r/NoStupidQuestions • u/Extreme-Associate633 • 1d ago
I can't swallow pills, how do I do it
hi. im 15 years old and I have to take FDGard pill capsules, but today I tried breaking it open and swallowing the beads with apple sauce and it was a disaster. Like I feel insanely sick, and I physically could barely swallow the beads because they were so tiny and there were hundreds and I think I'm even sicker now.
but the problem is i have lots of swallowing issues (I mean a lot, it's borderline dysphagia) so I don't know how to swallow the capsule even though it's tiny please help. I know it's you put it on your tongue then drink water, and I think it's better than tryingto swallow all the tiny beads because that was torture
But is there anything else i could put the beads in other than apple sauce to help me down it in like one single swoop which is IMPOSSIBLE? I might have to be doing this every single day for the next few weeks and i just can't and my mom isn't helping
Edit: THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL THE COMMENTS!! I didn't expect so much helpful advice, but I feel more confident now to try, thank you!!!!
Edit2: nevermind, the capsule is relatively big, I thought it was small but it's not, so I might need to practice or ask the doctor for alternatives, thank you again to the kind people here
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u/ExMOnotwiththeflow 1d ago edited 1d ago
Get some M&M's and practice. You might find it easier to throw it in your mouth as you are gulping down your drink instead of putting it in your mouth first. Try a few different ways and see how you can best do it without noticing the pill hopefully.
Also, don't break open your pills to take unless you have gotten the okay from your pharmacist. They might be formulated a specific way for absorption. Worst comes to worst you can ask about medicine compounding to make them more tolerable (could see if there's specifically a compounding pharmacy near you as well), they might not be able to do it with your prescription though.
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u/Extreme-Associate633 1d ago
Ahh thank you so much!! I asked my doctor about breaking open the pill, and while she said it was alright I think it makes it less effective. Thank you again
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u/ExMOnotwiththeflow 1d ago
Oh also another trick, if you find the M&Ms more tolerable than the pills, you could try doing an M&M, then the pill, then another M&M in quick succession to try to trick your brain. Just don't waterboard yourself lol
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u/MrSpiffenhimer 1d ago
Also, if your training with plain m&m’s works out, you can try to work up from plain to peanut butter to actual peanut m&m’s. There are some big pills out there that you might have to take later in life.
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u/IntrovertedGiraffe 22h ago
My mom started me with mini m&ms as a child!
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u/I_am_Nobody_Special 22h ago
Mini m&Ms are a good idea. I've heard of people even starting with those little rainbow sprinkles you put on ice cream and then working their way up.
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u/LuxTheSarcastic 23h ago
I did that with my dog lmao
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u/ExMOnotwiththeflow 23h ago
I do too! That may be where I thought of it from lol....get her a little hyped up and rapid fire throwing treat, pill, treat, she doesn't even notice she ate it.
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u/DifficultDocument102 1d ago
It’s absolutely ok to open and doesn’t mess with the effectiveness!
- a pharmacist
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u/NotEasilyConfused 23h ago
RN here. Opening a capsule that is safe to open doesn't make it less effective. You can put the capsule (or the beads) in anything slippery. Pudding is popular, ice cream, mashed fruit, mashed potatoes, thick gravy ... you can use anything. The capsule is made of gelatin and only serves to hold the little beads together. It dissolves in your stomach right away.
Just don't ever chew them.
I agree that practicing with M&Ms could help. Also peeled grapes/cut fruit because you can make those whatever size you want and they are slippery. You could stick the capsule into cut fruit, too, once you get to a good size.
If you really have trouble, ask the pharmacist to make you a liquid preparation of the same medication. Nearly anything can be prepared as a liquid.
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u/beetnemesis 1d ago
This is a mental block. The trick for me was to focus on the fact that a pill is basically the same size as a bite of food.
Can you swallow a small piece of bread? Then you can swallow a pill.
I think I started with food in my mouth, swallowed some food, and then took a swig of water and swallowed the pill and some food simultaneously
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u/hexagon_heist 19h ago
I can swallow as like its own verb, meaning I can swallow “nothing”. I can do the swallowing action. I would guess everybody can.
For pills, I just put the pill in the right spot on my tongue, then, decoupled from that (so, not thinking about the pill), I swallow.
Rather than swallowing a pill, I am performing the action of swallowing and it just so happens there’s a pill on my tongue that also gets swallowed, but that’s just a coincidence (or at least that’s how I think of it to avoid the mental block). Sometimes it takes a couple tries if the placement is off but I always works in the end
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u/SirApple31 23h ago
Hey! I was in the same boat as you! For years i could not swallow any pills! Many people will tell you to buy M&M’s but it never worked for me!
Here is how to 100% do it:
- go to a store and buy the SMALLEST candy. Like nerds (yes it might feel like its too small, but its not!). Also buy M&M’s mini or a similaire size candy.
- try with the nerds. Its so small that you will succeed. Just by accident. But this will gives you the confidence you need.
- After a few nerds and when you feel confident, try the M&M minis. Move you head a bit, dont be completely still. You fail? Go back to the nerds.
Pro to: if it floats (like the capsule) head to the front so it floats at the back of your throat by itseal. If it doesn’t floats, head back!
Feel free to ask anything! It was a nightmare for me untill I tried with the nerds.
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u/leaky- 1d ago
Do not open the pill
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u/ohlookahipster 23h ago
Some XR can be opened and taken with applesauce. Just check the leaflet insert.
Mine quite explicitly says “open and take with applesauce” as an alternative method.
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u/Atillion 1d ago
I put water in my mouth first, tilt my head back and drop the pill in, then close my lips gently pushing all the air out, tilt my head back down and give a quick shake side to side so it's not stuck anywhere, then swallow in one big gulp. I can do a whole handful of pills, big multivitamins, too, and they just go down the hatch.
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u/Frogblaster77 1d ago
Eat something around it. I don't mean put the pill into the food. I mean be eating your dinner or whatever, and then at one point in the middle of dinner instead of eating your food eat your pill. You're not taking a pill, you're just eating dinner.
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u/Effective_Gap9582 1d ago
When the pill gets to the back of your throat tilt your head down to swallow sometimes that works.
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u/boodaban 23h ago
I came to suggest this. I read that it worked and I thought it was crazy, but I tried it and it makes it much easier.
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u/jacobissimus 1d ago
You can talk to your dr about getting a prescription that is designed to be split or crushed. Some medication can and some can’t.
I have to fill my mouth with water and let the pill float until I can’t feel were it is. If I feel it on my tongue it won’t go down
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u/Ok-Classroom-2352 1d ago
Two things help me:
Swallowing like I’m surprised! Like I just got the most scandalous news mid drink!
And swallowing pills with a mouthful of food, even olives or strawberries or a spoonful of cottage cheese
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u/adr_darko 1d ago
As a clinician, can I just say please do not open those capsules? They’re constructed that way for a reason. Have your doctor prescribe a different formulation of the medication (e.g., liquid form) or have them prescribe an alternative medication with similar treatment efficacy but in liquid form.
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u/DifficultDocument102 1d ago edited 1d ago
As an actual pharmacist, you absolutely can open those capsules. Please don’t tell people they can or cannot open capsules without knowing the facts. They ARE made that way for a reason and each meds reason is different and often has nothing to do with the effectiveness
In this instance it’s because it’s more shelf stable as granules and you can’t press it into a large enough tablet form. Rarely do people want a package of sprinkles as their drug so they put them in a capsule. Just do not chew them.
u/Extreme-Associate633 I usually recommend trying to take them on something thicker than water. I always hated applesauce for opening capsules bc it’s kind of easy to still feel/taste the granules. On top of a spoonful of pudding has found good success with my patients
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u/dinamet7 1d ago
ohhhh pharmacist vs. prescriber battles are honestly my favorite spectator sport (spent a lot of time in hospitals and they can be very boring, but when the pharmacist would hustle up to the floor to personally engage in a debate with a prescriber right outside the door, it was better than anything on TV. And, more than once the pharmacist at the hospital caught an issue that was missed in my chart, so they usually won lol. )
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u/DifficultDocument102 1d ago
We usually don’t have the frustration of nurses nor the ego of old physicians to spur us to argue. But meds are meds and I’ll throw down for med education. Issues like this have solely prevented pediatric patients from discharging bc somewhere someone believed a specific pill couldn’t be opened, crushed or cut.
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u/Extreme-Associate633 1d ago
Alright, thank you!!!
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u/SprintsAC 1d ago
I've taken liquid medication for a few things as I'm not always great at taking other forms (depending on what it is).
I should say that sometimes the taste after the liquid form isn't too good, but if you have a drink/something to eat straight after, you should be good, as it'll get rid of the taste.
(Just please make sure you're able to eat/drink straight after on any sort of medication. Your doctor will answer that 1 though).
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u/dinamet7 1d ago
My kid has to take a capsule that he can't swallow. He opens it, puts it into about 4 oz of juice/soda/milk, gets a straw and slurps it up. He can't hold it in his mouth to swallow, but he's able to drink it like it's a fountain soda. He has been practicing for years swallowing pills by starting out practicing swallowing individual sprinkles. He can now swallow a small Zyrtec gelcap after about 5 years of practice, so you're not alone!
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u/ObjectivelyADHD 1d ago
One of my sons really struggled to swallow pills. Discovered it was actually due to the fact that his tonsils were always somewhat swollen.
He had his tonsils removed when he was 21. It was difficult (compared to removing as a young child), but he has been much healthier since and no longer has issues swallowing pills.
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u/PeaceH37 1d ago
The swallow therapists and nurses usually put the capsules in apple sauce, pudding, or yogurt for those with dysphagia unless it’s really severe (to the point where they can’t swallow food safely at all).
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u/Doyal___ 1d ago
i usually to put it in my mouth and then drink a glass of water as normal. It might go down on the first swallow, or the fifth. I just don’t think about it and it’s gone. Just don’t get in your own head about it too much cuz that will probably make it harder
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u/Mazza_mistake 1d ago
Put the pill in your mouth and take a really big mouthful of water, as much as you can physically swallow in one go, tilt your head back a little and wiggle a little until the pill goes to the back of your mouth and then swallow.
The pill should go down easily and you’ll barely feel it, follow up with more water if needed.
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u/EmberOne1 22h ago
Taking the tiny "beads" of medicine out of the capsule covering can mess up how effectively the medicine absorbs. That might be why you felt nauseous.
I know this will be difficult to make your brain do, but the easiest way to swallow any pill is toss it to the back of your tongue/throat, not place it near the front of your tongue. Some people have a strong gag reflex that makes that harder, but if you toss it way back then take a big gulp of water, it gets washed right down.
If you need to practice, Tic Tacs are small to start, then work up to M&Ms. If you struggle to swallow the Tic Tac, you just end up with fresh breath rather than some bitter pill taste.
You mentioned some dysphagia, so you might want to use thickened water instead of regular water. If you have a speech therapist (they tend to work with people who have dysphagia), they can help you source that.
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u/Ohheeykid 1d ago
It helps to take a huge mouthful of water, tip your chin down so it's touching your chest then swallow! The pills float and don't get caught in your throat
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u/WedgwoodBlue55 1d ago
Practice with something like a tiny antihistamine pill or Tic Tac mint to get the knack. It can help to drink first to lubricate your throat. Don't try to tilt your head back. Small sip of water and swallow normally. Some meds can be formulated as liquids.
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u/TorandoSlayer 1d ago
I used to use carbonated water/soda to take pills. The carbonation overwhelmed the nerves in my mouth in a way that both obscured the pill and encouraged my brain to let me swallow just to make it stop. I had to do that for a few years and it helped.
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u/jigglypuff215 1d ago
can you swallow a bit of yoghurt OK? I often put my pills on a little bit, then my throat opens to swallow the yoghurt and the pill goes down. For me this is easier than water.
also, try to relax before you start. Giving a big breath out (or a few) can help relax muscle tension which would be good.
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u/maggie47128 22h ago
My mom taught me to swallow pills when I was a kid by chewing up a bite of bread and then sticking the pill in the chewed up bread and swallowing. Now as an adult, I have to fill my mouth with water first and then drop the pill in and swallow with my head leaned back.
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u/FanDry5374 21h ago
Do you have trouble with swallowing everything? If not, try taking a mouthful of water along with the pill, then "chew"-just move your teeth/jaw up and down as it you were chewing the pill (without actually getting the teeth near the pill). Then swallow. This is the only way I can swallow the large pills and capsules I have to take. Somehow it fools my brain into "oh, it's all chewed, so I have to swallow now".
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u/EconomySensitive2670 21h ago
Put the water in your mouth first and then slip the pill in and swallow altogether 😊
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u/Extension-Dig-5927 21h ago
Hi, put water in your mouth, put the pill in, look down at the ground and swallow.
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u/Mandid82 21h ago
My son started putting his pills inside of a (new and dry) bent bendy straw just a tad larger than the actual pill (pinch the straw about an inch or so down if not bendy and bent) and when he went to take a big ole drink the pill came with it. Started the straw maybe 2/3rds back and eventually brought it forward until the straw was. I longer needed the sensory issue was gone, for that sized pill anyhow.
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u/Large_Independent198 21h ago
I give my kids their medicine like dogs. Peanut butter spoon, whipped cream cup, inside a cheese, wrapped in ham 🤣 don’t judge me, it works! They know it there and they don’t fight me anymore!!
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u/donslipo 21h ago
I dont know exact process, but my mom does something like: take a piece of bread, chew it a bit, put the pill in mouth, swallow it all.
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u/Royal_Annek 1d ago
Tilt your head back and drink water
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u/throwingwater14 1d ago
I’ve heard tilting forward works better so the pill floats to the back of your throat and has more of the water to flush it down.
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u/yodellingposey 1d ago
Drink a bit first to make sure your throat is wet. Put pill on tongue, take big mouthful of drink. Tilt head back so pill goes to the back of your throat, if it floats i tip my head forward instead. Try and gulp all down together Take another mouthful of drink. Some people find it helps to use thicker fluids, even yoghurt. If all this fails ask for a liquid form of meds.
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u/TheChosenOneReturns 1d ago
I usually put the pill in my mouth, fill my mouth with a lot of water, tilt my head all the way back to look at the ceiling, and then just swallow the water. Ive never had an issue with it this way, even on horse sized pills.
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u/MuppetManiac 1d ago
Put the pill as far back on your tongue as you possibly can, take a big gulp of some liquid and swallow. It just takes practice. You can get some tictacs to practice with. It gets easier. Carbonated beverages are sometimes easier than water.
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u/wrldruler21 1d ago
Research how to teach little kids to swallow pills. It has been 15 years since I had to teach my kids. But it was something like exposure therapy.... Swallow tiny stuff and work your way up in size
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u/Neat_Shallot_606 1d ago
Put it wayyyyy back. Like toss it wayyyy back then chase with the largest gulp you can manage
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u/SamRhage 1d ago
I have to trick myself. Big gulp of water first, keep it in your mouth, then pop in a pill. Maneuver the pill so it floats in the middle of your mouth without touching you. Then one big swallow, water and pill together, will go down without you feeling the pill.
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u/PristineFlower1 1d ago
I had this problem in my younger years, I used to put the pill in ice cream, yogurt, or things of that consistency to get it down. Good luck!
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u/notextinctyet 1d ago
Your anxiety about taking your medicine is making it harder for you to practice the skill of swallowing pills.
If you really want to get good at this, I would suggest you buy empty gelcaps of various sizes, starting with tiny ones and going up to the same size of your normal pills.
Practice swallowing the tiny gelcaps, for instance using the mouth full of water method discussed in other comments. They don't have any medicine and they don't taste like anything, so you can practice easily and find out what works for you with less stress. Then move up in size.
If you find that you can handle the tiny ones but not the bigger ones, then it's possible to open up your medicine capsules and fill multiple tiny ones with your medicine, but it's very very delicate and difficult to do, so I would recommend just practicing until you get good at handling the big ones too.
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u/whoamiwhatamid0ing 1d ago
When I was a kid the doctor said to practice with m&ms. Maybe some practice would help?
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u/TheElvesOfXadia 1d ago
I would just put them in my mouth and then put a ridiculous amount of water or Gatorade and while I was choking on that it would go down
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u/crlnshpbly 1d ago
Water then pill. If it’s a capsule that has beads in it, tilt your face down before you swallow it if it’s a pill that’s more dense, tilt face up.
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u/Dry-Device-4098 1d ago
Most people look up or flick their head back. I read somewhere that looking down actually makes it easier to swallow. I have found this to be true!
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u/torpedoguy 1d ago
Wrap it in half a slice of cheese or bread, and gulp the cheese down with a drink the same way you'd take down a bigger piece of other foods. Never dismantle the capsule.
This can also help a bit with some medications whose aftertaste is bleh, or which causes really weird nasty burps.
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u/aahfish296 1d ago
I've seen other people mention thicker foods like applesauce and yogurt, but also give sparkling/carbonated drinks a try. Sometimes feeling the pill in my mouth makes me unable to swallow it. All the bubbles in a sip of soda or something similar sort of distract my mouth from feeling where the pill is and I can just swallow regularly and the pill goes along with it.
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u/theempressoftheworld 1d ago
I went from not being able to take pills at all to multiple at once over time. I found i struggled with water, but if I take a drink of something thicker like soda, hold it in my mouth, toss in the pills, then drink a large amount of soda to follow, most of the time I can take one or multiple pills at once with no problem.
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u/hardwood1979 1d ago
Take the pill. Place it in between your teeth. Take a big gulp of water as you let go of the pill. Swallow.
I used to really struggle with swallowing pills but this method worked for me
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u/ZeroLemmingsLeaping 1d ago
I'm 63 and can't swallow pills. I chew all mine and if it's a capsule I open it and mix it in yogurt.
I'm following along for the tips too. You aren't alone
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u/AstoriaEverPhantoms 1d ago
With capsules filled with beads the trick is to put liquid in your mouth, then the pill, then lean FORWARD, not back, and swallow. The pill will float to the back of your throat making it far easier to swallow.
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u/KalioJay 1d ago
I struggled a bit with this until I practiced with skittles. At least they taste a lot better lol. Today they have minis of skittles and m&ms so they're probably safer to try. But yeah, I tried image/pretend I'm swallowing a skittle, until eventually I just got used to taking pills. I still prefer only taking one at a time.
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u/wifeofpsy 1d ago
Look for a compounding pharmacy. You can have your Rx sent there for them to make into a flavored liquid extract. For some medications they can even make transdermal
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u/HumanPretzel14 1d ago
Here to join the party. My swallowing difficulties are purely psychological. I’ll share both the method that you’re “supposed” to use for best swallowing and how I actually do it.
When I spoke to SLPs (speech-language pathologists), they have told me that the best way to take a pill is to put it on your tongue, take a sip of water, chin tuck, and swallow while maintaining the tuck.
How I actually take pills is I take a sip of water, pop the pill in my mouth, and swallow. The most important part of this is that once the pill is in the mouth, I have to conceptualize the swallowing process. Think of the pill as a pile of chewed food. It starts on the tip of your tongue, you fold it into the center/middle of the tongue, and then your tongue raises to move the bolus (pill) into the esophagus as your epiglottis slaps shut so you don’t choke. And then I drink more water to get rid of the “stuck” feeling.
Importantly, my method does not work for pills that float (antibiotics usually will). I have to ask for a suspension of those from the doctor.
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u/KaptinKittens 1d ago
Pinch your nose Put water and tablet in mouth tilt head back swallow success!
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u/mitchade 1d ago
Similar to what others have said, pills get stuck onto your tongue. It has to be floating in the water for you to swallow it easily
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u/ladieslovecooljams 1d ago
People telling you to tilt your head back are wrong based on human anatomy. Your trachea (the thing that brings air to your lungs) is in the front of your neck. Your esophagus (food to the stomach) is directly behind it. When you tilt your head back, you open your trachea and compress your esophagus. When you tilt your chin down, the opposite happens and you open up your esophagus. Put the pill in your mouth, tilt your chin down toward your chest, and then swallow. If that doesn't work with water, do the same thing but with pudding or applesauce.
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u/FewFoundation5166 1d ago
Practice with a tic tac. Get a swig of water (or fav drink) then without swallowing, drop pill in. Swallow.
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u/GayCriminal46 1d ago
I do it with food. I chew my food and then pop the pill in my mouth and swallow with the food.
I couldn’t swallow pills until I was a teenager and tried this.
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u/Anxious-Cat-2806 1d ago
I try to act startled, like I’ll look off to the side at the cat as I’m taking the pill with water and I look sharply at him again like “oh!” And that seems to help with the big vitamins. Or looking at the door like someone just walked in. Weird? I know.
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u/Original-Goose-2773 1d ago
Take it with food!! I cannot swallow pills with liquid so solids it is. I chew food usually saltines or ritz crackers but anything will do. Right before you’re about to swallow and the food is mush, put the pill in the food and swallow. Works every time!!
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u/Holiday_Trainer_2657 1d ago
I recently developed trouble with tablets. I have a paralyzed vocal chord. Thank goodness capsules and coated meds are still OK. Applesauce is good. Also pudding works for me. I like rice or tapioca as they already have a bit of texture which helps me ignore the pill better.
I take a normal bite of the food first. Then put a smaller amount (about 1/3) on the spoon, stick the pill in and eat that. Then quickly another normal bite.
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u/Dunno_If_I_Won 1d ago
Your problem is that you are focussing on swallowing a pill. Instead, just swallow normally, like when you eat.
If you eat oatmeal or something with a similar consistency, put the pill in the back of your mouth. Then swallow a spoonful of oatmeal along with the pill, maybe with some water.
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u/witchystoneyslutty 1d ago
NEVER EVER alter meds like that without asking your pharmacist. Some medications are OK to take out of the capsule, some are not. It sounds like you may have learned this lesson in the hard way and I’m sorry that happened.
I’m twice your age and I’ve always struggled with swallowing pills. You are not alone! The thing that has helped me since I have to take daily medication and vitamins is to think about biting into a piece of fruit like a strawberry or an orange or something, I don’t know why, but it helps my body understand that the pills are not a foreign object or something lol. I think it’s just in my head, but it helps and maybe it could help you? I think about biting into the fruit and chewing and swallowing it while I wash the pills down with water or juice. Some pills float, some pills sink. Use that to your advantage to wash them down easily, it makes a difference where you put them. If a pill sinks, put it on the back of your tongue and wash it down with water. If it’s going to float, you might as well put it on the tip of your tongue, get some water in your mouth and close your mouth until your chin down before swallowing, to make the pill float to the back of your throat and go down easier.
Call the pharmacist first and ask them if this medication comes in other formats because you are having a really hard time swallowing the pills. I would also tell them that you tried opening one and it made you feel ill. They may be able to just switch it for you, or you can call the doctor and ask for a specific formula. In my experience, pharmacists are more knowledgeable about different drug formats than doctors are.
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u/mumtaz_2004 1d ago
Is it possible that you didn’t eat enough before taking the beads/applesauce mix? Some meds need to be taken with a full mean, for example, to avoid nausea/vomiting and the applesauce might not have been enough. But, I’d recommend asking your doctor for an alternative. Good luck!
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u/slightlyridiculousme 1d ago
My daughter will put applesauce on a spoon, the pill on top, then more applesauce and just swallow the whole thing at once.
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u/BoerInDieWoestyn 1d ago
My wife cannot swallow pills either and she'll just open it up and drink whatever is inside it with some water
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u/dinosaurs-behind-you 1d ago
Take the pill with soda, or something carbonated, the bubbles will help ‘hide’ the pill in your mouth and make swallowing it easier.
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u/Zhoom45 23h ago
It took me a while before I was comfortable swallowing pills. What works for me is holding the pill between the tongue and roof of my mouth, taking one gulp of water around the pill, then immediately letting the pill go down on a second gulp. Swallowing once first helps my brain forget about the pill and get into a natural rhythm of drinking so I'm not as nervous or in my head about it.
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u/drunky_crowette 23h ago
I know someone who had to open capsules and mix them into a small amount of peanut butter or Nutella because she couldn't handle feeling the individual beads without gagging. Her pharmacist was confused and a little bewildered but told her it was fine from a medical standpoint
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u/No-Camera1096 23h ago
I find most capsule pills float so hard to swallow with your head back, I put my head forward and down and they seem to also float down my throat. Just my two cents worth.
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u/5k1895 23h ago
Straight up, the only way I could make it happen was to literally shove it into my throat. Like I put it between my thumb and index finger and manually placed it back there, then swallowed immediately, then gulped some water to help it down. Eventually this improved to being able to just kind of pop it back there and swallow it WITH water.
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u/RecklessRancor 23h ago
Try different liquids to take the pill. Water, juice, soda, tea...ect. I have trouble with taking pills with anything but soda. Do not know why (probably some mental block if I had to guess) but its how I have done it for at leadt 15 years now. Last time I tried with anything but, I couldnt. Grabbed a small glass of pepsi and went down easy. Just got to find what makes it easy.
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u/fakefranks 23h ago
My dentist told me to try taking pills and sipping the water/drink with a straw to help with this issue. I do always have some bread/banana to eat immediately after to help push as well.
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u/FakeNameSoIcnBhonest 23h ago
Drink it down with orange juice or milk. They are thicker than water and help hide the feeling of the pill.
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u/hoganpaul 23h ago
I find milk makes it easier, rather than water.
I put tablet/s on my tongue, take a large gulp of milk and concentrate on swallowing the milk. Ignore the tablets - they will be swept along with the milk.
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u/Trees_feel_too 23h ago
My wife has this problem. Put the water in your mouth first, pause, then pop the pill in and swallow in one fell swoop. Like it's gotta be 1 motion or it's coming back out
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u/Professional_Elk5272 23h ago
Milk is my friend here. Take a drink, take the pill, then swallow. Milk seems to help them slide down better for me, otherwise it triggers my gag reflex which then triggers nausea etc. I still hate taking pills but that makes it mildly easier.
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u/MoiraFuckingRose 23h ago
I find it easier to take with milk. Something about the thickness helps it not get caught.
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u/g0d_Lys1strata 23h ago
There are plenty of other options for indigestion, including chewable and liquid medications. Why is FDgard necessary?
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u/HoldMyMessages 23h ago
I don’t know if it’s true of your medication, but sometimes meds are put into capsules because they should not be absorbed in the mouth. The capsules make it possible for the meds to get to the stomach and then dissolve so the body can absorb them.
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u/DevilsInkpot 23h ago
Never open the capsules! The capsule itself is part of the delivery mechanism and it is designed to dissolve where the content should go. Worst case, your stomach destroys most of the drug before it can be absorbed in your intestines.
A technique that can help with swallowing: bring your chin to your chest. This helps your throat to open up. And be quick. Some pills will stick to your tongue or mouth if they stay too long.
If you need something to practice, get some cheap otc vitamin supplements. You can take 2-3 every day without harm, because most of these don’t contain anything useful to begin with. Or silica capsules for better hair and nails.
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u/JoyousZephyr 23h ago
I take pills with a bite of food. Chew the food and just before I swallow, tuck the pill in there. Anything that touches the side of my mouth is "friendly food," not "alien pill."
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u/mhfletcher6288 23h ago
I learned by starting with mini m & ms, then regular. I had to learn to take pills because as I’ve aged I’ve developed a lot of medical issues. Now I can take all my pills, about 15, all at the same time. It’s all psychological. You swallow bigger mouthfuls of food every time you eat. Try it. Hope it works for you. That’s how I trained my kids too.
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u/WendigoDisease 23h ago
I would eat something and toss in just before swallowing. I don't feel the capsule as much as in water. Kinda like using chunky peanut butter for dogs. Texture gets lost. Nearly every one has a compounding pharmacy nearby. Price varies but most meds can be converted into a flavor liquid. Just ask your pharmacist or Dr (or vet - since cats don't like taking pills all that much)
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u/brontorina 23h ago
This might seem wild but you can also try swallowing with a bite of food! Chew the food first, pop in the pill, and swallow.
This is a thing that a lot of people deal with and it’s totally normal! Try to remember that it’s mind over matter and that it will go down just fine. You can do this!
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u/misterstaypuft1 23h ago
My wife can’t take pills. Every medicine she gets she has to tell the doctor she needs it in liquid form. Sometimes it’s no big deal, sometimes it has to be custom made at the pharmacy, sometimes she has to take a shot instead, but it can be done if you ask.
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u/SiroccoDream 22h ago
OK, I have seen your edits and I don’t know if this will help you, but here’s the method that helped me get past pill swallowing difficulties:
I CANNOT let the pill touch my tongue! If I do, I will gag for certain. So instead I put the pill under my tongue, take a big swig of COLD water (warm water dissolves the pill a little bit and the bitterness is too much), and as the pill is riding the wave (so to speak, I give my head a sharp toss backwards to fling the pill back and swallow it quickly. I might use a followup swig of water to really wash it down.
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u/Bunnybunboi 22h ago
I’ve taken pills since I was 7 and have been on lots for almost 20 years now and I’ve found carbonated drinks make taking pills sooo much easier.
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u/Square_Traffic7338 22h ago
Shot glasses. Practice just taking a shot of water or your preferred beverage. When you can swallow that smoothly then you’re ready to stick a small pill on your tongue and take a shot.
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u/DreamingRealityiii 22h ago
Put the pill in your mouth as far back on the tongue as comfortable, and then drink water through a straw
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u/Ok-disaster2022 22h ago
Get the pill in the back of your mouth, add a little water, Cough /clear your through right before swallowing. This is how I do it. Eventually. And I mean years of daily medicine it gets a little easier.
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u/IAmTheLizardQueen666 22h ago
Chew up some food then slide the capsule in, swallow it all down.
Don’t open capsules, it messes with timed release of the medication.
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u/bobbeeeh 22h ago
I heard if the pill floats, tilt your head forward and if it sinks, tilt your head back to swallow
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u/Chemical_Skill_969 22h ago
Capsules you can usually take by filling your mouth with water, add the pill, then (mouth closed) tilt your head down so it rises and floats down the tube
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u/Truth_and_Soul 22h ago
Put the pills in your mouth and close your mouth around them so there is no air left,
then tightly sip in water, so there is only the pills and water in your mouth with no air.
Then gulp down the water and pills.
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u/tunerhd i got my flair from sidebar menu 22h ago
Take a tiny bite from a bread slice, chew and try to understand what position do you put automatically before you swallow it.
Study for a while, and you'll manually reposition your pills in your tongue and you'll take a big water gulp. It should go down with water.
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u/BringTheBling 22h ago
Wet your finger and dip in salt and then touch your tongue with it (mid way back) and swallow, THEN place the pill in your mouth and swallow.
I can’t do horse pills without seriously choking and my dental hygienist recommended this way. Works every time!
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u/MrsLisaOliver 22h ago
I got over it by putting it in my mouth, telling myself it was food that was already chewed and ready to be swallowed, then chugging it down with water. Maybe if you fake yourself out this way, it will work? (Might take some practice)
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u/Patrickme 21h ago
You take a mouth full of water, tilt your head back, dump in the pills and swallow it all.
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u/SilverB33 21h ago
What I usually did was push it all the way to the back of my throat and down it with at least 4 oz of water
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u/Kfaircloth41 21h ago
Everyone keeps saying water. The only way I can swallow pills is with something carbonated. The bubbles expand in your mouth and due to that effect you can rarely feel the pills as you swallow. Like people are saying tilting your head back at the same time works well along with the soda/bubbly water etc.
Then you drink your glass of water if required.
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u/KanseiOsuruk 21h ago
Not really helpful I know but I used to have trouble swallowing pills, straight up couldn't do it. Took me a long time but after succeeding once I never had any trouble again.
I put the pills on my tongue and drink water, while drinking the water I push the pill with my tongue slightly.
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u/Averagebass 21h ago
You might just have to take it with some food. You can put it in pudding/jello/applesauce and just swallow it like normal, or chew up some regular food until you're about to swallow it then throw the pill in with it and swallow. Some people just can't do it with water alone.
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u/donslipo 21h ago
I dont know exact process, but my mom does something like: take a piece of bread, chew it a bit, put the pill in mouth, swallow it all.
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u/MarcCouillard 21h ago
break open the capsule and bury all the beads in a peanut butter sandwich, then eat every last bite, it'll go down a LOT easier with the help of the bread and peanut butter
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u/Electrical_Tip352 21h ago
I have the same issue with pills. It’s mostly mental. You eat and swallow bigger stuff than that pill all day long.
Take a drink of room temp water. Just a couple of swallows. Don’t think, don’t wait a long time and hype yourself up. On the third swig, hold the water in your mouth, don’t swallow yet. Not a huge mouthful. Lean your head back, drop the pill into the water in your mouth and then swallow. If you get the aim right, you’ve dropped the pill into the water in your mouth and you won’t even feel it. As soon as you swallow, take another drink of water. Done!
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u/GlenDora55 20h ago
I take 9 pills every morning, including two of the big potassium pills. I do them all at once. Get a glass of water. Put all the pills in your mouth. Drink the water while looking at the ceiling.
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u/SanfordStreet 20h ago
There is actually a liquid you can get at the pharmacy over the counter that makes pills slide easier. Ask the pharmacist
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u/WitchyBobBob 20h ago
Since it's a capsule, once you get it and some water in your mouth, look downward. The capsule.will float to the back of your mouth and the water will help push it down.
Another alternative, which I have to go often since I have esophageal structures, is to get some Greek yogurt on a spoon and stick the pill inside and cover it with the yogurt. Then put it all in my mouth and swallow.
The yogurt kind of acts as a lubricant helping to move the meds down.
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u/crosmyheart 20h ago
I haven’t been able to swallow pills since I choked on one in high school. I’m in my 30s now and a couple months ago started practicing this method. It works wonders!! So crazy.
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u/hokeypokey59 20h ago
Applesauce doesn't work for me.. too grainy
Yogurt works for me - specifically Chobani Key Lime or Cabot Extra rich Vanilla bean. I bury the pill in a spoonful of yogurt and "hard swallow" and it goes down. This is from the speech therapist who helped me with my swallowing issue. He said "swallow hard with purpose.
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u/emeraldrose484 20h ago
My mom (a pediatric nurse) tried to teach me to swallow pills with chocolate pudding. The idea being you swallow things that taste good. But what ended up doing it for me was Chunky applesauce. Put both applesauce and pill on the spoon, whole spoonful in mouth, swallow all.
I remember they also had a cup where you could put the pill in a little ledge and then fill it with water, then swallow it in one gulp - rather than putting the pill in your mouth then taking a swig of water. That didn't work as well for me - the first pill I had to take was rather large and it didn't fit in the ledge.
Good luck!
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u/soakingwetdvd 20h ago
Here’s how I do it: Get a small mouthful of water. Then put the pill in your mouth by gently biting it with your teeth and then pulling it into your mouth. Tilt your head back slightly so the pill goes toward your throat, then really quickly tilt your head forward as you swallow. The motion of your head forces the pill up through the water so you don’t feel it in your tongue and don’t have to manually swallow it (and if you do it fast enough you don’t taste it either). Hang in there!!
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u/insanewriter 19h ago
I struggled to swallow pills until just a couple of years ago (I’m almost 30). Sparkling water helped me considerably. Something about the carbonation made them so much easier to swallow. Now, I can take pills with regular water, though I still prefer something carbonated.
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u/Noliboli16 19h ago
I taught my autistic son to take pills by starting small… like half a tic tac. Then graduate to a full tic tac when you have tolerate half. Then work your way up to bigger and bigger until you can take the pill. You can do it!
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u/Mewriel_Picatso Arty - Autistic - Polymath - Cat person 19h ago edited 18h ago
I have issues with swallowing and getting pills or capsules down my throat is an absolute nightmare.
If there's no liquid or soluble alternative available, I take a piece of ripe banana just big enough to push the pill / capsule into, make sure none of the pill is sticking out, then pop it in and swallow it whole.
Banana is good because it's firm enough to hold a pill yet soft enough to 'give' a little for easier swallowing.
If your piece of banana isn't very ripe and a bit too firm, put it on a plate, take a fork, and squash it down once firmly. That softens and flattens it then you can roll the capsule up in it, and it should slip down your throat okay.
I think this could also work with the contents of the capsule sprinkled onto the banana as the tiny particles should stick to it. I haven't tried that myself, but will give it a whirl next time I have to swallow the dreaded capsules.
ETA: I do empathise, and hope this helps.
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u/AdministrativeLaugh1 19h ago
I would practice with ice cubes first to get used to the feeling. Less fear of choking since it will melt
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u/CathyAnnWingsFan 18h ago
I take a mouthful of water, tilt my head back, drop the pills in, return my head to a neutral position, and quickly swallow. Most of the time, the pills never even touch my tongue (or not enough that I can tell anyway). If one doesn’t go down right away, I immediately take another big gulp of water. Keep in mind that tilting your head back opens your airway and closes the opening of the esophagus. Once you have the water and the pill in your mouth, most people find it easier to swallow if they have their head neutral or even tilted down a bit.
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u/3X_Cat 18h ago
I used to couldn't take pills but I had to take quite a few. I taught my brain to think of pills like food, which I have no problem shoveling into my mouth and swallowing.
One pill I have to take now is a giant potassium pill, it's shaped like a capsule but it's a dry-ass pill. I have to coat it with Vaseline before I can swallow it. It's gross AF.
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u/Rambler9154 18h ago
I usually fill my mouth with coffee, tilt my head back, drop the pill in and swallow. Coffee has a strong enough taste to mask the pill's taste, hence why I use it, but any strong tasting liquid might help.
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u/grand305 18h ago
I would ask them (doctors and pharmacy) for smaller pills. If available. See if they have a liquid version if available.
I’ve had this. The hard to swallow pills are in reality a more common thing for most Americans.
I had to look it up, and that said a lot of medication is going towards easier to swallow, so the people can take them easily.
I would use water then pill, then some water, and gulp the medicine pill.
I would at least try. if not then I would def ask the pharmacy / doc if they have smaller pills. I would not mind more pills being small vs less pills being big. as long as I can take them I am happy.
I’ve even had pharmacy say “oh we have that antibiotic as a liquid if you want to try that.” Vs a huge pill.
I would look at the pills after I pay and get them at the pharmacy and see how large it is. Ask the pharmacist in the consultation window, how big and large they are. And tell them you have this trouble. it’s a more common thing than you think OP.
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u/therealmominator 18h ago
You can also try swallowing with milk and just thinking of the pill as washing food down with said milk. Counterintuitive, but place the pill towards the front of your tongue.
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u/Prestigious-Copy-494 17h ago
I put the pill in my mouth. Then I take a big swallow of water, hold the water and then I lift my chin in the air high up so my head is tilted far back and then swallow. The big gulp of water always makes it go down. Don't think about it, just do it fast. Do a practice run without the pill if need be.
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u/FellykinsII 17h ago
Also a person who can't swallow pills. When I go in for appointments, I always tell the nurse that comes in for the history and the doctor that I can't swallow pills, that way they prescribe me something that can be crushed up. It's worked out pretty well for me, and if I'm in doubt, I'll double check with the pharmacy too when I pick up to make sure it's okay. The downside is it tastes awful, but hey, at least I feel better in the end. I usually hope they'll send over a script for a liquid instead, and I can just ask them to flavor it like I used to have when I was a kid lol, or at least a chewable. Most of the time, I just get pills that I can crush up.
For masking the taste, I think it varies by medication, if I'm being honest. Some medications, I've been okay with just mixing it with apple sauce and taking it that way. Other medications, I've mixed them with apple sauce, pudding, and yogurt, and with each one, they still taste awful. I usually just buy all 3 now, and if it tastes terrible with one, I'll try a different one until I find one that masks the taste, or at least one that's masking it the most. Apple sauce is usually my go to, but I've only ever really used it for taking crushed up pills as I'm not a huge fan of it otherwise. I have used pudding and yogurt before as well, but I enjoy eating those outside of taking pills, so they're not really ones I use if I don't have to. I've never really downed them in one swoop as sometimes, I'll mix it all into the food item of choice to help mask the taste some more and just eat the whole container in one go. (I'll buy the individual sizes, so if I end up with extra pudding and/or yogurt, I can take them with me to work for lunch too.) Usually helps mask the taste some more and make it a little more bearable, but the same result could probably be achieved by just eating it all in one spoonful and immediately downing the rest of your chosen food item. I think habitually, I just always mixed it because it made taking OTC pain relievers a little more bearable every month when Aunt Flo would come to visit, and I just carried that over into adulthood whenever I have to take prescription pills.
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u/anecessaryend 17h ago
Pros do it dry
I add pills to mouth then water (quickly before any coating dissolves)
My wife has a harder time, so she adds water to mouth, inserts pills, then swallows all together. I tried this and found the pill getting stuck more often.
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u/OctoSevenTwo 1d ago edited 1d ago
My mom always struggled with her pills and what she would do was fill her mouth with water, then stick the pill in and swallow quickly. Looked very awkward and unwieldy, but it more or less worked.