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Is It Safe To Cut The Pantoprazole Into Half And Take It?

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Posted on Tue, 31 May 2016
Question: Hi I take Pantoprazole 40mg, but for a while have reduced the dose and split the pil in half to take 20mg. I now see that you are not meant to do that. Now I'm really worried! What does this do? can this have harmed me? Or does it just not let the drug work? Would this hurt my liver or stomach?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (8 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
It will not cause any harm to you!

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.

I am so sorry to hear about this disturbing trend of information that you have reported. There is no harm that the drug can cause to you as a result pf taking half the prescribed dosage. It will simply not work as intended.. However, this is no antibiotics where the dosage is so much important and problematic like leading to resistances by germs if not respected. The main reason not to split is all about the conditioning and not that you can be harmed by that. Your stomach, liver and every other organs are just fine.

I hope this helps. I wish you well. Feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be. Above all, thanks for using our services.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Ivo Ditah (11 minutes later)
Thank you so much. Just another question- I had an endoscopy done a year ago and everything was fine, am I correct in thinking that even with mild gerd every now and again during that year, there would be no chance of developing Barrett's Esophagus in that short space of time? So if I had the all clear and the endoscopy was fine it would now take more years of chronic gerd for that to develop?
Thx. Yeah, I only have mild symptoms every now and then. I guess I'd really know about it if it was bad enough to cause damage like Barents, right?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (47 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Sure!

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

It takes very long for Barret’s esophagus to develop following GERD. A year is too short a time and there is no way that could have happened. If the GERD is well controlled, it make sit even more unlikely to happen
It takes several years with severe symptoms to get there. There is no reason to be worried and too so about it given the mild and intermittent nature of your symptoms.

I wish you well.
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
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Answered by
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Dr. Ivo Ditah

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :2002

Answered : 3984 Questions

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Is It Safe To Cut The Pantoprazole Into Half And Take It?

Brief Answer: It will not cause any harm to you! Detailed Answer: Hi and thank you so much for this query. I am so sorry to hear about this disturbing trend of information that you have reported. There is no harm that the drug can cause to you as a result pf taking half the prescribed dosage. It will simply not work as intended.. However, this is no antibiotics where the dosage is so much important and problematic like leading to resistances by germs if not respected. The main reason not to split is all about the conditioning and not that you can be harmed by that. Your stomach, liver and every other organs are just fine. I hope this helps. I wish you well. Feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be. Above all, thanks for using our services.