Any tips on swallowing medication?

[Clydesdale Epona]

I've had to skip my current dose of penicillin because i simply cannot swallow it and i don't know what to do really, I've cut it into half's and even quarters but after i swallow one bit i simply cannot swallow the rest almost as if my body knows what it is and i'm just stumped x

[Carys]

You are basically thinking about it too much, and expecting that it won't be easy to swallow, so you basically 'clam up' and just can't get it down. I've done this, my throat and mouth feel like they just won't do what they should and I stand there with a mouthful of water and the damned thing dissolving in my mouth. Go get some chocolate buttons, cut them into small pieces, practice on those....don't think....put it on and swallow quickly. The moment you give it a second of thought....it won't go anywhere....I know that feeling :D Once you've done a few pieces of chocolate really quickly, pop in a piece of tablet and giving it no thought, go go go. Intersperse with another piece of chocolate, and go with the piece of tablet again. lol Try it and see ?

[Clydesdale Epona]

Well see tomorrow if I can buy some until then I think i'll just skip this one and try again in 6 hours lol it gets to the back of my mouth but it won't go down even with a flood of water haha and when it starts dissolving it makes it worse because they taste so bad haha x

[Elen]

I am rubbish at swallowing pills which is a pain as I have to take around 10 every morning.

The best thing I have found is to have a lot of water.

Put your pill in your mouth, take a swig of water and really throw your head back when you swallow.

Then another couple of big mouthful's of water.

Some of it is probably is physiological but it is a horrible feeling if you don't get it to go down easily.

[Clydesdale Epona]

I can deal with the ridged choking feeling the thing that gets me is the fact it won't go down haha feeling really bad I had to throw a dose away but that shouldn't matter too much should it? might try taking them whole as their only circles and shouldn't end up choking on it plus might stop my throat seizing up.

it feels as if it won't slide down but as my strep throat is already feeling better I know its got to be my mind but i'm really confused as I can take my birth control and ibuprofen perfectly fine? lol x

---------- Post added at 15:31 ---------- Previous post was at 15:26 ----------

Do you think as I only managed a tiny quarter I could try again in about 2 hours? or should I wait until 6 hours again despite having a tiny bit? x

---------- Post added at 16:27 ---------- Previous post was at 15:31 ----------

So as I barely took any of the last I just tried again and cut off a good quarter I didn't use but now i'm worried I've overdosed haha anxiety is fun lol it wouldn't be from too much though so should be fine right? x

[MyNameIsTerry]

It's very common outside of anxiety disorders too. My GF has always struggled and my dad does with round powder ones.

I used to struggle too but years of taking supplements for weight training dealt with mine as you end up taking great big pills!

But I can still find times where it doesn't go down and then the next few tries just fails. I found it can be best to walk away for a minute before retrying. Definitely a lot is psychological but there are also physical swallowing problems that people have.

NHS advice:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/problems-swallowing-pills/

I looked that up because I think I've seen people using soft foods to get them down. That might help along with the above advice from Elen & Carys.

It can feel like a pressurised activity. Calm your breathing and tell yourself you cam always walk away, no big deal or failure, etc.

[Elen]

Interesting Terry I have never tried putting my head forward, will give that a go tomorrow, as I do struggle taking my meds

[MyNameIsTerry]

Me neither, Elen. I've always done what you do. I've never tried a leaning forward motion. I mainly grabbed a quick help article thinking it might be easier in a soft food as it helps with the issue of the pill hitting the throat and leaving sensation behind.

How much water and even placement on the tongue has stopped them going down in the past.

I think it can be a loss of control type issue, like how we struggle to let go and trust subconscious in sleep, and we end up tensing.

[Carys]

Oooo the NHS lists trying with bits of jelly or chopped up sweets. I thought that was MY own invention ! I was proud of that too. I trained my toddler daughter to swallow malaria tablets with chopped chocolate pieces. lol

[MyNameIsTerry]

Oooo the NHS lists trying with bits of jelly or chopped up sweets. I thought that was MY own invention ! I was proud of that too. I trained my toddler daughter to swallow malaria tablets with chopped chocolate pieces. lol

Great minds think alike then :yesyes: hundreds of top docs & nurses have come to the conclusion mum knows best, something mums already knew :biggrin:

[WiseMonkey]

Hi,
I've had issues with pills too, I think it goes along with anxiety and thinking too much about swallowing!

I've rolled pills in butter and find that helps and they can glide down!!

[AntsyVee]

Hold the water in your mouth first, then slide the pill in. For me, if it touches my tongue, it can get stuck.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Hold the water in your mouth first, then slide the pill in. For me, if it touches my tongue, it can get stuck.

I originally wondered about using soft food because I've seen apple sauce mentioned in various places. It was always people in the US and once on here by an Aussie member (but the latter was about a different issue whereby a food was uses to hold a med together after removal from a capsule that prevented throat irritation from the med).

Is that something used in the US?

There must be stuff out there for people with more serious swallowing problems too.

[AntsyVee]

We have apple sauce here. I don’t really know what people use here. I only had swallowing issues when I was a kid. It’s been a long time.