Cant swallow my meds

[Peachesflower]

As a child i had a real fear of swallowing tablets. They had to give me everything in a soluble or liquid form. Now as a adult i had been doing fine taking my meds for years untill i got very ill. I have a stomach disease and when i was at my worst i had to take 16 pills a day. Im also aspergers so anything that doesnt feel good immediately sends me to anxiety attacks. I had to stop all my non stomach related medications just to try cut down on how many i had to swallow as it was awful. Fast forward to a year later now and im finished taking my stomach meds. Its been a slow process but im finally getting back on my normal meds which is 5 pills a day. Only problem is everytime i swallow them i get into a fit of anxiety. Cant breathe cant talk, shaking. Its terrifying. It takes me hours and hours to take them because i need breaks in between. I have to always have something thick to drink them down with in the fridge or i wont take them at all. I used to be able to dry swallow them but now even with a drink i find myself getting them stuck in my throat and being coughed back up. Theres no way around taking them as its for allergies and major depression and ocd. Any solutions people have that previously had a fear of swallowing tablets that have now got over that fear would be really really helpful. Or just any advice at all. Ill try anything. Its not safe for me to miss a day of my meds but sometimes its just too much anxiety and i have to. Ill try anything to fix this. Thank you and so sorry for the long read

I used to be like this myself but I just had to force myself to get over it. Can you cut your tablets into smaller pieces or crush and swallow that way?

My daughter has had to take lots of tablets over the last few years. She found filling her mouth with juice then slipping one tablet into her mouth then telling herself that she wash just drinking juice and she could swallow. Seemed to work, she didn't like putting tablets in first as she could feel them in her mouth.

I find if I take a drink pill in mouth and put my chin over to my left shoulder and swallow they never get stuck

Similar to the poster above, if you turn your head as you swallow the tablet,it stops it getting stuck.

Which tablets are they? I'd recommend a chat with your pharmacist as some tablets are safe to be crushed but others will need to be supplied in a liquid form or so they can dissolve in your mouth. There are very few medications that we can't find a solution to and we can liase with your GP to get your prescription changed

I’ve had to chop tablets before and disguise each bit in a spoon of jelly. Jelly is the easiest thing to swallow that we have found. Jam is another option. Not everything is ok to chop up so you can check with a pharmacist. Failing that, could you ask your GP to prescribe liquid/children’s formulation for each? I think that would be a reasonable ask since you are having so many issues with them at the moment. All the best with finding a way forward.

Just put tablet at the back of your mouth, take a drink or milk , have a good gulp full. Pretend your having a normal drink. Milk helps tablets go down easier.

Milkshake helps. The really thick bottled ones from Tesco, or Frijj branded ones.

Would something fizzy help? I find the bubbles makes it easier to swallow tablets.

It is also easier if you take your drink from a bottle rather than a glass.

DH, who takes a few, says he finds it easier these days to pop them all in at once rather than one at a time. He washes them down with a glug of milk, and then has something to eat to make sure any stragglers are encouraged on their way.

My dsis can’t take any tablets so she takes hers with a grape , just pops the pill in as she’s about to swallow - any food will do .

I take mine with food. Chew well until ready to swallow, pop pill in, swirl round mouth and swallow.

Ask your dr to have them in liquid form. It’s more expensive so may be a bit of a battle but it seems the best solution for you.

One of those things that you just have to make yourself do until it’s not a problem, much like blood tests. Big gulp of water and swallow it all down, I take a handful of tablets four times a day and have blood tests monthly having started with fainting at the mention of blood tests and gagging with every tiny tablet. It’s very possible to get over it being difficult, you just have to put your mind to it.

It’s very possible to get over it being difficult, you just have to put your mind to it.

*Snort - I'm 58 and still crush tablets up if I can.

OP - talk to your pharmacist. Capsules are often easier, but most meds come in liquid form.

It's much easier to swallow tablets with food. I taught my then 5 yr old to do this, as he has an aversion to liquid textures in his mouth.

Just take a bite of toast or something sink and when you are ready to swallow, pop a tablet in with it, directly on the food. You'll swallow it easily. DS always has Jaffa cakes but can take them with toast or ham as well. No way can he manage it with water.

I'm autistic and have the exact same issue with swallowing tablets. Just checking, have you asked about smaller pills, liquid alternatives, or if you can cut them up with a pill cutter? I always do with prescriptions and there have only been a few over the years I've had to struggle on with.

I was going to suggest fizzy water if that's OK for your stomach OP. The bubbles do help IMO.

Please don’t advise anyone to crush up their tablets! Many of them are designed as “slow release”, to dissolve over 24 hours in the gut.
If you crush them, you’ll get a potentially dangerous full day’s dose in one rapid hit, then nothing until the next day. Check with your pharmacist first.

Swallow each one in a spoonful of your favourite yoghurt.

I find porridge is a good one for taking tablets, one by one. There's something about the consistency of it that makes swallowing the meds easier.

@Babdoc I didn’t realise that so thanks for pointing that out.

You’re welcome, Wildernesstips. I once caught a ward nurse crushing up potentially lethal slow release cardiac medication into a piece of banana, to give to an elderly dementia patient - I was horrified, but at least stopped her in time.
My own adult daughter was given the wrong dose tablets by her pharmacy - they were double strength, and she thought it would be fine to just cut them in half, not realising they were slow release. She suffered some nasty side effects before phoning me to ask why she was feeling so ill.

Please don’t advise anyone to crush up their tablets!

If that was directed at me then I'm not advising anyone to do this. It's what I do. I do have the sense to check whether they are slow release though.