Unable to swallow capsules

[TidyupNowplease]

Hi.
I have been prescribed amoxicillin capsules today from the dentist after a infection in my tooth extraction. Unfortunately I just can't swallow them. I can just about swallow tablets as I can break them up.
Would it be OK to open the capsule and pour the powder in to one of my kids framage frais and take it that way? Or would water be better.
Any suggestions?

If you take it with a spoonful of the fromage frais or yoghurt it should slide down more easily.

Do you mean actually swallow the pill whole in
the fromage frais rather than break it and add powder?

My MIL can’t take tablets very easily, so she has them with one of those thick little yoghurt drinks. She finds the thicker liquid makes it much easier to swallow.

I am not sure about breaking the capsule open - probably one to ask the pharmacy. It might release differently?

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/checking-if-tablets-can-be-crushed-or-capsules-opened/

this link has some info - looks like some can and some can’t. Depends on the medicine.

Well I can't swallow capsules (at all) either or big tablets

I always ask for the medicine in liquid form if they're not smallish tablets. So that's what I'd do

I can't swallow pills or capsules. I've broken open capsules and sprinkled them on food before, like a little piece of bread with jam. It's the only way I can take them, not ideal but the medicine still works.

Some capsules are designed for slow release into the body so it might not be a good idea to break it open.

You could try hiding them in a jam sandwich and take a small bite and then swallow.

The game changer for me was having a gulp of liquid, popping the tablet in on top and swallowing the lot together. It stops the tablet or capsule ‘sticking’ to your tongue.

Swallow amoxicillin capsules whole with a drink of water. Do not chew or break them.
Amoxicillin is available as a liquid for children and people who find it difficult to swallow capsules.

https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/amoxicillin/

Was about to say this, have you tried with a fizzy drink? Dd can only swallow pills with fizzy water, she says the bubbles make it harder to feel the pill going down so it's easier to swallow.

Yes. Put it your mouth followed by a spoonful of fromage fraise.

I've discovered this week that capsules are a lot easier to swallow when I drink the through a straw. I have no idea why.
Sometimes I can swallow my daily supplements and sometimes I can't, but this week I've been having them with a collagen drink instead of water and stirred the drink with a metal straw and found it so much easier to swallow the capsules and tablets.

I have had problems swallowing tablets but over the years with practice it has got easier but I’ll never be someone who can just put tablet at the back of the throat and then swallow with water instantly!

I have found that I can swallow a tablet whole when eating a banana. I think because the banana is mushy and I can’t actually feel (so to speak) the tablet as it’s encased with the banana makes it easier to do!!

Capsule type tablets can we hard to swallow because they float in a mouthful of water - I always used to tilt my head back to take a tablet but with capsules this actually makes it worse. Try tilting your head forward and down instead, it means the floating capsule is in the right position to swallow - was a game changer for me as some to has to take tablets daily.

The sports bottle technique for swallowing meds is worth trying:

www.nenc-healthiertogether.nhs.uk/parentscarers/medicine-children/pill-swallowing-kidzmed

I just chew some food and when it’s ready to swallow pop the tablet/capsule in

The leaflet in the box will say whether or not the capsule can be opened.

If not, I agree with chewing up some sticky food (I find bread or a sandwich is great) and then hide the capsule inside the chewed lump and swallow the whole thing. That's how I used to do it - it was like if I could feel the capsule, some instinct would take over and stop me from swallowing.

I now take daily medication and through experience can now take pills with water or if necessary with nothing at all! If you want to, when you're better you can practice with something like tic tacs, and learn how to do it.

BTW I think the reason that it's easier if you drink through a straw is because you don't hold your breath. I worked out that the "instinct" would make me hold my breath and for some reason it's much harder to swallow when you hold your breath. If I breathe in through my nose immediately before swallowing, it's much easier.

Yes you can open the capsules.

www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/using-solid-oral-dosage-form-antibiotics-in-children/

Some people find it easier to swallow large tablets if they are placed on the tip of the tongue rather than further back in the mouth

I ask for liquid now. So much easier.
I tried opening the tablet but the taste was so bad I was gagging so much even that was hard to swallow.

I have to take a lot of pills every day, and I’ve always struggled to swallow them. Now I just grip them between two fingers, stick fingers in mouth and drop them behind my tongue, then take a swig of water and swallow.

I do this too with banana. Before learning this trick I found pills almost impossible to swallow. This made it so much easier - I did it for some capsule antibiotics recently that said to try to take on an empty stomach. But I figured a little bit of banana was better than not being able to take them - they were still effective so the little bit of food didn’t seem to cause an issue.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions.

I have managed to take them whole by swallowing them with food. I can't believe how much easier it was to do this way. So to the PPs who suggested that thank you so so much.

I had same problem. Gamechanger was head forward/down for capsules and head back for tablets.

Reading some of these descriptions of how far back people put the tablet makes me realise why I probably struggled - I was told by an ENT that I have an extremely sensitive gag reflex. Putting something BEHIND my tongue would be impossible!