Unable to swallow tablets - please help

[Happydaze2]

My DD, now 21, has always been unable to take anything other than soluble pain relief medications because she just can’t overcome her fear of choking and her gag reflex just kicks in. Right now she has a severe throat infection and really needs the tablets the GP has prescribed. Does anyone have experience of this and can offer any advice? I hate seeing her struggling when she’s so unwell

Presumably she eats other foods? Could she wrap the pills in something to disguise them? Hypnotherapy?

Crush them between two spoons and put the powder in a bit of yogurt

Or if they are the torpedo shaped ones in two bits , pull them apart and put the powder in yogurt

You have my sympathy, mine is like this too.

What tablets are they, some are designed to be slow release so shouldn't be crushed, can they be in liquid form instead.

This may help -

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

Put some kitchen towel on a chopping board and put the tablet on it. Cover with more kitchen towel. Grind the tablet to a powder with a heavy pestle or rolling pin. Put powder in a glass and add water.

They are codeine & paracetamol tablets (co-codamol in other words) and neither the GP nor pharmacist recommended crushing them.
Thank you @Bagelsandbrie - she’s tried the lean and the bottle method but no good

You can get soluble co-codamol from the pharmacy, tastes grim but works quicker.

@MayThePawsBeWithYou - GP refused to prescribe it in soluble form as it is high in sodium as well as expensive, apparently

When I swallow tablets, I clench them between my teeth, but then as I drink I move my tongue back and open my mouth and let it slip back into the gap between the back of my bottom teeth and my tongue. I then drink as normal and the water swills it up and out and down my throat without it touching my tongue or the back of my mouth.

I appreciate she may have tried this sort of thing already but it really doesn't feel like swallowing a pill at all.

@Neilsfavouritechilli - both DD and I separately have had conversations with GP and a couple of pharmacists today and no one has offered this

MIL has alzheimers and gags if she tried to swallow tablets. The carers put them in a spoonful of yoghurt (not crushed) and she can swallow them that way.

Non prescription soluable cocodamol as well:

www.weldricks.co.uk/products/solpadeine-max-soluble-pack-of-32

12.8mg per 500g of paracetamol but still much better than nothing.

If she really cannot swallow them then you ask again for soluble, do you know the dose of the codeine. If they make a fuss maybe they could prescribe codeine which are teeny tiny and just buy soluble paracetomol. Soluble is much better anyway for a sore throat.

She is paying for the prescription anyway so they shouldnt moan about the cost. Like pp said you can buy soluble 8mg/500mg over the counter or from online pharmacies or solpadine

Maybe ask for a throat spray too

I've had this issue for years, sometimes taking with a fizzy drink helps, I can't feel it in my mouth and throat as easily. Or try chopping into smaller pieces rather than crushing totally? Good luck its horrible I know

@MayThePawsBeWithYou - the tablets are 30g codeine & 500mg paracetamol. She is now also gargling with soluble aspirin

My ed has issues with certain tablets, some she can take with water but some she has to take them with a yoghurt. It has to be smooth with no bits. She now uses a df chocolate desert as she has a dairy allergy.
I developed an issue with swallowing a few years ago and still have issues with taking tablets. Even small ones I can struggle. I have to take them with water and I have to try and distract myself whilst doing it and try not to think about it. I think I do the lean forward method mentioned above. I can't take capsules at all as they float to the roof of my mouth. I dread to think what I will do should I need to take a lot of pills regularly, ie for cancer treatment.
I hope your dd finds a way to take her pills. Such a shame her gp won't help her with easier to take pills. Could you buy them over the counter in Boots or other pharmacy? Might be worth a chat with them.

I have this problem. I either crush up tablets and pop them in water or I have a pill cutter and I cut the pill into smaller pieces that I can swallow.

I make soluable medication with hot black currant so it’s basically lemsip.
I usually buy soluable or the capsules you can open and tip powered out of.

A quick search shows you can buy solvable ones for not too much www.weldricks.co.uk/products/co-codamol-effervescent-tablets-32

My son wraps the tablet in peanut butter and then swallows it.

Can she swallow if it's in a spoonful of ice cream ?