ASAP! Can you chop up sulfamethoxazole (septra)? I NEED an answer by tomorrow morning!?

Question

i'm on the antibiotic because i have a reoccuring UTI and the augmentin didnt work properly.

my problem is that i can't seem to swallow the septra because it deterriorates once it's in my mouth and i get the awful pill taste. i wasted an entire day of pills trying to swallow it. and getting another antibiotic isnt an option at the moment.

i was wondering if cutting the pill in 1/2 and taking it in smaller pieces would compromise the effectiveness.

gracias =)

Answer 1

Hi, you should be taking this medication with a full glass of water (240mL, 8oz, or 1 cup) at least. So take the entire pill into your mouth if you can and swallow it with the water. Cutting the pill should not reduce the effect, but since it is a solid tablet (to the best of my knowledge) and not a capsule then you may loose some of the medication as powder if you are even able to get a clean cut. Some people like to grind up the pills and put it in applesauce or something like that, or try putting the pill in a small piece of cheese or jello and swallowing the food without breaking the pill.

Hope this helps!

M

Answer 2

You can chop it into tiny pieces, but don't simply break it in half: that only seems to make swallowing them harder.

Answer 3

Yes, you can, as long as you make sure that you take all of the pieces. If you use a pill cutter or a sharp knife (carefully!), there should only be a minimal amount of "dust" It's nothing to worry about as long as you take all of your medication as prescribed.

The problem with totally grinding up the pill is that sometimes you can really taste it through the food (it dissolves quickly!), and you run the risk of not finishing it. It's easier to just break it into 2 or 3 pieces and take them as you would a normal pill.

Answer 4

according to my nursing drug guide, yes you can crush it, try putting it in pudding or applesauce that sometimes helps as i do with patients at the hospital. dont forget to drink lots of fluids.  glad to help

Answer 5

Cover it with a coating of butter or margarine so it won't stick to your tongue. The coating will dissolve in your stomach.

Put the pill at the front of your tongut too, not at the back. An old doctor told me that when I was very young and I had trouble taking pills. It works.

Answer 6

I agree with the answerer that suggested you break it into smaller pieces, rather than in half...it does seem to be harder for people to tolerate it, because the taste gets in their mouth so quickly.

Septra has a pretty strong taste, so I wouldn't recommend mixing it with food. Once you have done that, you have to eat every bit of whatever you have mixed it with...and if it tastes bad, you probably won't do that.

Best of luck to you...