If they’re jell-coated or sustained-release (the kind that’s made up of a bunch of tiny little balls in an outer capsule), you probably shouldn’t take them—between the water and the alcohol, there’s a reasonable chance you’ve interfered with the delivery mechanism and could end up getting a nasty overdose.
Even if they’re not, it’s probably a good idea to call your pharmacy, explain that you got the pills wet and then dipped them in alcohol (and, uh, good luck finding a story that sounds sane and doesn’t mention the toilet, there—maybe they fell into the drinking glass of someone who’s sick?), and ask if they’re still safe, and if not, what you can do. Unless things have changed significantly since I worked in a pharmacy a decade ago, you can probably get your refill a few days early if it turns out that you need to.
They are timed-release, but the mechanism extends throughout the pill, so I’m pretty sure they’re okay at least dose-wise. Good idea on calling the pharmacy, though; I know I’ll be able to get them at least a couple days early… I was just unsure about a whole week.
Literally lol’d at the sane story bit—“I dropped my pills in a sick person’s glass, then dipped them in alcohol; are they still okay?!”
My concern with a possible overdose has less to do with the amount of drug in the pill (which wouldn’t be changed), and more to do with how much of it is in your bloodstream at once. I don’t know how your pills work, but the kind I described work by having the different balls dissolve at different rates in one’s stomach acid, and it’s at least plausible that dampening them would change that property so that they all dissolve quickly and put however-many hours’ worth of drug in your bloodstream at once, which sounds potentially-dangerous to me.
I’m sure you’re keeping an eye on yourself, though, and if anything odd starts to happen you’ll get it dealt with. Shouldn’t be too big of a risk.
but the kind I described work by having the different balls dissolve at different rates in one’s stomach acid, and it’s at least plausible that dampening them would change that property so that they all dissolve quickly and put however-many hours’ worth of drug in your bloodstream at once, which sounds potentially-dangerous to me.
Any delivery mechanism which can be dangerously interfered with by taking pills with water, or drinking water shortly before or after taking the pills, is in urgent need of replacement. Although there are medical treatments which you’re supposed to avoid drinking water before, I don’t think any pills such as this actually exist.
I assume that the variability of stomach contents is accounted for in the creation of the mechanism, at least to some degree. (This may be part of why some meds come with instructions to eat or not eat before or after taking them—such instructions are relatively common, though I don’t remember if they correlate with sustained release mechanisms, and I know there can be other reasons for those directions.) Dampening the pills and then drying them out seems like it could have a different effect than drinking water when taking them, and exposing them to other chemicals could also have unexpected effects, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
If they’re jell-coated or sustained-release (the kind that’s made up of a bunch of tiny little balls in an outer capsule), you probably shouldn’t take them—between the water and the alcohol, there’s a reasonable chance you’ve interfered with the delivery mechanism and could end up getting a nasty overdose.
Even if they’re not, it’s probably a good idea to call your pharmacy, explain that you got the pills wet and then dipped them in alcohol (and, uh, good luck finding a story that sounds sane and doesn’t mention the toilet, there—maybe they fell into the drinking glass of someone who’s sick?), and ask if they’re still safe, and if not, what you can do. Unless things have changed significantly since I worked in a pharmacy a decade ago, you can probably get your refill a few days early if it turns out that you need to.
If he’s taking a half tablet per day, there’s probably nothing to worry about with the delivery mechanism.
I seem to have missed that part somehow. Yes, you’re right.
They are timed-release, but the mechanism extends throughout the pill, so I’m pretty sure they’re okay at least dose-wise. Good idea on calling the pharmacy, though; I know I’ll be able to get them at least a couple days early… I was just unsure about a whole week.
Literally lol’d at the sane story bit—“I dropped my pills in a sick person’s glass, then dipped them in alcohol; are they still okay?!”
My concern with a possible overdose has less to do with the amount of drug in the pill (which wouldn’t be changed), and more to do with how much of it is in your bloodstream at once. I don’t know how your pills work, but the kind I described work by having the different balls dissolve at different rates in one’s stomach acid, and it’s at least plausible that dampening them would change that property so that they all dissolve quickly and put however-many hours’ worth of drug in your bloodstream at once, which sounds potentially-dangerous to me.
I’m sure you’re keeping an eye on yourself, though, and if anything odd starts to happen you’ll get it dealt with. Shouldn’t be too big of a risk.
Any delivery mechanism which can be dangerously interfered with by taking pills with water, or drinking water shortly before or after taking the pills, is in urgent need of replacement. Although there are medical treatments which you’re supposed to avoid drinking water before, I don’t think any pills such as this actually exist.
I assume that the variability of stomach contents is accounted for in the creation of the mechanism, at least to some degree. (This may be part of why some meds come with instructions to eat or not eat before or after taking them—such instructions are relatively common, though I don’t remember if they correlate with sustained release mechanisms, and I know there can be other reasons for those directions.) Dampening the pills and then drying them out seems like it could have a different effect than drinking water when taking them, and exposing them to other chemicals could also have unexpected effects, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.