I’m currently taking 10mg of nortriptyline. My doctor has cleared me to move up to 20MG, but seeing as how I react so strongly to medications, I’d like to go up to 15 first. The problem is, nortriptyline does not come in 5 or 15MG, so the only way for me to get 15 is to take one and a half 10MG capsules. I tried splitting a capsule as per my MD’s recommendation but powder went anywhere and it didn’t seem practical to continue. Has anyone had success in this approach? Are tablets (as opposed to capsules) available? My MD wasn’t sure but I didn’t push it because I already had the medication and saw no reason to explore it at the time. I’ll call him tomorrow (before he goes on vacation) to get a prescription for the tablets if so.
I’m committed to sticking with a medication regimen, but it’s important for me to go at my own pace. Thanks as always!
I was on Nortriptyline 10mg until last month, when my doctor decided it was time to move up. He suggested 15, rather than 20 mg because of my medical sensitivity and my initial side effects with Nortriptyline. You are correct, no 15 mg capsules, though, and I couldn’t find any liquid in Utah. There are no tablets available, either.
I did find a compounding pharmacy, though. The doctor called and prescribed 15 mg, and the pharmacy made 15 mg capsules that day. I am glad they did, had similar side effects going up 15 mg, but they didn’t last as long. After 4 weeks on 15 mg, most days I am 80-90%, which is great!
If you don’t know of a compounding pharmacy, call your usual one and they can probably give you a recommendation for a compounding pharm. Hope things work out for you! If must be a mess trying to empty the capsules and measure the correct dose!
Hi
I take 10mg tablets and halve them with a pill cutter. It is readily available in tablet form here in Australia. The name of the tablet I am taking is Allegron 10mg.
Take care
I moved from 10-15 as well. I also have the caplets/powder. I was able to split them pretty good.
Open it very slowly in a twisty sort of way, have a spoon underneath of it sitting on the counter.
When you open it if you have a green/white capsule. Fill the smaller one full. This one is a touch rounder, but shorter.
It just about equals out. I then empty that into a different spoon and anything that dropped, I pick up with the smaller
one i just emptied and put back in the capsule. I put the shorter fat one back around the capsule and seal it.
I take what is in the spoon that i emptied and the next day, I take the one I sealed… thus having about 1/2 in each.
Sounds complicated but its not. I would try it this way for a few times to see if titrating up works for you. It didn’t for me,but
then again I kinda started at a bad time. I will try again in a while.
I couldn’t sleep at all on 15mg and got extra dizzy/wobbly.
I had a similar problem, so my neurologist had me alternate between taking 20mg and 10mg every other day so that it averaged out to 15mg overall. I am also super sensitive to medication and this method has seemed to not cause any problems.