Can I break an op40 oxycontin 40mg in half and will it still work?

I too prefer you ask your doctor for the 20mg tabs however when I was titrating down off Oxycontin from 80mg twice a day I got down to 10mg twice a day there was nowhere to go from there because they discontinued the 5mg. I cut my 10mg in half and took 1/2 a 10 mg twice a day for a month, then I took 1/2 a 10mg once a day for a month and then I just stopped altogether. No way to overdose when at the very lowest dose and going down to an even lower dose. This is what I did when I arrived at the lowest possible dose of that drug. I did not AND would not do this at a higher dose like even the 20mg when there is the option of the lower 10mg. Like with you taking the 40mg, you have the option of asking doctor for 30mg, then 20mg, then 10mg. Only at the 10mg did I do this because 5mg is not available. Like I said, I agree with the others to work your doctor to start titrating slowly down to the lowest dose that you can tolerate according to your condition and do not cut the tablets in half. Hopes this helps.

OP 40 or OxyContin 40mg is a long acting version of oxycodone that is meant to be a slow timed release. When you split, crush, chew or alter them in any way you defeat the time release mechanism and can have too much medicine release all at once. Also when you try splitting them, the way they are made, doesnt mean that you will get 20mg in one half and 20mg in the other half. Since they are meant to be taken whole, the medicine may not be evenly distributed like a pill that can be split. Many of the overdoses that you may have heard about with OxyContin were caused by people splitting or crushing these tablets. It is very unsafe to do this and it also constitutes abuse of the medication since it is meant to be taken whole. If the medication is too strong for you to take a whole pill then you need to talk to your Dr about reducing your dose. They do make a 20mg tab.

Yes, it will work to give you an overdose. Don't break them up.