Hi,

My doctor just put me on Strattera. I got samples, so I haven't been to a pharmacy to ask anyone yet. I noticed the Strattera website says you cannot open the capsule and you must swallow them whole. I have a LOT of trouble with swallowing pills, and these are pretty big so my options are open the capsule or don't take the medicine at all.

So I was wondering has anyone else opened the Strattera capsule and sprinkled the medicine onto applesauce or something and swallowed it this way? Did anything bad happen as a result or was the medicine ineffective?

I'm wondering because I also take Effexor (which also advises taking the pill whole), but it's okay to open those capsules and take them with applesauce.

Thanks! :)

I would check with your local pharmacist. Most major pharmacy chains also have 1-800 phone lines you can call and speak to a pharmacist. You might try www.walgreens.com

I would also suggest you checkwith your local pharmacist. I have trouble with large pills. I called my pharmacist to see if it was alright to chew the pill and was told not to because it was time-released and that it would interfere with the time-release.

Ive been reading that the powder inside the capsule can damage your esophagus and if you get it in your eyes can cause blindness. I guess it's some sort of acid. Basically any contact with a mucous membrane of any kind is a bad idea.

Your stomach, however can deal with such things.

Adderal XR capsules can be opened and sprinkled on food.

I remember seeing the warning now, and i thought, "Ok. so who would be putting this in their eyes anyway, to find out that it hurt like the dickens?"

My FNP told us we could open and sprinkle.. "she couldn't see why not?"
first & ONLY time we did it he had a reaction at school. they called me from work. his face was beet red and he was very tired.
We didn't do that anymore!

My answer would be, if there's an instruction as to ways of administering a drug, there is a REASON, even if not put so on a package...could be a number of things....in this case could be that...

It messes up the time release mechanism and distributes TOO much medication all at once if a medication is broken when the labeling specifically says not to.