I Can’t Swallow Pills
August 21st, 2004
I have tried, but I cannot do the deed.
With all the technology in the world (including the adhesive, non-lickable postage stamp) you’d think someone up there at the highest eschelon of inventors would come up with a way to NOT have to swallow a horse pill with a huge glass of water. When I must do so, it’s often in the morning and I end up gagging, tasting the stupid pill on the back of my tongue, swallowing it through a ten-step laborious process, and find myself going through an entire day with the back of my tongue tasting like rotten, rusted metal.
(Picture me with my arms outstretched to the ceiling, face contorted in pain:) “There has got to be a better way!!”
How do I feed my dog pills when he’s got to take pills? I roll them up in a piece of turkey or some kind of processed meat of some kind or I stuff them into the center of a treat or a rolled up piece of bread. Simple. Easy. Tastes great — supposedly.
Why can’t the people at the pharmaceutical companies create some kind of partnership with the people at Kraft and come up with little cheese bites peppered with Sudafed? Or why can’t they partner up with someone at Hostess and put out one of those awesome chocolate cup cakes filled with creme filling and beads of Prozac? Why! WHY!?!
Before long, we could see a whole line of food diguised as medicine hitting the shelves. There would be the Viagra Pizza, the Glucosamine Condroiten Eclair, the Extra Strength Tylenol Curry Chicken Sandwich. We could sit down to a meal of Bread Pudding and Steak only to find out that we’ve also taken our Vitamin C and Levitra. We could branch out by combining those drugs that allow people to overcome panic attacks in social situations with martinis! Think about it!
“I’ll have a sour apple Paxil martini! Two olives please!”
And just watch as that anxiety of social situations is melted away in a social situation as you down an awesome sour apple martini without having to take a pill whatsoever!!
I think when you really think about what I’m saying here, you’ll probably agree it’s almost as good an idea as my idea for edible toothpicks.
I think it’s genetic.
I started having trouble when I was around 12.
In the mornings sometimes, I’ll get a vitamin lodged in my throat. So I just have to drink tons more water…..
Comment by Peach — August 21, 2004 @ 6:15 pm
Even hard then swallowing pills normal is swallowing pills with no water. Here is something I saw this morning that may help
http://www.priestmangoode.com/portfolio/concept/pi...
Comment by Stukdog — August 23, 2004 @ 11:16 am
I can’t take pills with water either. But I also can’t gulp water–same gagging thing, I don’t know why. I take pills with juice or soda (it leads to a *really* fun burp if you’re in the mood for such a thing). The extra texture of the liquid helps or something I dunno. The other things that help me are to put the pill as far back on your tongue as you can without starting to gag and then jerking your head back as you swallow. This makes gravity take over. Also, again with the pill really far back, take a really large gulp of juice or whatever and then keeping your tongue flat in your mouth (you know how it goes when you’re about to sneeze? like that) swallow the whole gulp of liquid. The weight of the stuff you’re swallowing will push the pills down. Good luck!
Comment by Erin — August 24, 2004 @ 1:54 am
i can’t either…i have to ask for the liquid childrens version of everything…or crush them up with jam. at least u can eventually swallow…i can’t
Comment by sarah — August 26, 2004 @ 5:45 am
I just had a surgery that has left me in quite a lot of pain over the last week. The doc gave me loads of pills to take, but I’ve never been able to swallow them, something about gulping down plastic rocks just never had much appeal to me. I’ve gagged and thrown up plenty of times crushing them up with juice, soda, etc. The medicine I’m supposed to take is just way too foul-tasting, and nothing will disguise the taste. You figure that they have all this high-tech equipment to cut me up with, why can’t they just make a chewable pill to make me feel better?
Comment by Ben — August 26, 2004 @ 2:27 pm
We developed the EZ Meds Swallow Kit to answer this problem in the hospital setting, where 10% of patients can not swallow their medications.
Take a look:
http://www.medspecialtypak.com
I hope this helps,
Howard Doughman
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Comment by send flowers — March 6, 2005 @ 8:34 pm
Wow, I thought I was the only one. I found this article in a google search. I am so bad at this that my son was born prematurely because I just could not take anything to prevent premature labor at the early stages. I felt so bad that I couldn’t even help my own son!
Comment by Johanna — March 27, 2005 @ 4:15 pm
Nope, I can’t swallow pills, except teeny tiny pills. I take Motrin crushed up in applesauce just like when I was 5 years old. So sad.
Comment by Rachel — January 9, 2006 @ 7:48 am
Wow! I had no idea there were others out there who have the same problem I do. I have never been able to swallow a pill, but oh have I tried. When I get headaches I have to take childrens chewable (bubble gum flavoured) tylenol. It was so embarassing when I had my son and had to ask them for that…they had to go to the childrens wing to get me some. Anyway if anyone finds some kind of solution I’m desperate please e-mail me with any info on this matter. (lucid_soule@yahoo.com)
Comment by Stefanie — February 7, 2006 @ 10:42 pm
I can’t swallow pills either. I let Bayer aspirin ‘melt’ in my mouth then swallow. Right now I have an infection and have to take an antibiotic - it’s a huge pill and I’m supposed to be swallowing two a day. I CANNOT do it. I have tried chopping the pill into tiny bits, and have had some success, but the taste is horrendous. I would love a chocolate or cookie-flavored pill!
Comment by Julie — February 13, 2006 @ 8:56 am
I’m so glad to know that I’m not the only one out there who cannot swallow pills. I wonder what the deal is with swallowing pills…Is it a bad past experience? Whatever the reason is, I agree, they need to find a more effective way for people like us, because tasting the horendous tasting antibiotic pills just doesn’t cut it.
Comment by Scott — February 20, 2006 @ 9:16 pm
I love this. Ever since I was in high school and had a calcium pill stuck in my throat, I just can’t seem to be able to swallow a pill. I have hope for the future though. Adult multi vitamins are coming in chewables and liquid forms. My calcium pills are now chocolate flavored chewables. I hope that anitbiotic pills are soon this way since my doctor has me on 2 different antibiotics and right after putting them in apple sauce this morning I threw them up. ughh…
Comment by Casey — March 3, 2006 @ 8:00 am
I am the same way… I cannot take pills. Thank goodness for Excederin Quicktabs - that just dissolve in your mouth and taste like a mint candy. For the first time in my whole life I have been able to stop a headache. Unfortunately I think they have stopped making them.
I don’t know what I will do now. When I first started taking them a couple years ago it was like magic that pain could just disappear… I never knew it worked that way because I have always just suffered through pain being the pill phobic that I am.
Comment by roxy — March 9, 2006 @ 5:53 am
Well its nice to know that there are others out there that cannot swallow pills. I just hate the thought of trying to swallow a pill. I’m only 17 but I dont think I’ll ever be able to swallow pills in my life. It sucks.
If anybody wants to offer any kind of help or solution PLEASE EMAIL ME at mistersomebody99@gmail.com.
Comment by Kendell — March 26, 2006 @ 12:51 pm
hi everyone, im karen and im 44 years old. i have trouble swallowing pills ever since i nearly choked to death on two paracetamol tablets one morning last year.i used to be ok and i just swallowed 2 pills at once, but when i did this with paracetamol, they got stuck together in my throat and i choked really badly on them.this really scared me because i was alone at the time. ever since i have had trouble. just last month a large vitamin pill got stuck in my throat and i choked until i went blue…with my husband eventually giving me the heimlich manouvre.im still trying to deal with my problem but i am getting better. the best thing to do is just really relax and do not thing about gagging or choking…good luck to everyone…if anybody would like to ask me anything just leave me a msg.
Comment by Karen — April 25, 2006 @ 5:24 am
I had no idea there were others like me around, and some far worse! I can swallow pills, but nearly throw up and gag every single time. The bigger the pill the worse the reaction. Sometimes i find it helps to intake air through the nose while the pill and water are still in my mouth. After a few of these i take one last inhale and cock my head back while swallowing. It only works liek 25 % of the time, and i still get a semi-violent gag reflex which makes anyone who sees me immediately run back away! Hopefully someone else has some way of tricking our bodies into dealing with this problem….
Comment by Jon — June 1, 2006 @ 2:15 pm
Wow! I know how you all feel; I’ve been horrible at pill- swallowing my entire life. I just started some antibiotics for a dental infection, and it’s terrible. I have one of them stuck in my throat right now. The pharmacist said these pills could be opened up and mixed with something like apple sauce, but the taste was unbearable. My pill-taking ability is on and off. Sometimes it makes it down, sometimes it gets stuck…
I try to stand up, put the pill in applesauce on a spoon, and make sure my head is up while swallowing. We trained our nephew to take pills (he was terrified), by placing the pill (a capsule) in a spoonful of syrup…it went right down and he has never had a problem since then (he was about 12 at the time)
I can’t train myself, but I can train my nephew…lol
I wonder if greasing up the pill with some margerine might help (still take it with applesauce)….even if it gets stuck, it might slide down easier…..I’ll have to try this….
Good luck everyone
Comment by Jane — June 9, 2006 @ 9:19 am
Wow, I must say that the woman’s story about choking on a pill and almost dying really helps my pill swallowing problem!
But on a serious note… I wonder if the inability to swallow pills really is completely mental? Is there a physical basis for it? Maybe some people have more sensitive gag reflexes than others? Is that possible?
Comment by Tyler — July 14, 2006 @ 3:35 pm
I am so glad to hear that I am not alone with this. My parents got terribly cross with me when as a child I insisted that I couldn’t swallow tablets. And the doctors were no more sympathetic to my problem, insisting that since I was able to swallow food, I was also physically able to swallow tablets. Not so.
These days I have discovered tasty melt-in-your-mouth aspirin, ans asked for liquid children’s intibiotics when I needed it for an ear infection a few years back.
I just wish medicines came in a more palatable form, so people like us wouldn’t have to feel so desperate and foolish trying to get around our problem!
Comment by Katya — July 19, 2006 @ 2:05 am
I wonder, is this a skill that some people just have at birth, or does everyone need to be taught at some point? No one ever taught me… though I certainly have tried. But after being taught to obsessively chew everything before swallowing…
I agree… doctors suck. I tell them outright, “I cannot swallow pills.” I haven’t had a single doctor who didn’t roll his eyes / flat out ignore me / just say “sure you can”. And the annoying thing is, after doing this, they always seem to prescribe the one pill that you can’t “crush, break, or chew”.
I’ve got such a stomach ache. Someone suggested I try with baby M&M’s and warm Sprite. No luck but man am I glad you can chew antacids.
Comment by Kat — July 26, 2006 @ 9:27 pm
Greetings. I am writing this because my significant other is not capable of swallowing pills greater in size than the smallest of Motrin. I on the other hand can swallow a mouthfull of 400mg gelatin pills with no problems (health nut). You ask, this is too amazing to believe? Not at all. Yes, I have choked on large pills several times in the past. Big fat green antibiotics, peach nuts, probably marbles too. I have even swallowed icecubes or candy by accident and couldn’t eat for some time because of the pain. But nothing has stopped me from swallowing what is necessary. There are tricks and methods to swallowing that escape the grasp of the subconcious. Like we have read, “if you can eat, there is more than likely nothing wrong with your throat”. In this one statement lies the answer to not being able to swallow pills. It is in your subconcious. Who among us wants an invisible force dictating our lives.? Don’t we all want to have free will? I suggest looking at the problem from a new perspective. Look at pill taking as making your immediate life better. Focus on how well you will be. If you are taking a pill that will not melt quickly, use sufficient water or liquid to coat the pill, then swallow the liquid (pill will easily go down). If it is sticky when wettened, you have to use another method. I know of a spray that coats such and will be easy to swallow. All that I am saying is, use your tools to defeat this fear of swallowing. I wish the best to all !
Comment by Sean — August 1, 2006 @ 5:41 pm
Here i thought i was the only one with this problem. Knowing that theres so many others with this problem doesnt make me feel so shamed anymore. Thanks you guys.
Comment by JJ — August 23, 2006 @ 5:12 am
I’m so glad to have found this site! just like all of you I have struggled with it for years. As a kid I forced myself to do it because I was taught it’s what you’re supposed to, but I never could really do it. Then I got smart and realized I could easily swallow a pill with food! Just like your about to swallow your food shove the pill in and gulp it down. So easy! well I did it for so long now I actully cannot do it anymore. i try and try but its all in my head. I need to break the mind frame. When I go to swallow my mind will not let me swallow because I know there is a big fat pill in there. Weird I know but it’s true. So I’m stuck taking anything liquid or if I have to result to it I bought a crucher and I break them down to a swallowable size with food (they’re sharp!) And it takes forever!
I really hate this and I would like to change, but at least I know I’m not the only one. My husband thought I was joking when I told him. Thanks for your stories.
Comment by Sheryl — August 24, 2006 @ 11:37 am
I have the weirdest problem. I do not have trouble swallowing pills, except aleve- the tiniest pill I have. When ever I swallow, it gets stuck on the way down- at like chest level. Knowing this will happen, I always drink about two FULL cups of water, and it still gets stck. I can feel it where it is and it hurts badly. I dont know why it doesnt happen with any of the other pills i take, not even the bigger ones. I just took one right now, gulped down as much water as i could handle, and it was still stuck so i had to eat a peach on top of that and force it down.
Comment by aea — August 28, 2006 @ 8:40 am
I just discovered I have — apparently — the dreaded pill-swallowing difficulty all of you are writing about. Last couple times the vitamins just would NOT go down. Funny thing is, I never had a problem up until a few months ago when I started noticing a little discomfort. It has progressed to the point that this evening I feared for my life, the thing was just STUCK.
Can someone shed scientific light on the source of this problem??
Comment by Carter — September 3, 2006 @ 3:34 pm
i have been having this problem just here lately, ive been on medicines since i was little…i hate applesauce so i guess that wont work for me, i cant tolerate this anymore
Comment by jennie — September 3, 2006 @ 7:38 pm
hey guys i can take pills, any way i please it does’t affect me in any way….i can take it with food, any drink, and all by itself, by reading these i feel i have a talent. Live Life..
Comment by Cayleigh — September 3, 2006 @ 9:50 pm
For me it get’s a lot more stranger, if I put my mind to it, I can easily swollow the pill, but I start freaking out once I swollowed it!! The bigger the pill the worse the freak out, I start obsessing that I have this big hard object in my stomach or throat, and once it’s down there I can’t get it out…weird huh? I know logically that if I am breathing it is down, and it will obviously breakdown in my stomach acids, but this is not registering to me…I can’t swollow pills without having an panic attack. The cutting up and turning vitmains/pill into powder is sometime worse because of the taste. I am screwed.
Comment by April — September 4, 2006 @ 1:41 pm
i also used to have the same problem. i think its physcological for most people. i have always taken extremely large vitamin pills throughout my life, and i do swallow more than one pill together at the same time, but a few months back, i had the same harrowing experience as karen mentioned above when 2 paracetamol got stuck together in my throat. i did choke rather badly but luckily i was ok. i have now got my mind set and convinced myself that i wont choke again, so now im more confident and i can now take the pills well. i can even swallow some without water..so just be confident…dont be scared of choking, because if you do…chances are the stuck pills will just disolve eventually. good luck.
Comment by Julie — September 12, 2006 @ 3:30 am
I am so frustrated with this problem….I cry, I get extremely angry at myself, I feel stupid….all negative things. I have tried absolutely everything!!! Everything!….and I just can’t do this. I am supposed to be taking a time-release medication (it can not be cut up or chewed) right now… and for sure, it’s a small-ish pill. And I’m now on Day 3 of pure frustration. I am sick of myself about this; I would give literally anything to be able to get one pill down my throat. And yes, even when I know they’re to help me. And yes, I know it’s all psychological. Doesn’t help.
Thank you - sincerely, thank you - for this place to just vent a little.
Comment by Ann — September 24, 2006 @ 10:19 am
I have a daily battle swallowing pills. I have to take heart medication every morning. It is a small pill, but something about the shape of it causes it to stick in my throat a lot of the time. Sometimes I panic because it is starting to melt in my mouth and I still can’t swallow it. I always use a soda to take pills, something about the fizz helps somewhat. I know most of my problem is in the anxiety I get about it. Oh how I envy my husband when I watch him swill down horsepills with ease! At least I’m not the only one who feels this way, but in the end, it’s me and my pill. l am not proud to say, I have passed this down to my daughter.
Comment by kat — October 3, 2006 @ 8:59 am
Hey!! Ugh im so glad other ppl have this problem… im 17 and i thought i was way too old to not be able to swallow pills. Right now i have tonsilitis and the doctor gave me penicillin but i just cant take it!! im simply incapable of swallowing pills… all you ppl seem to be able to you just gag and stuff but i seriously cant get it down my throat. Ive tried crushing the antibiotics in water but it tastes so gross i cant handle it. I wont get better unless i take this medicine but i dont know what to do!!
Comment by Linnea — October 12, 2006 @ 4:24 am
I also have this problem. I have never been able to take tablets. The pill just gets stuck on my tongue and stays there. One or two times i’ve actually swallowed them it feels like something is scraping down my throat.
Even If I see someone take a tablet it makes me gag and swallow hard. I feel sick just at the thought of it. I’m so deperate I’ve just been to hypnotherapy to sort it out but of course it didn’t work.
Its so frustrating. I’m supposed to Anti Deppressants for this but of course its in pill form or in Liquid form that is horrendous and now I’m unable to take that.
Comment by Sam — November 2, 2006 @ 10:49 am
I can never swallow pills! I have tried everything, but i just can’t do it. i try swallowing it with water, the water goes down, and the pill gets stuck! Why can’t they make ALL pills chewable?!?!?!?
Comment by puppy — November 18, 2006 @ 7:38 pm
I was able to swallow a pill for a week, then suddenly I could not. I gagged it up. What?? I could do it yesterday why not today???
When good luck cause I know how ya feel. Just a tip never force a kid to do it. Messy job.
Ps. I’m 11
Comment by Linda — November 23, 2006 @ 12:43 pm
Its so fricken annoying that I can’t do it… I’m 21 and its just a bitch.
About 4 years ago I started practicing a lot and I could do it for a bit but it was always a huge struggle… now I cant do it at all, even pills as small as nerds.
Comment by Rafe — January 4, 2007 @ 1:14 am
Hey! It is so frustrsting being here trying to choke down a pill, trying to research how on earth i will be able to take stupid sleeping pills since i can’t ever sleep! it sucks! this has made me feel more…normal. good luck, and at feel glad you can at least sleep! good luck. everyone says i will eventually learn how to take target gel sleeping pills. i usually can find childrens liquid (embarassing!), but no luck on chewing up disgusting pills! good luck, and happy searching!
Comment by Georgia — January 7, 2007 @ 9:05 pm
Hey, I cant swallow well either……….. My parents always say: Its just like eating food!!! come on!!! I tell them its not but they just argue.. i say forget it…. I am 14, but cant swallow… I cant even swallow the smaller pills… advil has a good taste when you put it in your mouth and trying to swallow it melts a little bit… I spit it out after a little because i just cant get it down.. this especialy hurts if you are sea sick on a cruise like i was…… i had to let dramamine melt in my mouth..
Comment by NoName — January 8, 2007 @ 7:39 am
Same here! I’m a 30 year old female and I’ve always had trouble swallowing pills. They never ever go down easy! Why can’t everything be chewable or at least not take HORRID? When I take Advil or Motrin, I always chew on them but they don’t take too bad. I used to chew on them with M&M’s. But antibiotics are a different story! They taste so horrible. That taste will stay in my mouth for hours! But what can I do? It just won’t go down. I can try tons and tons of water but it just lingers around my mouth. I know it’s psychological because I can swallow food. Sometimes I put the pill in bread or soft food and just gulp it down. If I know it’s just food then I can chew without swallowing, but if I KNOW it’s a pill it just won’t go down my throat. This has been such an ordeal for me and I’m glad I’m not alone. Part of the reason I hate getting sick is because I have to start popping pills which will take me hours! I don’t know how some people can swallow 3 or 5 at a time. OMG if my life depended on it I wouldn’t be able to do that! SIGH……
Comment by Diane — January 17, 2007 @ 9:32 am
I cant swallow pills either. I don’t know why. I have had a cold for about a week now and i don’t know how to swallow pills, so I am not getting any better. it is so unbelievably frustrating!
Comment by Tyler — January 17, 2007 @ 12:48 pm
Amazing…this thread started in 2004. I can’t swallow pills either, which is terrifying and embarrassing - embarrassing because people who can swallow them are always so disbelieving and they make you feel stupid when you have to grind them up, as though you failed some kind of rite of passage…and terrifying because I need to get emergency contraception tomorrow (the “morning after pill”) and I don’t know how I’m going to take it, but I need to, which is only going to make the pressure worse. I’m ashamed to ask my pharmacist…I’m so scared. I’ll toss something offhand like, “Sometimes I have trouble swallowing pills, I take it this can’t be ground up or anything…?” to the pharmacist…but GOD I wish I could just do it! Marketers and evil pharmaceutical companies…please help us.
Comment by edie — January 22, 2007 @ 11:49 pm
To the person who posted on January 22nd. Please dont take the morning after pill. Did you know this is abortion. I had an abortion when I was 20 years old and it has destroyed my life, not to mention killing my little baby. The pill is just not safe. Research shows that women who have had an abortion have an increased risk of breast cancer. I will be praying for you.
God bless you.
I also have a terrible time with pills. I have searched and searched for small vitamins. I have finally resorted to taking 2 Flinstone Vitamins with my kids each night. I’m not even sure if this is enough, if anyone knows please tell. I cant find any small mineral supplements either. The bottle may say mini tabs, but they are not mini and you have to take 6 pills to equal one regualr size. Awful!
Comment by Shelley King — February 2, 2007 @ 7:21 am
Wow. Reading all of this makes me feel like less of a freak. I’ve been taking antibiotics for a tooth infection and I just cannot swallow it. These are able to be crushed up, but it is the most horrible tasting stuff ever. I’ve tried everything: Soda, juice, milk, big gulps of water, food of some sort. It never works. I put it in the very back of my mouth, it will get into my throat and immeadiatly push itself back up. When I eat it with food, I will swallow everything except for the pill! The food just moves around the pill, leaving it on my tongue.
I’ve only been able to successfully swallow pills two times in my life. Two times, and I am 18 years old. Thank God for liquid Tylenol.
Comment by Holly — February 2, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
All the morning after pill does is stops your egg from implanting. The abortion pill is another story..
But ECPs are really small, I don’t really think you will have a problem with it. I can’t swallow pills either. It has nothing to do with me being scared. I have to take really small bites of food and I have never understood how people can just chug their water or let it pour down their throat. ughh..
Comment by B — February 2, 2007 @ 9:41 pm
I can’t swallow pills either! I’m 16, and its really embarrassing, especially when people say “oh, you’re just saying that” or something like that, and they dont believe that I can’t get the damn pills down. I’m supposed to take migraine pills and it just doesn’t freakin happen! I’ve tried with food, with fizzy juice, with milk, with putting it right in the back of my throat, standing up, sitting down, everything!
My tongue seems to trap it up against the side, or the top, of my mouth, as i try to swallow. I can’t stop this; it’s like trying to get both ends of a see-saw to go up at the same time!
Comment by tigger — February 5, 2007 @ 1:43 am
So I am an 18 year old female, sitting here at my desk trying to breathe because there is a sudafed stuck in my throat. It takes a minumum of 30 minutes for this pain to go away. I dont know why this happens to me. I absolutely FEAR swallowing pills because every other pill, it gets stuck. I just had 2, my first one went down fineand this one itsbeen 20 minutes n its still like stuck …. I am in pain.
Comment by Doris — February 9, 2007 @ 11:48 pm
To ShellyKing:
Please mind your own business about that girl taking the morning after pill. Go preach somewhere else, this isn’t the place for it. Everything you’ve said is BS, and if you believe it you’ve got more of a problem then her.
To the other readers:
I can’t swallow pills. I don’t think all of it is psychological. I chew my food really well, nothing goes down as a hard mass. So if it doesn’t “squish” through while I’m swallowing because it’s a solid pill, I’ll gag. Part of the swallowing reflex is helped by chewing.
I’m going to try the tip about taking the pill while it’s in your mouth by chugging liquid through a straw. I find it really hard when the pill is just floating around in your mouth to get it down, it’s never in the right place.
Good luck to you all! :’)
Comment by Heather — February 10, 2007 @ 4:31 am
Hello, im a 45 year old single mother of 2. I have been reading all of these posts, and i think what everyone needs to be more concerned about is if you actually start CHOKING on tablets. I mean what would any of you do if you were alone and choking to death!?. As Karen and Julie mentioned about the 2 paracetamol tablets getting stuck together in their throat..this exact thing has happened to me TWICE! I can honestly say it is the most terrifying and awful feeling ever, and i was alone both times…and BOTH times i eventually vomited the stuck pills up. Please just consider this when swallowing tablets.
Comment by Janet R — February 23, 2007 @ 4:48 am
I am totally in the same boat as all of you guys. I have never been able to swallow pills. The only pill that I can take is my birth control pill (which is because it is VERY tiny, about the size of half of a pencil eraser). Even if it is an antibiotic that I need to take, I just can’t do it. I also have to take an allergy pill, and thank GOD Clarinex makes a rapidmelt tab. Tell your doctor that you can’t swallow pills and they will most likely prescribe you a liquid or a melting tab. My only fear is if one day I get cancer or something and I need to actually be able to swallow a whole pill. I thought I was the only one, so it makes me feel better to see the rest of you guys here!
Comment by Lisa — February 28, 2007 @ 10:52 am
I’m a 19 year old male and I’ve had an extremely hard time. I can remember the first time I had to take a pill. I was about eight and already my six year old brother was downing pills like candy. I thought it must be easy so I tried. Didn’t really work, so I just chewed it once or twice and swallowed.
Well now to this day I’ve rarely had to take pills. The only time I can remember was when I had my wisdom teeth removed and was prescribed three meds. Those were actually encouraged to be cut smaller because of my mouth, which made it extremely easy to swallow.
Today I’m sitting here with clindamycin and trying to swallow it. They’re capsules about 1/2 -3/4 inch long. I sat here for about an hour trying to swallow and nothing worked. So I went downstairs and bought some tic-tacs and starburst. I was able to swallow a tic-tac pretty easily, but there were a few times I couldn’t. The starburst I tried to form into the same size and shape as the pill and swallow them. I can’t even swallow starburst, and it’s even hard for me to swallow them eating them regularly. I’m really starting to think I have a problem swallowing food. Usually when I eat food I chewed it up A LOT.
Don’t really know what else to do.
Comment by Jeff — February 28, 2007 @ 4:45 pm
I’ve been struggling for a year with an irritated esophagus that started when it felt like a pill was stuck in my throat. I was on a cruise at the time and eating a lot, so I wasn’t sure whether the problem was caused by eating more than usual or by the pill. But for the next year I had every test in the book. I was told I didn’t have reflux disease (heartburn is rarely a symptom of mine) or GERD; maybe some spastic esophageal activity.
I’m a small person but I pretty much stopped eating, I was in so much discomfort. I lost weight and cut out all kinds of foods, especially anything carbonated. I started slowly feeling better and eating more normally. But lately I’m getting all the symptoms back, and it seems to be triggered by pills getting stuck.Nobody seems to be able to tell me if a slowly dissolving pill will irritate the esphogus. I eat small portions and chew completely. It’s not psychological with me -I just think a have a narrow opening and lumps of food and large pills get stuck.
Over this past miserable year I’ve learned two tips. Put the pill towards the back of your tongue, tilt your head back, swallow, and then quickly tilt your head forward. The forward motion helps propell he pill downstream.
The other tip is that chewing gum, which produces saliva, seems to soothe the esophagus. That’s the only thing I’ve found that makes it feel any better.
After suffering thru all these tests, my mother remembers to inform me that my father has a narrow throat opening and is constantly choking on pills. And that’s why he sneezes 10 times in a row and can’t stop.
I can see why a Dr. would focus on heartburn, but that’s not the kind of burning it is. It’s more like an irriation. I just choked up a sour taste and some burps that were bringing up part of my dinner. Sometimes food will regurgitate a bit, or I feel like I could barf but I never do. Chest pressure can be part of it, too. I blame it on the pills that are too large for those of us who may have a very narrow esophageal opening. I have no problem with thin capsules or tiny pills. It’s those big horse pills that are impossible to deal with.
Comment by Joan — March 2, 2007 @ 8:26 pm
Hi, I can’t beleive there are other people out there like me. I can’t swallow pills either. I’m 55 years old and they just don’t go down. As a little girl I had tonsils swell so much they were closing off my airway. I had them removed but still can not swallow pills. I suffer from GERD too and that makes things worse. I always try to find liquid or chewable medicine and finding a doctor that understands this is difficult. Most try to make you feel bad and tell you it’s all in your head but the fact still remains that I can’t swallow the pills. I worry that someday I might need some form of medication that doesn’t come in liquid or chewable because at my age I don’t think I’ll ever be comfortable swallowing pills. I wish more people out there could understand and not judge. Sue
Comment by Sue J. — March 20, 2007 @ 11:05 am
hey!
i found a great way to swallow a pill.
even if it is gel, or not.
1.listen to your favorite song wile doing it.
2.take it with soda, or maybe orange juice. but if it says on the box drink with water, call the number on the side and ask if you can use it with juice/soda.
3.cough without opening your mouth, put the pill in your mouth and dont tip your head back, put it foward so your chin touches your chest, and swallow.
4.Take “nerds” and cut a big one in half, then take water and swallow that. and if that goes down good, then try swallowing a bigger piece.
5.Think to yourself- i can do it, i can do it. then you will have enough confidence to actally do it.
Im twelve, and came up with some of these on my own.
so try them
Comment by Alissa — March 23, 2007 @ 12:17 pm
Here I am another morning typing in “How to Swallow a Pill” in google search. I am 20 and have tired everything possible to swallon pills. Ever since I was young I haven’t been able to do it - and when a softball hit me in the eye going 45 miles per hour I had to be taken to the hospital to get a shot since I could swallon a pill for pain medication. It’s so embarrassing. I actually start to panic when I try to swallow the pill and my breathing gets really weird. A few weeks ago I actually swallowed a very small allergy pill — but I think that was a fluke because I didnt expect it to go down when I put it in my month. It was so slippery though it when down as I was telling my friends there’d be no way I could swallow that. Practicing with candies does not help me. Of course I swallow food bigger than some pills everyday. I love M+Ms and practically engulf them.
So I have giving up on trying to swallow pills and am looking for the perfect way to master how to cover the taste. I tried crushing it up and putting it on a peanut butter sandwich, but I have had a sick feeling everytime I’ve looked at a peanut butter sandwich now. I tried bushing my teeth twice after chewing pills but I cant get the taste out of my mouth. I can’t just crunch it up with water because of course the taste is still there. What worked just now was crushing it into about 50 pieces and drinking it with Fruit Punch - but I had to keep adding juice so the taste of the pill wouldn’t hit my tongue. This worked well but It took about 2 glasses of juice and 3 glasses of water to wash it down. I have to take this pill 4 times a day everyday. I go days without taking this pill just because I know its going to be a hassle. I really think that people with this problem have to master it for themselves. I hate when people tell me - just swallow it! Or doctors who lose patience - I warn them I cant swallow pills and they think they are going to be the one who magically changes that. Why, oh why do I have to be the one in the family who can’t swallow pills!!!
Comment by Ivana — April 3, 2007 @ 5:34 am
Hey guys, I’m a 14 year old, and just went through the ordeal of pill swallowing. Wait, I mean TRYING to. I have a fever so my mom tried to give me some tylonel, I have tried swallowing pills before and my mom always tells me its in my head, and to not think about it. Sometimes I feel really stupid because everyone always says, “How can you not swallow a pill!?”. when I tell them.
I cut the pill in half since it was long, then put it in pudding and ate it. It was pretty bad tasting, but its gone away now. It really does make me feel better to read all of these comments, so thank you to everyone who wrote
Comment by Kelly — April 5, 2007 @ 11:30 am
Hello, I am a 26 year old women, and I too cannot swallow pills, I will go to the doctor and get a precription made up, but I will never take the medication, just the thought or even seeing other people take pills makes my tummy sore, It feels like an empty tummy, writing this now makes me think of pills. There must be a technique. I am sick of taking banana flavoured kid liquid.
Thanks Heidi
Comment by Heidi — April 5, 2007 @ 11:20 pm
Hi, I cannot swallow pills either.
I’m 25 years old and am just frightend by the thought of swallowing pills. Right now i am on this 10 day pill.
It’s so ridiculous. I have to crush it to powder and out it in a tablespoon of applejuice and hold my nose and swallow.
It’s no problem. It takes like nothing, but there is another pill which is an antibiotic. I tried doing the same thing but the taste right when it hits my mouth is unbearale. And the bad thing is that the dosage is 4 pills in 1 dose.
I did one and a half table spoons of the junk after that i threw the rest away because of the metallic taste. I feel real stupid because i’m not going to get better, i wasted money, and i’m just worried because i think of the same thing a past blogger feels. One day i might get really sick and i will not be able to take i medicine I need to survive. SCARY.
I think i could do it but I won’t even try.
I have swallowed 1 pill in my life when i was about 12.
ONce i did i felt it in my throat for a while then it went away.
I just have the fear the same thing will happen and I will just freak.
I think i need help. I need to get hypnotized(might be wrong spelling). or something.
Thanks
Jessica
Comment by jessica — April 10, 2007 @ 11:34 am
Pauly, you may not be able to swallow a pill, but look at the positive side. Look at what you’ve done for all these people who felt they were alone in the world. You’ve provided some solace and a strange sort of kinship for those who cannot complete what seems to be a simple task for millions of others. A task that many of us take for granted.
Even almost 3 years post-post, you are still helping untold numbers of people.
You’re a good man Pauly D! And I applaud you!
Comment by jacquie — April 11, 2007 @ 3:32 am
Hello everyone,
I am 24 and cannot take pills, sadly even if my life depended on it. When I was younger I rarely had to take pills and usually lucked out getting the liquid form. Every year around this time I usually have a battle with allergies and also with pills. I am trying to take Claritan D and it will just not go down. I could drink all the water in my house and the pill will be somewhere in my mouth. My tongue is like a bouncer who is just not letting someone in. It like holds the pill in place, crazy. Anyway, I want to learn because I know it is in my head.
I also noticed that like some people on here, I chew my food really well. I don’t like lumpy or near solid things going down my throat at all.
It does help to know I am not alone.
Good luck to us all.
Comment by Daniel — April 15, 2007 @ 2:46 pm
i have had trouble taking pills for about a year. I discovered that it was easiest to take a big scoop of jello then pop the pill in. Then you forget about the pill and swollow the jello. The pill should go down with it.
nathan
Comment by Nathan — April 17, 2007 @ 9:33 am
HI, i’m turing 30 soon and have never been able to take pills. i’ve tried soo many times but just gag and spit them out. I don’t go to the doctors because of it. It’s sooo lame. My husband died almost 3 years ago from cancer, and i hated watching him take his medicine. I really want to get over this phobia, its so dumb.
Comment by Yowana — April 18, 2007 @ 4:44 pm
I used to never be able to swallow pills until I was 16, and was on a medication that was absolutely necessary. I finally came up with a solution that usually helps. I take a sip of water but do not swallow it (just enough water to all go down in one gulp). I then look up at the ceiling and open my mouth. I then drop the pill down and let it sink to the back of my throat, and then swallow. This works for small or mid size pills, I still have trouble with big pills. They go down, but I gag and burp and cough up mucus for about 10-15 min after. I’ve never heard this technique discussed so I thought I’d share.
Mike
PS - Morning After pill prevents ovulation, if you want to complain about that you should complain about all birth control pills because they’re the same exact thing.
PPS - No proven link between abortion and breast cancer. There is a link between breast cancer and having never been pregnant. Visit: http://www.religioustolerance.org/abo_canc.htm
Comment by Mike — April 26, 2007 @ 3:24 pm
hi i’m 13 and thought i was the only one in the whole world who couldn’t swallow pills. i try and try but anything bigger than a small pill i just can not take. my parents say im going to have to take pills my whole life, and get really mad when i can not take them. there has to be a better way HELP!!!
Comment by Help — April 30, 2007 @ 11:00 am
I don’t know if this will help or not but I feel for you all. When I was younger I COULD NOT swallow pills. My parents used to give me Cod liver oil in liquid form - Ghastly stuff let me tell you!!! Anyways on to the point - I learned or trained myself by swallowing little bits of gum and worked up. I could manipulate it to where I needed it to be it, it tasted good, and didn’t dissolve into toxic sludge so i could try until i got it. I know they say swallowing gum is not the best thing to do but at the same time - I think not being able to take medecine is worse.
Good luck if that helps let me know.
Comment by Matt — May 1, 2007 @ 7:21 pm
I’m a 47 year old woman who has had trouble swallowing pills since I was a kid. I got the hang of it for a while, but like a few people who wrote earlier, I tried to swallow a large vitamin pill and it got stuck in my throat. It was the most frightening experience in the world to try and draw a breath and not be able to. I’m not sure how it came up, but it finally did and I’ve not been the same since. I don’t even TRY to swallow pills anymore - no matter the size. If it is a tablet, I chew it (ibiprofen, psudefed, birth control…doesn’t matter) and if I take a vitamin or other pill, I get capsules, take them apart, and just pour the powder in my mouth and swallow it. I’ve gotten used to the taste of almost everything so it doesn’t bother me anymore. My difficulty has gone beyond pills now and I have trouble swallowing certain foods. I can’t eat anything dry (like rice or shredded wheat or heaven forbid tuna from the can). I eat very, very slowly and always have something to drink near by. Like most of you, I hate it and it is very embarrassing. It is very hard for me to relax when I am eating out with others or at someone’s house. Sometimes, when I am just drinking liquid, it doesn’t go down well (how crazy is that)? I’m sure this is anxiety, but I have no idea how to control or overcome it.
Take heart though - look at how many of us are out there. I know I feel better knowing I’m not the only one. Thanks for listening.
Comment by Julia — May 3, 2007 @ 5:41 pm
Swallowing pills has always been torture for me until this morning. I have always struggled to swallow pills even with applesauce, yogurt, or normal food, but this morning I tried a banana.
Bananas work.
I drank some water, took a medium/large bite from the banana, chewed it up, and before I was ready to swallow placed the pill in it. Because of the banana’s slippery texture and its bulk, the pill went right down effortlessly and I couldn’t even feel it! I was afraid this was just an anomoly, but I tried it again a few hours ago and it was the same!
I am seriously overjoyed at this, and I encourage everyone here to try it. Let us know if it works for you!
Comment by Emily — May 9, 2007 @ 6:51 pm
Hi! I’m Cathy, I’m 40, and I can’t swallow Pills. Lol..I feel like I am at an Anonymous Meeting or something! I have to have a bunch of stuff done to my teeth and the only form of Sleep dentistry they have is a Halcion Pill. Have any of you ever taken Halcion in a liquid Or Chewable?? I really don’t want to be awake for these dental procedures and need a way out! I haven’t been able to swallow them since I was a kid, and very few doctors/dentists understand me..GRRRR. Great Idea with the banana if I wasn’t allergic to them..ugh. Julia, I can’t swallow rice either!
Comment by Cathy — May 15, 2007 @ 10:27 am
Hi! Me again! I just found this COOL Product! I am hoping to order one tonight! Check it out!
http://oralflo.com/oralflo-technologies.html
Have any of you ever tried it?!
I hope it works for me…I will certainly let you know!
Comment by Cathy — May 15, 2007 @ 11:09 am
oOOOOOKKKK..It doesn’t work. Never mind. Thought I’d give it a try, but found I STILL can’t swallow Pills. Not even with this so called “Pill Swallower Cup”. Don’t bother. The pill still reluctantly stays on my tongue and won’t move any farther..
Comment by Cathy — May 22, 2007 @ 5:10 am
I think the whole idea of swallowing pills is stupid! People teach us not to swallow objects ever since childhood, because we can choke, so suddenly when we become older it’s suddenly, ACCEPTABLE? The risk of choking is still there! I put the stupid pill on my tongue and take a gulp of water. I swallow the water, but my tongue acts as a strainer so the tablet stays in my mouth, the coating slowly dissolving, leaving a bitter nasty taste. I HATE THIS! ((I probably wouldn’t be in such a foul mood if i hadn’t just gagged up two tylenols!)) I agree with something someone said earlier. “If doctors have all this technology, and they know about people in pain, then why don’t they come up with something?”
Obviously they’re quacks. But don’t make me go there or you’ll be here all day.
Comment by Cara — July 27, 2007 @ 3:25 pm
oh my goodness. i have pretty bad acne on my back (none on my face though) and they gave me a pill to help it. they told me if i couldn’t swallow it, that i should open up the capsule and pour the powder into applesauce. I tried that, and i threw up everywhere. Its not that I just can’t swallow pills, it’s that i’m too scared to even try. i psyche myself out before i even put it in my mouth. i start shaking and i just don’t know what to do! HELP!
Comment by lauren — August 2, 2007 @ 6:31 am
Many patients in hospitals have problems swallowing their pills.
Hospitals overcome this by using a pill crusher to crush the pill into a fine powdery form and then mix it in unsweetened apple sauce.
Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_co... has a pill crusher that is on sale now and you can also check out drugstore.com
I hope this helps everyone with this problem.
Comment by Natasha — August 4, 2007 @ 11:13 am
I am in my 50’s and have always had a problem swallowing pills. Like Emily, I discovered that I can chew various foods (such as a banana) into a “ball” in my mouth, then squish the pill into the middle of the “ball” of food, continue LIGHTLY chewing so that the pill doesn’t get crushed, and then I can swallow. I think since the pill doesn’t actually touch my mouth, I am OK with it and psychologically I am just chewing/swallowing food.
Another food which seems to work really well with me is jelly or jam…such as strawberry jelly. I put jelly on a spoon, embed the pill inside of it, and when my tastebuds taste the jelly, I can easily swallow the whole thing. It tastes sweet, and since my mouth doesn’t touch the pill, I am OK.
After practice with “easy” foods such as bananas and jelly, over the years I became able to use almost any kind of food which has some sort of substance to it and doesn’t just “melt” in my mouth.
It didn’t just magically start working for me. It did take some practice. You could try the banana/jelly thing with tiny candies such as Nerds or M&M’s before graduating to other foods.
GOOD LUCK!
Comment by Francie — September 13, 2007 @ 10:42 pm
I am in my early 30’s and have alway had trouble swallowing pills. There are some that I just wouldn’t take because they were too big, or the wrong shape (circular) and there were others that I would try and sometimes succeed and sometimes fail at. When I failed at it, it would either get stuck for a few seconds and then go down, or come back up. Well, the reason I am writing in past tense is because this all changed 2 days ago. I was trying to take one of those Aleve Liquigels, which are fairly big, but slick. I have only ever taken 3 or 4, but each time they would go down OK because they were really slick. Well, 2 days ago it didn’t. I took a big gulp of water with it, as usual, and it just stuck and some of the water came back up because I was not able to swallow it because pill was blocking the passageway. Fortunately, I could breathe a little, but I couldn’t get the pill to move. It wouldn’t go down or up at all. I was home alone and going over and over in my head what I should do. Should I call 911? Should I run to a neighbor’s house? Will the pill eventually dissolve and if so, will it dissolve in time for me not to pass out or something? It was really scary. It was the scariest thing I have been through because for a few minutes there I honestly thought my fiance was going to come home and find me dead on the floor. The whole ordeal probably lasted around 10 minutes, but it seemed like an hour. I couldn’t swallow any water or anything, not even my own saliva. Eventually, the pill started to dissovle, I guess, and slowly went down a little at a time. Well, I have a vitamin that I had been taking up to this point and the next day decided to try splitting it in half instead of trying the whole thing as usual because of course now I am very anxious about taking anything, and even eating. Well, that went OK. Today, however, I tried to take the same vitamin, split in half again, and the first half got stuck. It got stuck a little further down than the other one and I could breathe better and could get down a tiny bit of liquid, but it was pretty much the same thing all over again, just not so traumatic. It was more uncomfortable than anything. After a minute or so it started to move down slowly, but then it made me cough and I coughed it up. Needless to say, I am even more anxious about taking pills now and upset that in a matter of days it seems like I am not able to take ANY pills. I am even scared to eat anything that is not going to be able to be chewed up all the way before going down. I take anxiety medication already, which I also have to split and I am now afraid to take those, and I have never really had trouble taking those when I split them. I am worried that I might have damaged my esophagus on that first episode (my throat has been scratchy since then), or that I might have something wrong with me that is just showing up. It is really a lot more troubling that most people who don’t go through this problem would think. I also agree wholeheartedly with all the “stupid Dr.” comments. I’ll check back in case anyone comments.
Comment by Jen — September 20, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
Just like another person, I googled “can’t swallow pills” and got this website. I’m 39 and have never been able to swallow pills. It’s so embarrassing. When I was little, my mom would try to “bribe me” - she’d give me $5 if I could swallow a pill. I’ve tried the mini MMs with a soft drink, tilting the head back, etc. Nothing seems to work. So I thought it was all psychological. Paid $200 to see a hypnotist last year, she said it was all in my head and that she would guarantee I could swallow pills after my session. It didn’t work. When I mention to the dr or the pharmacist that I’ll need to crush the pill, they give me a look like “are you kidding me”. I have to take a blood pressure med everyday and I’ve been crushing that for 10 years. Now I’m on antihistamines to control hives I’ve had for the past month and crushing the pills several times a day is just aggravating. After reading all these comments back to 2004, it’s reassuring to know that I’m not the only one. Thanks for letting me vent.
Comment by SandyR — September 22, 2007 @ 8:26 am
I can’t swallow pills either, here’s a tip for nasty tasting ones:
- Grind up the pill _very_ small
- Mix it with about an ounce of liquid (orange juice tastes best to me) in a short cup
- Fill a second cup with some tasty liquid
- Swirl the pill liquid around so that all the powder is suspended in the liquid (not at the bottom, on the sides)
- Gulp back like taking a shot of alcohol
- Quickly chase with tastier liquid
This minimizes the unpleasantness for me.
Yoghurt is also a tastier alternative for some pills than applesauce with the traditional mix-it-in method (not sure about possible medical interactions with this).
Comment by Eliza — September 22, 2007 @ 10:38 am
Hey everyone,
I just read Francie’s comment where she noted that chewing food and then inserting the pill into it before swallowing it. I just tried it with a banana, as she commented using…it works. I can’t taste it because it’s still in the capsule, and what I’m feeling on my tongue is just the banana’s consistancy, non-sticking and ready to swallow. I recommend this strategy highly. It still takes a conscious effort and a little psyching yourself out, but it is not nearly as traumatizing as other methods!
Comment by Niki — September 26, 2007 @ 9:41 pm
Pauly, you’ve got your next book right here friend. Front face in the self help section!
Comment by Jacquie — September 27, 2007 @ 12:43 pm
Like a majority of the people here, I googled “cannot swallow pills” and found this article. It really is a bit of a comfort to know that there are so many other people who can’t take pills! Surely if doctors knew about this number of people they would have no choice but to devote a special study to this or SOMETHING! I am positive it is psychological, because it isn’t just fear…since I was a very little girl I’ve been trying. I am 17 years old and I can still very vividly remember standing in my mom’s kitchen sobbing hysterically, throwing up every time I tried to swallow even a teeny tiny children’s pill. Now I have an infection and this stupid antibiotic pill is half an inch long!!! I am VERY against putting plastic into my mouth and swallowing it. I think if God had intended humans to swallow such things, He would have made plastic a naturally occuring element that we would have consumed with no big deal since the beginning. I would gladly see any doctor who could voodoo me out of this insane mental pill shield!!!
Comment by Sara — January 11, 2008 @ 5:10 pm
I can swallow pills, it’s the after effect that gets me. The only description I can come up with is that I feel nauseous from my heart to the bottom of my jaw, and only for big horse pills. But now it’s happening with smaller and smaller pills, and I have to take a *lot* of pills, twice a day - sleeping pills, anti-depressants, mood-stabilizers, anti-inflammatories, allergy pills, dietary supplements - I fill up the box in those weekly pill minders.
The trouble started when I was taking pills that were evidently just too big - it hurt all the way down after I swallowed them. I finally switched, but by that the damage to my esophagus was already be done. From what I’ve come across so far, I could have “pill-induced esophagitis”, and the only cure is to stop taking the pills. Which I can’t do. Of course, my doctor was no help.
I ‘m going to try crushing the big pills and putting them in applesauce or something. Still, I’m eager to hear other ideas.
For those who get pills stuck - I’ve always found eating a piece of bread works best. Extra water is useless. If it’s a common problem, I’d take a bite of bread right after taking the pill, and then alternate with water and bread.
As for trying to talk yourself out of it - well, if it’s a phobia, talking doesn’t work. Phobias reside in the oldest part of the brain, which is responsible for survival and reproduction. This part of the brain doesn’t *do* words, logic, or reason. It’s just too old. It seems to listen only to experience. So don’t feel bad that you can’t talk yourself out of it, that’s only normal, it would be like trying to talk yourself out of a broken leg. My only suggestion is try to change your experience by swallowing something small enough that you don’t have any problems and going up from there. Slowly. It’s a lot like training a chicken to dance.
Good luck to you all, and may liquid medicines become the norm.
Comment by Amerie — January 12, 2008 @ 9:07 am
I once again stumbled across this site since I have it bookmarked. For everyone who has trouble swallowing pills, PLEASE take a look at my post dated September 13, 2007. Then check out Niki’s post dated September 26, 2007. She tried it and it worked for her.
I don’t think ANYONE in the world could possibly have had more trouble than me with swallowing pills. I am telling you, if I can do this, so can you. Like I said, it isn’t magic and takes some practice, but it DOES work.
For getting started, if you can tolerate bananas, they are perfect. Take a small bite and chew it up as much as you can, and with your tongue, shape the banana into a ball in your mouth. With the banana in a ball (still in your mouth), insert the pill into the middle of the banana. LIGHTLY chew so as not to crush the pill — your brain “thinks” you are just chewing food and you can swallow. VOILA, the pill is down, too!
Experiment with other foods in lieu of bananas. And try inserting small candies (such as M & M’s) into the food in lieu of pills to get started.
THIS REALLY DOES WORK!!! Please don’t suffer any more needlessly, and give it a try!
Comment by Francie — March 9, 2008 @ 12:07 pm
Well, I bought some bananas today to try the banana method out. First, I cut a medium sized piece off and tried just chewing it until it was ready to swallow (mushy) and spit it out and tried to form a ball and insert the pill. Didn’t work. Then I tried the same thing, but tried to form the ball with my tongue. I then put the pill inside the “ball” (nothing like a ball, just some banana mush). Didn’t work. Then I tried cutting off a little hole in the middle of the banana for the pill to fit in. I sealed off the top of the pill with another piece of banana as a “roof”. Tried to chew it up, but when it turns to mush/ready to swallow the pill randomly touches the side of my mouth or tongue resulting in a failure.
So, I’m strapped for ideas. I just want to get better; so in the end I think I’m just going to be a pussy and buy the chewable/liquid. I could fucking care less if it’s for kids. I’m done with pills, I rarely get sick anyway. I just want to get rid of this ear infection so whatever works, so be it.
PS: I don’t know how you guys “shape the banana” in your mouth when it’s mushy. It just forms into different sized blobs, def. not a ball shape. And how do you insert it in the banana and then “chew” it softly without somehow feeling the pill (medium sized pill - Amocixillin 500 MG)
Any help appreciated, but I’m sure the next post won’t be until I’m finishing taking the medicine (10 days from now)
Good luck,
Derek
(Official Hater of Pills)
pl0x.
Comment by Derek — March 29, 2008 @ 10:03 am
Well, I bought some bananas today to try the banana method out. First, I cut a medium sized piece off and tried just chewing it until it was ready to swallow (mushy) and spit it out and tried to form a ball and insert the pill. Didn’t work. Then I tried the same thing, but tried to form the ball with my tongue. I then put the pill inside the “ball” (nothing like a ball, just some banana mush). Didn’t work. Then I tried cutting off a little hole in the middle of the banana for the pill to fit in. I sealed off the top of the pill with another piece of banana as a “roof”. Tried to chew it up, but when it turns to mush/ready to swallow the pill randomly touches the side of my mouth or tongue resulting in a failure.
So, I’m strapped for ideas. I just want to get better; so in the end I think I’m just going to be a pussy and buy the chewable/liquid. I could fucking care less if it’s for kids. I’m done with pills, I rarely get sick anyway. I just want to get rid of this ear infection so whatever works, so be it.
PS: I don’t know how you guys “shape the banana” in your mouth when it’s mushy. It just forms into different sized blobs, def. not a ball shape. And how do you insert it in the banana and then “chew” it softly without somehow feeling the pill (medium sized pill - Amocixillin 500 MG)
Any help appreciated, but I’m sure the next post won’t be until I’m finishing taking the medicine (10 days from now)
Good luck,
Derek
(Official Hater of Pills)
Where’d my msg go?
Comment by Derek — March 29, 2008 @ 10:04 am
I am 48 and cannot swallow those big horsepill vitamins in particular the calcium ones which my doctor says I’m lacking badly and need to take. Can I crush them? I’ve heard crushing pills is not good. Does someone know of any smaller sized calcium pills on the market? I know dairy products will increase my calcium but I’m lactose intolerant and don’t consume much dairy products the pills will help but I just can’t swallow the wretched things!
Comment by Sylvie — April 12, 2008 @ 4:24 pm
Derek,
The banana thing takes practice. Old habits die hard, and you have to work on it. Practice with small candies instead of actual pills.
Don’t actually CHEW the banana ball, but rather “gum” it, or just lightly touch your teeth on the food ball to give your brain the impression that you are just chewing food.
And try foods other than bananas…something you really like, such as a bite of a hamburger. Chew the hamburger into a “ball”, insert the pill inside the “ball”, then continue “gumming” the food ball until you have the desire to swallow, then do so.
Practice, practice, practice………
Good Luck!
–Francie
Comment by Francie — April 13, 2008 @ 9:15 pm
Wow you guys, this makes me feel better and worse at the same time. I’m a 19 year old female and I’ve always gotten around swallowing pills because I had a horrible experience choking on a life saver when I was 6. Ever since then my parents would get extremely angry whenever they had to go and buy Children’s Tylenol all because I couldn’t swallow pills.
Now I’m at college and I got tonsillitis 3 weeks ago. I told the doctor I can’t swallow pills and what does she do? Gives me 20 HUGE 500mg amoxicillin pills. Thanks, doc. Oddly enough, I swallowed the pills for the first 3 days (I was supposed to take them for 10) only because my throat felt horrible, my whole body felt horrible, I wanted to do anything to feel better, so I did it. Once I felt better, I started cutting the pill in half for the next 3 days. Then one day the smaller half of the pill got stuck in my throat, causing me to panic and have pain and discomfort for the next hour or so.. brought back horrible choking memories from 13 years ago. Needless to say, I had been crushing the pills for the remainder of the days.
I felt better, but recently got sick again, my blood test showing I still had a high white blood cell count (meaning an infection in my body). The doctor presribed Prednisone (3 TINY TINY pills every 12 hours) because the original pills I was supposed to take were too big. He also wrote out a prescription for me for a liquid form of my antibiotic, which I am grateful for. I’ve taken the morning after pill no problem. I’ve taken Sudafed PE pills no problem. I cannot take these tiny Prednisone pills for fear of getting it stuck in my throat. It is the most horrifying experience ever. I don’t understand how they get stuck for us, when everyone swallows the same way. It’s not like there are different ways of swallowing, you just do it.
Seriously, there has to be a better way. I’ve literally been sitting here since 9pm (it’s now 2am) staring at these pills because I cannot take them.
Good luck to you all!
Comment by PillHater — May 7, 2008 @ 10:59 pm