Is It Safe To Open Fluoxetine Capsules?

Hi Hanna and thanks for reaching out to us.

It is perfectly safe to pull apart Prozac (fluoxetine) capsules and sprinkle the powder over a spoonful of food, or a small amount of liquid if you have trouble swallowing the capsule.

The taste powder isn’t the best though (very bitter!), so I would have another spoonful of food or drink ready to chase it with.

Food Or Drink Options

When opening capsules is an option for a particular medication, I personally recommend sprinkling the contents onto a spoonful of applesauce or pudding. It seems to be the best tolerated.

Water is not the ideal option since most drug powders you find in a capsule aren't soluble in water (i.e. won't dissolve) and if you are putting the contents of a capsule in a glass of water, there is a good chance some of the powder will stick to the sides of the glass, so you could be underdosing yourself. Pudding or similar foods are usually the way to go.

Can You Open All Capsules?

I do want to mention to you that Prozac also comes in a once-weekly formulation (i.e. Prozac Weekly). This formulation is delayed-release and should not be opened, so keep that in mind if you ever have your therapy changed.

As a general rule of thumb, as long as the medication you are taking doesn’t say extended-release, delayed-release, or specifically not to open the capsule, it’s usually safe to open.

This isn't a blanket statement, however, as some immediate-release capsules shouldn't be opened, as the contents could be irritating to the esophagus (for one example).

Additionally, some medications should be taken on an empty stomach or may interact with food, so you will need to check each individual medication with your doctor or pharmacist (fluoxetine is fine with or without food)

Final Words

Lastly, there actually is a liquid fluoxetine formulation commercially available, fluoxetine 20mg/5mL solution.  You might want to ask your pharmacist or physician what medications you take are available in a liquid form if you have trouble swallowing. 

Thanks for your question!