This is how I tapered my Atenolol.
"I was able to get the pharmacy to suspend it in liquid. They suspend 2 mg of Atenolol per ML in Glycerin and Ora-Sweet. I got 175 ML, so 12.5 ML per day for 14 days which equates to the 25 mg tablet I was previously taking.
I immediately cut it to 12 ML to get a tiny cut to gauge my reaction. It has only been two days but it seems to be the ultimate way to taper.
If anyone ever needs to taper off a beta blocker and is having difficulty with pill cutting then it is useful to know that pharmacies routinely prepare these medications in liquid for pediatric and geriatric purposes so it is easy to get it done.
You know, it was like pulling teeth to get this information from them. They initially told me all I could do was cut the pill in four. It was only by asking 1,001 questions that I 'stumbled' on the fact that they could do this for me. Call me a skeptic, but I could swear they didn't tell me outright because they are super busy and it is a pain in the rear to prepare it.
Anyway, I can see on the board that many people are needlessly fretting on how to taper from these pills, even shaving little bits with a nail file!"
NOTE: This method of suspending a pill in a liquid is a standard method of compounding a drug. Many drugs can be compounded in this way. A liquid compound may enable a person to make much smaller cuts to a medication they need to taper. Anyone having difficulty tapering a drug because they can't cut a pill up into small enough pieces for easy tapering might talk to their pharmacy to see if they are able to prepare a compound for them.
CAUTION: A person should always consult with their doctor before making any changes to their medication.