I want a machine to strip tablets from the foil

Is this for legal or illegal practice?

Hello,

I have eczema and stripping the 'LEGALLY' priscribed medication cuts my fingers.

My question is very honest and I have a design in mind but, it is pretty vague. I have seen a small hand cranked machine for use in Pharmacies. But, it costs well over £2000!

jfmfit

jfmfit,

The reason I ask, is that in the making of crystal-meth which is illegal dealers buy these tablets (methamphetamine) in packages. and the quanties you ask does not make sense.

phoenix911

I have made an error!......................

I take over 15,000 tablets per year!.........NOT per month.

As I say this is an honest question fro an honest bloke. I really do need help with this as my hands are very sore.

I repeat..................THIS IS NOT FOR ANYTHING ILLEGAL AT ALL!!!

JFMFIT

I can sympathize with you because I have a devil of a time removing the metalized plastic wrappers on OTC Prilosec meds. Often the wrappers are well nigh impossible to remove, but the pharmacy sends them wrapper because they are shipping volume and it is easier to send them in the packets. The pharmacy would be happy to oblige sending the alternative generic (not in individual wrappers), but it would be a premium price.

Not everyone really wants the safety wrappers. Just the politicians.

Personally, I just use scizzors but if I had more than 2/day and the hands were bad, it would be a problem.

Hi aqua-doc,

It is nice to here someone understands! I generally do three months of meds at one time, simply because I have a memory problem link to the Epilepsy and need to do them when I feel 'good' or confident. If I took the same amount of each mediction it would be really easy but, as a for instance, on some I take 12 a day, on others, 4, three, 2 and on one lot I take just one a week. I found it very hard to get my drugd right after my first heart attack about seven years ago, as my tablet load quadrupled. I had no one to help me with the pharmicist giving me the drugs in for large plastic bags. I bought a copy of the same drug directory my GP and every GP and Hospital doctor uses. That told me what each tablet was for which was a help. The other trouble was, I found it difficult to find dose containers for my daily and weekly use that were large enough to take the correct amount of medication.

Yes, the foil and plastic is pretty hard on some. I have asked my pharmacist to give me only tablets I have found have thin and easily removable tablets, but he get the tablets from different suppliers all the time, depending on the price I suppose, so I get all sorts of packs, some easier to strip than others. My parents used to help but they have both passed on and my sisters are a long way away, so it is down to me to do my best.

Thank for your help, ok...........Sorry for any spelling mistakes!

John

I'm with Phoenix on this one. This sounds a little fishy. Mind if we ask the name of the medication?

If this is truly a legally perscribed medication and your need is genuine, I suspect the pharmacist you get them from would be willing to strip the pills out for you. Or perhaps your doctor could perscribe the medication in some other form.

If it's an over the counter product, I'm sure you could come up with a hand tool (scissors, etc.) to retrieve the pills individually as needed. If not, a sympathetic pharmacist might still be willing to strip a package or two at a time.

hello guest,

15,000 tablets, thats one hell of a skin condition.

There were investagating reports on cable, that meth - menufacturers tried to get the product direct from the pharmacy manufacturers with out the seals.

until there is an explaination, this post may be pulled by cr4.

phoenix911

No chemist in my area have a stripping machine.

About 80% of my medication comes in foil packets. I use the same pharmicist all the time as I need so many tablets he sometimes cannot always supply a full months supply so, gives me say, three weeks worth then, sends the rest as he hets them.

I need this medication for Epilepsy, Heart disease, Sciatica, Asthma, Eczema etc.....

My medication is as follows:

Atarax, Isosorbide Mononitrate, Omaprazole, Ramipril, Erithromycin, Primidone, Gabapentin, Prednisolone, Ibuprofen, Dihydrocodeine, Atorvastatin, Alendronic Acid, Calcichew, Glyceryl Trinitrate, Asperin.

Hello again. this is an update of my ideas and plans to build a tablet stripper.

I am trying to design an Apparatus, hand-cranked, that with probably have a roller system to draw the foil wrapper into the machine and then, something to cut the foil and a soft roller (perhaps) to push the tablets from the foil. Then something to catch the tablets as they are pushed out.

I will then keep the medication in normal tablet containers. Which take for less space and are much easier to organise and use.

Please send any info' by email to me if you would like to. Thank you.

I worked as a design engineer in Pharmaceutical machine manufacturing company.

I think you are referring to blister packed tablets. We used manufacture de-blistering machine. Its purpose was not to help people with your problem but to scrap defective blister packing, e.g. blister packing with no tablet at all. The concept is a exactly the same as you described. There was a polyeurathene roller driven by a motor which used to pull the blister packing & then push the tablets throught the foil (by tearing it) into some bin.

You better try google with de-blistering machine or find some pharma machine manufacturer, it may help.

Hi pc,

I know exactly what you are talking about. I started to get a bit annoyed at remarks made about the fact that perhaps there is no machine to de-blister. And also inferred was that it was silly idea. Well, I have seen some and it is a very real machine which is needed to do small batches just as you describe.

Thank for at least confirming I am not NUTS! LOL!.

John.

Hi pc,

hope you are fine. With ref' to your previous work in designing a deblistering machine.....I am glad you mentioned it as I think some people thought I was nuts or stupid, and that there was no such machine!

Since starting this search and question line, I have seen a couple of machines. Do not know any prices but some are obviously 'Industrial'.

I have started to design an apparatus with the Lego 'Digital Designer'. It is a 'choose a brick and build the Model' kind of app. I have built a base but, I need to work with more and different type of .Technic' type bars and building bits. Unfortunately there is a few only on the designer. I would have thought they would put all of their brick and gears etc on this design centre, but they don't. I am looking for some 'drum' type of brick to put together to make a roller which is roughly the same circumference as the length of the tablet plastic packs. I have seen them on models in the Large catalogue but they are not available to chose on the digital designer.

I think I will have to buy a Technic building set and see the shape of the build as I go, and change it as I need.

Would you be prepared to tell me what kind of foam you covered the roller with?

I have some moulded foam, which is designed to stop items slipping on trays, as when you carry with a pot of tea and mugs etc. I think it would work but need a base to wrap the foam onto.

Thanks for your help, ok.

jfmfit.

In that you are all ready seeing a doctor to obtain these prescriptions show him your hands. Tell him the damage that is being done to them and the cause. I am sure that arrangements can be made to have it done for you by the pharmacist. In the quantities that you stated the pharmacist should be able to get them loose in bulk.

Plus if just de-foiling the tablets is doing that much damage to your fingers I would want the doctor to see it in case there is something he can do.

If by chance you have done shown your hands to your doctor and he's done nothing find another doctor.

Hi ozzb,

My Eczema is bad sometimes and, not so bad at other times.

I strip my tablets using thin driving gloves, but even these wear out.

I used to live in an area where my chemist prepared my medication for me and I ended up in hospital, because Aspirin was not included for just one week. And I had a heart attack because of this error. So, from then I have done my own medication. I do my tablets every sunday morning, and double check them to see if they are correct sunday evening.

The doc' know about my Eczema but there is nothing he can do other than to prescribe ointments and tablets to keep the Eczema manageable.

About 80/90% of tablets/capsules come direct from the factory in foil. I use two tablets that are 'loose' but, the rest are in foil.

jfmfit.

15K tablets? Isn't that a bit of an overdose?

hi Anonymous Hero,

15k is about right. Maybe a little less at times and more at other times.

Note: Please look down the Forum to see the Tablets I list as taking. And that is just the ones I can remember. The 15k is per year not each month!

jfmfit

I have a better and very low cost idea to remove tablets from strips/ foils. But I need suggestion from members other than jfmfit, wheather to put it as an reply, as I am not clear from the discussions, if jfmfit is going to use it for legal purpose.

Who the hell cares whether he will use it for a legal purposes or not? It is not up to you to decide! I have read this thread and believe that this gentleman is in trouble. If you have anything which could help him, then why don't you produce it now?

I take a few pills wrapped up in foil too. It does not seem a major task to get them out of the packaging, but then, my fingers are not in any particular trouble.

I guess if I had the same problem as he does, I might have an Xacto knife handy in the bathroom to cut the foil, then press the pills out with a blunt instrument. It does not seem like a problem worthy of designing a machine to do it, but then, I don't take 15,000 pills per year either so, what do I know?

Ok.

Get a machine which will clamp the edges of the strip tight.. leakproof (you can get it done for different sizes in same machine). Then creat vacuum on foil side using small vacuum generating machine like vacuum cleaner or dentist's compressor connected in reverse way . All foils will be pulled and torn. Tablets should come out easily.

Hope machine should not cost much

Hi ba/ael,

I have just posted a lengthy piece, and please forgive any spelling mistakes, but I am posting this to say a huge thank you for the bit you posted.

I never thought I would be called 'illegal' on any site I visited, let alone one that should provide back-up for problems of all kinds!

Thank you. By the way, I have just read gsuhas' further post with his idea. The trouble is I cannot touch the foils after they have been torn or punched as it is what appears to be inocuous little bits of foil left that cut me. I have such thin skin on some kinds of packaging the plastic also cuts my fingers. So the vacuum method, which I had already dismissed a couple of years ago, I dont think would work for me. I am not saying it would not release some tablets perhaps, but the danger would also arise that some tablets could possibly be sucked up and lost.

Thank for your support though!

John

Good you thought the idea.

I am engineer with 30+ years experience in design itself. I do not foresee the problems you state.

If you wish I may design a machine and send you the drawings. Or even manufacture one and send the machine to you. Shipping by sea should not cost much, though will take longer.(I am from India)

But to estimate the cost, I will need outer dimensions of all the strips you want to open. (Dimensions outside to outside of tablet blisters will also help).

But this may take 3 to 4 months totally, till you have machine at your doors.

If you do not get solution, please let me know if you wish to go by this route.

Hi once again gsuhas,

I will keep in touch. Thanks for your offer. I have a very limited income, not being able to work, so that would have to come into the equation.

Thanks john

Hello ifmfit,

I am sorry that I cannot offer any helpful advice in this particular problem, but stick around...I am sure that after the contributors to CR4 have thought about this a little more, they will be able to come up with something. Keep watching. All the best to you.

Hello ba/ael,

I thank you for your kind words. I needed a few after all the criticism I have had since I first posted! I have put a lot of thought into this spending several years searching. I dont like to criticise but other people seem to think there is an easy solution. There aint! I do have something in mind though I want to try and perhaps draw it to see if it is going to work. Thanks once again.

John

Hi gsuhas,

I repeat from an earlier message of mine, I am taking about 15000 tabs a year. Prescribed from my doctor for Eczema, Epilepsy, and Heart Disease, but also including sciatica and other minor things. You can see a list of some of my medication I sent in earlier.

I am getting a little fed-up with the rumours about my doing stuff illegally. I know as I has also said earlier that there is a machine out there I can buy, but, I can't afford the £2500 plus VAT cost!

As well as maybe buying a machine I do have some ideas which you may have seen. But I would be interested to see if my own designs would actually work.

By the way, I don't know what amphetamine is. I may be taking it as part of another medication already, I don't know. But as I understand it, the so called 'dealers' in amphetamine make easily enough to buy a 'proper' factory machine rather than try to knock one up themselves. Don't you think>

I have just lost my Father after a long illness. My Mum died 7 years ago.

This has made me even more depressed than I had been, and part of my plan was to try and find out if there was any drawings or designs that are not copy righted which I could possibly keep myself busy making. I had what I thought was a 'brainwave' a few days ago, thinking I could perhaps make a stripping machine from Lego or, some other building bricks kit. As I have never had any Lego I don't know how the cogs would fit on.

I did send for a 'punch' type design which was designed to push a single tablet out. But the plastic it was made of was far too soft and bendable and the pieces that should have met-up to puncher and then push the tablets out of the foil just bent before any tablets were even pushed out. I would be grateful if we could swap ideas though.

My pharmacist packages my medications in a plastic device called a dossette, it has four chambers per day and holds a weeks supply, I just have to slide open a plastic strip. On the first pull I get my morning pills, next my noond, then the supper time and finally bedtime.

I use the dosettes not because I have a manual dexterity problem but I have trouble keeping tracking of what take and when.

Chat with the the drug store, chemist, apothecary, etc, explain your problem and ask him or her what alternatives they have and make sure that you tell them that you are not interested in customised blister packs.

Hi The curious one,

as I said earlier in my postings, I cant trust what someone else may do by way of sorting medication into Dossette containers, as a chemist did not put in the Aspirin for one whole week. Actually, it may have been a month, and I had a heart attack brought on directly by the lack of Aspirin which I must take each day to thin my blood. I feel much safer knowing I have double checked the tablets, including counting every single dose to see if the correct number of tablets are there. I then do a double check again to see the types of medication is right.

I sometimes do three months worth of medication at one go, which is why I wanted to make something similar to what I have seen made in metal by a well known tablet machine producer. The machine I was looking at is the cheapest but, I still cant afford the £2500 plus VAT. Other machines cost up to several hundred thousand pounds. Needless to say I am not thinking of getting one of those! LOL! They are longer than my garden anyway!

John

My pharmacy only allows the senior staff to fill dossettes. I have four of them, two at home and two being filled at the pharmacy. Speak to your pharmacy about your concerns. At least in the Canadian province of Alberta, the pharmacists are becoming a more involved part of the medical care team. They generate a print out of everything that should go into the dossette and fasten it to the back of the container. You should be easily able to verify the contents.

A good day john.

i'm interested to your project! If you dont mind? i'm based in Cos Cob, CT 06807 USA. My company is specialized to find solution that kind.

Don't wory about the distance.

Symvoulos LLC. is a dynamic, growing company, focused on the development of radical new technologies that span a diverse set of applications. Our team is comprised of engineering, manufacturing and quality professionals dedicated to creating innovative solutions for advanced technologies. The people at Symvoulos focus on the complete development process, from proof of concept to low volume manufacturing runs, designing and offering advanced new products which are easier to use, more accurate, and more functional than the products they are replacing. Symvoulos services, and the products which incorporate these technologies, are improving products around the world.

Our teacher is the Nature

roman.goettfried@symvoulos.com

Hello Roman Goetfried.

I am interested in your post, thanks. I have however posted several replies in the last hour or so and my fingers are pretty sore. I will get in touch via your email if that is ok? Please say because I can just as easily post again on CR4.

Talk again...........

John

Just a thought. Have you contacted your insurance company and explained the problem?

Maybe they can offset the cost of the machine you saw for £2000. I know its a long shot since insurance companies hate to pay for anything, let alone a machine to make ones life better.

Hi scotchdrnkr,

Insurance is no help to me as, because of my various illnesses I cannot get Insurance of any kind that relates to my health in any way. It is a bu-ger, but something I have had to live with all my life.

Thanks for your post though.

John

jfmfit,

I just did a calculation of the medicines I need daily on a yearly basis. It comes to near 3000 tabs a year not counting an equal amount of doses from inhalers.

I have seen folks walk out of the hospital pharmacy where I get my medicines with two or three times the amount I use so your number is not so odd although surprising if one first calculates what normally one just does.

All that aside I find it interesting that you have not been able to get those medicines pre-packaged in bottles or put up in pharmacy vials by a pharmacy doing sufficient business to use automatic prescription filling machines.

That may be the key although I am well aware that Blair and now Gordon Brown and their Labour Party are dismantling the NHS.

But I would go to a large hospital pharmacy and see if they could not, in fact, provide those drugs in pre-packaged bottles or in pharmacy vials.

I rarely get medicine in any other sort of package except it be a treatment outside my regular regimen. I do know some of those packages can be a bitch.

Talk to a high volume hospital pharmacy using automated dispensing machines and I will bet that solves your problem.

j.

Hello John,

You will find a number of references on this site.

Hi there Bruce,

hope all is fine with you. I have searched and found several sites that may be useful to me. Not necessarily with regard to the tablet item but, different things I am interested in. I like the site, though I am still finding may way around! overall, it is a good selection of expert and non expert people who, on the whole is helpful. If it wasn't the site would not be here for long right?

John

hi jfmfit do u live on your own were do u live maybe i could help

Hello Guest,

please take no offence, but I am not about telling you my address.

The detail I will say is, I live in NW London England, UK

If you would care to enter more details about yourself or offer of help I will be gratefull to read it.

jfmfit

I thought this was an adults site. Grow up kids eh.

Hello jfmfit,

Would a machine such as the one shown at the right provide adequate performance? According to the manufacturer, it is inexpensive. Here is a link to this and several other de-blistering machines by Sepha.

Hello ba/ael,

thank you for all you have done in searches and stuff.

The previous couple of comments annoyed me and I felt I had to say something. Ignorance is bliss?

This machine is the one I would choose. It is so elegant and small. However, I cannot see how it is worth anything like its asking price of over £2500.00! I know it is not aimed at private individuals. I know lots of people with very bad skin and Asthma, and fits. They seem to go together? I also know lots of people including me with Cancer, and they take about the same amount of medication, and are often not able to do their own medidose or similar. I had to rely on others for my tablets and other medication in hospital, but you would be surprised how often they screw-up! The mistake that was make with my medication caused continued Heart Attacks. I had my first with the worry of looking after Dad with his Alzheimer's, when I could have expected someone to take care of me in reality. I do not want to rely on anyone, until I really have to! And I certainly don't trust anyone to do my tablets etc. 'Small mistakes' in Pharmacists and Nurses etc, meant I have had 27 heart attacks in the last 3 years or so.

To me, Eczema is not just a 'bit of sore skin'. I was in hospital for over 4 years when I was 16. I had worked barely a year. And my eczema, asthma and fits all hit me getting bad enough to almost kill me. I went down to under 52Lbs and, could put no weight on until I was thirty. So I was an adult and weighed about the same as a first grader! I am now almost 58 and since my teens have had to deal with Immune Deficiency that, as now cause infection which lasts for several years. I am at that point now so, it is why I am trying to find ways NOT to break my skin for fear of infection and its consequential nuisance and pain. We all have to do everyday stuff like cleaning, getting meals ready etc, and it is not exactly in keeping with Immune Deficiency.

Anyway, looking more on the positive. I downloaded the Lego Designer software, and have designed something that is similar, though more bulky than the Machine you have pasted into your post. I have yet to get any Lego so it will be interesting to 'fine-tune' it until it works. I have some hard but spongy non-slip foam, designed to put on trays to stop things sliding off. And I hope that it will 'give' enough, though still be strong enough to press the tablets out. When I get it to work I will glue it all together. So, wish me luck! Sorry about the length of this post but, after the childishness of the couple of previous posts I felt I had to explain fully.

jfmfit

I am amazed that the machine I suggested retails for £2500. How can they claim it is inexpensive?

Good luck with the Lego. That seems to be your best option at the moment. It should be fun putting it together.

Hi again Bruce,

I was quoted a rough price of £2500.00, and with VAT and packing it is almost £3000.00!

I too saw the piece where they said it was inexpensive. That dragged me into asking for a quote. I thought maybe a price of £150.00 or so? I was shocked also. I have asked around all the hospitals and chemists withing about ten miles/16 kilometres, and there is no one that has this machine. I suppose it is cheaper to pay a 'junior' as they learn their trade a few thousand a year which includes popping pills from foil!

John jfmfit

Hello again ba/ael,

sorry I did not answer your question directly.

The answer is YES. The pic you posted is the machine of choice, I would love it but I can't afford it.

It seems to be a brilliant answer to removing tablets from the foil!

Thanks once again for caring. I am just going to look at the other link you posted.

jfmfit

i think john lives on hes own not in a home i think he lives in a flat most of them do what town you live in john we not going to hurt you telling us

i live liverpool see not hard

regards jason

Hello Jason,

sorry for any insult I caused. I have been 'stung' a couple of times which is why I seem, and perhaps am........................and now I can't think of the word I want, so lets say careful. I live in Rickmansworth.

jfmfit

Hello Guest,

by 'stung' I mean I had my name stolen.

jfmfit

iam going to register my nick on here as jay if it lets me i doint get on with family that well at least you have family that loves you jay

Hello debbie,

hope you are fine? I don't want to rely on other people, including my sisters. My sisters are too distant and may only get in touch once or twice a year. And then only by text. They have made their lives where they live, that is what it is all about. Thats life right?

My Dad died last October and because he had Alzheimer's he was not able to sign his Will. So the house has to be sold and I have to get out. each of my sisters have several houses and, I thought they may have told the Solicitor to let me live in the house I have lived in since I was 3. but they are too greedy for that.

I get no other help other than seeing a Social Worker about once a year.

I really enjoy cooking, and never go by a Recipe. I like cooking stuff like curry and, with no recipe each batch tastes different, then split it into meal-sized portions and freeze them. I did curry a few days ago and had ten meals from that. All I have to do is cook the rice, and I put pepper, onions, carrots and peas in the rice, and it's ready in ten minutes.

I worked as a Manager of my own Dept for the last 15 years of my working life. Before that, from the age of 22, I worked in book binding and building and decorating. That's what my Dad did so it sort of came 'natural' to me. As you can see, dispite previous posts I have worked from the age of 22 until 45. I had to stop because of Epilepsy. It had been nocturnal but, when I was 44 I had a huge 'daytime' fit, while walking with my 3 year old Godson and his sister. It was horrible for them and changed my life, as I managed to drive for another few months but, had to stop as I had a fit while driving. Waking up with the engine running on the hard shoulder of the motorway is scary!

Having read the other posts you can get some idea what I feel and what my life is like. Well, just a little anyway.

I may well move into a 'sheltered' flat, now I have to move anyway. It depends if the place is big enough. I would like to live around Rickmansworth because it is a nice place with three rivers that converge here. The Council is actually called Three Rivers District Council.

Thanks for your posts debbie, and sorry this is so long.

John AKA

jfmfit.

iam sorry to hear that john how long have they given you

debbie

have you got other people in your life or pets any one who makes you happy what is shelted house?

it is sad about your house i surpose they just want what they see as theres if no will i think as you said it has to be sold some govement law i saw some bbc programe on will hunters maybe u can use the money to buy you something for your self

debbie

Hello debbie,

I am allurgic to any pets. And won't get anywhere enough to get my own place. I could not afford the repayments on the Morgage, you know?

The Probate Law says the house and everything else like any savings etc should be combined and split between the kids if there is no wife. The only way to do that is to sell the house.

I want a place with a spare room so I can use it as my office. I can then put my computer and printer when I get one, into the office. I will also be able to get a desk and storage to tidy stuff away that at the moment is not packed away as filing or in cupboards etc.

John jfmfit.

Hello debbie,

not sure what you mean when you how long? I have to get out of the house ASAP. And the Solicitor is getting 'heavy'. I am looking for somewhere to live that is all I can do. There does not seem to be a 'Law' about how long I can stay in the house I live in at the moment. It all gets me pretty angry having to move.

Even though I had insurance, damage my bro did before he went in 2003, the year I had my first heart attack after he beat me and Dad up, cost me over £6000.00 since he went. He pulled an overflow pipe out from the heating top-up tank and it overflowed about 6 months after he went. I got £1300.00 from the Insurance but lost a couple of carpets, two beds and a whole lot of bedding, plus loads of new clothes, most of which I had not worn. This is why I am not exactly well off. It may be better moving to a place with I hope, new heating and a rewire, (and can check, as I was a builder).

John jfmfit

john i just had a quick chat with my nephew online as i was worried about that you were saying he works in a law firm not one of the big boys

he says if you and your brother doint get on and you doint have a will be very carfull as he as all the rights he says the house does have to be sold even if you and your sister does not want to sell he says the only way around it would be for you and your sister to buy him out for hes share of what ever the house is worth

if you can not affored to buy him out it has to be sold and he says he could go to court to have you removed he also says if u try to put up a fight he could have the court award him damages for delaying very rare becouse people doint get that far normally he says he would advice you to move out not mutch help i know but if u need any other advice i can ask him anything if u want i was shocked i thought there might be some way around it sorry

love debbie