23 year sufferer, 14 yrs. chronic. For quite some time I've been using partial doses by taking apart the capsule on the Statdose refills. Fairly easy and useful. My recent refill is a new delivery method from TEVA. Looks pretty well protected and MacGyver proof. Has anyone here received these and had success pulling them apart for partial doses? Thanks so much. Y'all have been so helpful over many years.

Go to the pharmacy and get insulin syringes and unload the imitrex into the syringe. This is how I have been doing it since I can’t the individual vials anymore.

69 Strat,
Surprised not many replies from those who are familiar with desperation to do desperate actions such as what you are unfortunately dealing with...

Several years ago when the manufacturer changed the design of this Statdose injector I (and many other CH'ers) were faced with your dilemma. I have ripped those things apart before, very carefully not to disturb the quality of medicine with possible small shreds of plastic or glass. This is timely process and not recommended to do while during attack. Strongly recommend you prepare this makeshift concept in advance between hits!

Use needle nose pliers, multi-tool knife, and patience while twisting and turning to rip it apart and retrieve the Imitrex. Then very carefully pour Imitrex into insulin syringe and inject mg dosage as desired into stomach, shoulder, etc.

In future, suggest you request prescribing doctor for Imitrex vials and insulin syringes to achieve 2mg or 3mg dosages opposed to the full and often not needed 6 mg dose.

Good Luck! ;)

-Gregg

....a MOST excellent post by brother Gregg...I would only add that besides requesting vial script from Doc.... you ask the pharmacy for same. Will never forget the day I was handed a box of vials instead of the statdoses prescribed and asked why?! Pharm looked at me like I was sloooooow....and said..."it's the same thing, same price...what's the problem?" I said what about injectors...and he handed me a box of Insulin syringes (at which point I SHUT UP!). This was a few years ago so maybe things have changed...but I'd try more than a few pharmacies before I gave up.............

Best

Jon

I built a relationship with the lead pharmacist at my local Walgreens, and he basically orders me what ever I need or request.  Including vials.  I just had to sit down and have a conversation with him.  The pharm techs arent really able to make decisions on what is ordered.  Additionally Imitrex is a very high margin product for them so typically they are more than happy to order what you request as long as there is a scrip to back it up. In addition to the vials I still stock the statdose injectors because they are easier to transport when I am out of season. 

Good luck,

Eric

Thanks so much. Great advice all! These new ones are the same dispenser as an Epi pen. Pretty well built. I'll go after the vial suggestion with my neuro and pharmacist. Both are top notch.

Google:  cluster headaches splitting injections.
There's a guy who shows you how he does it.