Can we take a slow-release antidepressant without its capsule?

One of the venlafaxine brands I use comes as capsules with tablets inside. The 75 mg capsules contain two 32.5 mg tablets. The 150 mg capsules contain three 50 mg pills.

 

I would like to know whether I could take the tablets from inside the capsules and take them as tablets. This would be easier and less expensive than using the brand in which the capsules are filled with small beads that we need to weight with a gramscale before refilling each capsule.

 

Do you think the capsule has any function or can we just not use it?

 

Thank you in advance!

bump

You can remove a tablet from the capsule, close the capsule again and take the capsule with the remaining tablet. NOT the tablet removed from the capsule!

You can remove a tablet from the capsule, close the capsule again and take the capsule with the remaining tablet. NOT the tablet removed from the capsule!

 

Thanks Lilly, but why? Is the slow release property embed in the capsule? I've read that if the content of the capsules are granules, the slow release property is in the covering of the granules. If the content of the capsules are tablets or large beads, the slow release property is given by an additive mixed in the tablet. In either case, the capsule has no function and is usually just gelatin.

Ask your pharmacist.

Definitely ask your pharmacist.  I was just reading an article last night about medications that should not be crushed or split.  Many slow-release medications were included in the list. Here’s the reference:

 

Medications that should not be crushed - ScienceDirect

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1665579617300248