Ask the Pharmacist

Side effects are known, sometimes unavoidable effects of a medication, such as mild drowsiness or upset stomach. Allergic reactions involve your immune system and may include hives, swelling, difficulty breathing, or severe rash. Seek immediate medical attention if you suspect a serious allergic reaction.

Question:

Is it safe to cut a pill in half to save money, or does that change how the medication works? Which pills are okay to split? 🤔 Thanks!  - Emily W. 

Answer:

Great question Emily, and one we get all the time at the pharmacy. Yes, some pills can be safely split to save money, but not all medications are safe to cut, and doing it incorrectly can lead to underdosing, overdosing, or serious side effects.

Safe to split: Immediate-release tablets that aren’t coated and have a scored line (a groove in the middle) - and only if your doctor or pharmacist confirms it’s okay.

On the other hand, extended release (XR, ER, SR, CR, LA) medication should generally never be split. Cutting or crushing these destroys the time-release mechanism and can end up releasing the entire dose all at one.  Some of these are designed to be released in the body over 12 or 24 hours (or longer) and having all that medication getting released at once can be dangerous.   

Other medication that should generally not be split or crushed are enteric coated tablets, capsules, or very low dose or particularly dangerous medication which require the dose to be precise (especially if the tablets are extremely small).

As a precaution, it’s always best to ask your pharmacist about the particular medication you are taking if it’s fine to split the dose.  If you get the green light, please don’t use a knife to split the doses, always use a tablet splitter.  Tablet splitters are inexpensive and are available at most pharmacies.

If you want to save money, ask your doctor or pharmacist if there is a higher dose medication that you safely split.  Sometimes a 20mg tablet costs the same as a 10mg tablet, so splitting can make sense if it’s safe to do so. 
~ Pharmacist Eddie

Question:
Be real, do pharmacists actually notice or judge what medications I'm picking up, or am I overthinking it?

Answer:
Not in the way you might think.

Pharmacists aren’t standing behind the counter judging what you’re picking up. We’re focused on making sure everything is safe, accurate, and appropriate for you.

When we review a prescription, we’re checking things like:

• Is the dose correct?
• Are there any interactions with other medications?
  
  We see a wide range of medications every single day, so nothing you’re picking up is unusual to us. If anything, our mindset is: “Is this patient taken care of?” not “What does this say about them?”
  
  And if we do notice something, it’s only because we’re looking out for your safety.
  ~ Pharmacist Eddie

Question:
Thanks for making this forum for us! I want to know: what's a common health 'hack' or home remedy that pharmacists wish people would stop trying and ask an expert about instead? ~ Jamie

Answer:
I know this might ruffle a few feathers, but one home remedy I wish people would stop relying on is cranberry juice for treating urinary tract infections (UTIs).

There’s a common belief that cranberry juice can cure a UTI, but that’s a misconception. Some research suggests that certain cranberry extracts may help prevent bacteria, especially E. coli, from sticking to the bladder wall. But that’s prevention, not treatment. And even then, most cranberry juices don’t contain enough of the active compound (called proanthocyanidins) to be effective. What they do contain is a lot of sugar, which isn’t doing your body any favors, especially if you're drinking multiple glasses a day hoping it’ll help.

The real concern is that delaying proper treatment gives the infection time to worsen or spread to the kidneys. In severe cases, this can lead to a dangerous condition called urosepsis, which is a life-threatening immune response to infection.

UTIs are painful and disruptive, but the good news is they’re typically easy to treat with antibiotics. In many cases, symptoms begin improving within a dose or two (though it’s important to finish the full course). And even without insurance, the generic versions of most UTI antibiotics are affordable at many pharmacies.

If you think you have a UTI, skip the juice and see a doctor or urgent care provider. Prompt treatment can save you a lot of discomfort, and potentially something much more serious.
~ Pharmacist Eddie

Question:
I was sick a couple months ago, and now my hair is shedding a lot. Could that be related? Thanks!
~ Lisa

Answer:
This type of hair shedding is called telogen effluvium, and it can feel confusing because it doesn’t happen right away.

Here’s what’s happening:

Hair grows in cycles. During periods of physical stress (like rapid weight changes, illness, or reduced nutrient intake) more hairs than usual shift into a resting phase. A few months later, those hairs begin to shed all at once.

That’s why it can feel sudden, even though the trigger happened earlier.

In many cases, this is temporary. But recovery depends on whether the body has what it needs to support regrowth.

Common factors that can contribute include:

• Lower overall calorie intake
• Reduced protein intake
• Changes in how key nutrients are absorbed or utilized
• Increased demand for vitamins and minerals during recovery
  

From a pharmacist’s perspective, this is where targeted nutritional support can be helpful, especially alongside a balanced diet.

The goal isn’t just to stop shedding, but to support the next growth cycle.
~ Pharmacist Eddie