after a news item talked about various coatings on tablets etc.

 

[Johnny24601]

re:

Times release, have you seen the pill? The outside shell is paper thin and dissolves as soon as it touches saliva. No dice on that theory.

 

[Nathaniel]

my pharmacist said it might not be such a good idea, as it messes with the timed release of the medication.

Reducing a dosage, i.e. from 5mg to 1.25mg has nothing to do with the time release effect of a medication as every single finasteride molecule is the same. That pharmacist is not a real pharmacist.

Oh, I didn't mean just reducing the dosage, I meant actually splitting the pill into parts, so that the time release coating is removed from roughly 1/2 the surface area.

The purpose of coating in finasteride is not for time release, it is a protection if it ever fell in the hands or was handled by a pregnant female. As a matter of fact, in the finasteride studies, the drug was given to monkeys in POWDER form, no coating whatsoever.

 

[MPBWarrior]

yeah, that pharmacist clearly has no idea what they're talking about. ive even heard that its better to chew finasteride a little before swallowing to allow it to dissolve where it should and not go straight into the stomach! in any case, i think you're fine splitting the 5mg into quarters, like i do!

 

[Bryan]

That's what I'm doing, and I've been doing it for around 8 months. However, my pharmacist said it might not be such a good idea, as it messes with the timed release of the medication.

What the other posters have told you is correct: finasteride (whether it be Proscar or Propecia) doesn't come in "timed release" form (at least, not the kind of "timed release" that people generally mean when they use that term). Your pharmacist doesn't know what he/she is talking about.

 

[CCS]

That's what I'm doing, and I've been doing it for around 8 months. However, my pharmacist said it might not be such a good idea, as it messes with the timed release of the medication.

What the other posters have told you is correct: finasteride (whether it be Proscar or Propecia) doesn't come in "timed release" form (at least, not the kind of "timed release" that people generally mean when they use that term). Your pharmacist doesn't know what he/she is talking about.

This is true. My only fear was if the stomach acid would damage it, and if the coating was supposed to open in the small intestine. Doubtful though. I learned the only reason aspirin has a coating is so the aspirin does not damage the stomach. Most drugs are not damaged by the stomach. I could leave some in in HCl over night and do a spectroscopy scan before and after to see if it change between 5 minutes and 24 hours. I've been chewing my pills before swallowing, and the people at merk did not see anything wrong with it. I'd think Avodart dissolves in the stomach. Cholesterol is not damaged by the acid.

 

[Bryan]

This is true. My only fear was if the stomach acid would damage it, and if the coating was supposed to open in the small intestine. Doubtful though.

As somebody else mentioned, finasteride was given as a powder on a piece of fruit in the early stumptailed macaque studies, so that's not an issue.

 

[RaginDemon]

it is the cheapest way to take finasteride.

 

[bubka]

the pill covering instantly dissolves when it comes into contact with water, there is not time release, stomach acid, small intestine, functionality here