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Is Movantik Effective At Treating Constipation?
Question: I'm suffering with OIC, and the doctor gave me samples of 25mg. He didn't have samples of the 12.5 mg so I asked you if they could be cut in half. It doesn't say on the literature. I just got a response from Dr. XXXXXXX that was very confusing. He said they could be cut in half, but doing that would cause the constipation to get worse. He said this medication would be good for pain, not for constipation. I thought this drug was specifically designed to help with constipation. I'm sorry..I was referring to the drug Movantik.
Brief Answer:
It is for OIC; Company info states "don't cut".
Detailed Answer:
Hello -
I will try to clarify and provide sources so that you know what is true. To see the links, copy and paste them into your search bar because they won't "link" here (i.e. you can't just click on them to see them).
First, Movantic is definitely a medication that is used for opioid induced constipation. Per the company that makes Movantic, you can see that it was approved for this very purpose:
https://www.yyyyyyyyyyy.com
Next, about whether it can be cut - I had to look this one up:
https://www.yyyyyyyyy.com/yyyyyyyyy/yyyyyyyy_yyy.yyyyyyyy=1
It states that Movantik can be crushed and mixed with water. However, it also states that this should be drunk immediately. So perhaps if you cut it in half and take half, I am thinking the remaining half may not stay stable. I don't know this for sure. I am piecing together the instructions you were given with that the crushed form should be drunk immediately.
I also found this:
https://www.yyyyyyyyy.com/resources/yyy.yyy
"Can a Movantik tablet be cut in half?"
"Answer: No, the Movantik 25 is not scored"
From this it is not clear if the manufacturer did not score it because the remaining exposed half would not stay viable for long or they just didn't bother. My guess is they didn't score it because the remaining half doesn't stay stable. The other possibility is that the dosing needs to be precise, and anytime a medication is cut, it is rarely in precisely even amounts and with some meds, it can be crumbly too.
So:
If you have several samples, you could cut one in half and see how that goes, but don't take the remaining half. Take a new one the next day.
And/or, you could call the company and tell them that this is confusing and you want clarification and why! Here is their number:
0-000-000-0000, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM ET, excluding holidays.
I'm sorry I could not provide a definitive answer to this. You can also call a local pharmacy and tell them the dilemna but they may just reference the bit about it being ok to dissolve in water.
It is for OIC; Company info states "don't cut".
Detailed Answer:
Hello -
I will try to clarify and provide sources so that you know what is true. To see the links, copy and paste them into your search bar because they won't "link" here (i.e. you can't just click on them to see them).
First, Movantic is definitely a medication that is used for opioid induced constipation. Per the company that makes Movantic, you can see that it was approved for this very purpose:
https://www.yyyyyyyyyyy.com
Next, about whether it can be cut - I had to look this one up:
https://www.yyyyyyyyy.com/yyyyyyyyy/yyyyyyyy_yyy.yyyyyyyy=1
It states that Movantik can be crushed and mixed with water. However, it also states that this should be drunk immediately. So perhaps if you cut it in half and take half, I am thinking the remaining half may not stay stable. I don't know this for sure. I am piecing together the instructions you were given with that the crushed form should be drunk immediately.
I also found this:
https://www.yyyyyyyyy.com/resources/yyy.yyy
"Can a Movantik tablet be cut in half?"
"Answer: No, the Movantik 25 is not scored"
From this it is not clear if the manufacturer did not score it because the remaining exposed half would not stay viable for long or they just didn't bother. My guess is they didn't score it because the remaining half doesn't stay stable. The other possibility is that the dosing needs to be precise, and anytime a medication is cut, it is rarely in precisely even amounts and with some meds, it can be crumbly too.
So:
If you have several samples, you could cut one in half and see how that goes, but don't take the remaining half. Take a new one the next day.
And/or, you could call the company and tell them that this is confusing and you want clarification and why! Here is their number:
0-000-000-0000, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM ET, excluding holidays.
I'm sorry I could not provide a definitive answer to this. You can also call a local pharmacy and tell them the dilemna but they may just reference the bit about it being ok to dissolve in water.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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