Does anybody else have trouble taking swallow tablets or pills?

[Neon Fire 473]

I don't take pills unless I have to, like after I got my wisdom teeth removed.  However, I used a pill crusher, because I refuse to swallow them like that.  Idk, I just can't.  I seem to have a hard time.

[Life Giver 1,063]

I don't take pills unless I have to, like after I got my wisdom teeth removed. However, I used a pill crusher, because I refuse to swallow them like that. Idk, I just can't. I seem to have a hard time.

Man that reminds me when I had mine taken out too. I couldn't go to sleep during the night because of the pain or for taking the painkillers early so I was asleep all day... bad times... Edited December 19, 2013 by zombie king24

[Neon Fire 473]

Man that reminds me when I had mine taken out too. I couldn't go to sleep during the night because of the pain or for taking the painkillers early so I was asleep all day... bad times...

 

Yeah, it sucked.  I didn't feel any pain since I took the pain killers so the worse part for me was having to sit around all day and eat crappy food.

[Zygen 6,065]

i used to be on meds for a long time and after a while i luckily got used to them.

i used to drink something with a very strong taste right before i took the pill, (coffee,coca cola) that really helped me getting it down my throat

Yeah, i guess if its something you take regularly you'd get used to it after a while.

 

Part of the reason its so hard for me is i just don't do it often.

 

Although it did still take quite a bit of time getting it to go down my throat.. You'd think it wouldn't be that hard. Maybe my subconsicous fears locked up my throat.

 

And i guess that could work. Of course if you swallow it good enough i don't think you'd taste it anyways, but yeah.

 

Well, whatever I do, they'll always get stuck in my throat. So I swallow a second time and it's fine.

I actually have difficulties to swallow food.

Oh that sucks :/. So is your throat like closed off or shrunk or something?

 

I have a friend who said he had something similar, except he doesn't typically have problems, except on an occasion or two.

 

I usually can do it fine with a drink to wash it down. Sometimes it takes two or three tries, but not usually.

 

I can't dry-swallow a pill very easily on its own ... but apparently you're not supposed to do that anyway.

I dunno how you could dry swallow a pill anyways. Sounds painful to, and if i can't get it down with liquids i'm pretty sure it ain't going down dry.

 

I guess maybe it helps make sure you don't choke?

 

Yes. I still try to avoid taking pills.

I still don't think i'll be fully in the transition of tablets and pills yet, but i do have to take these tablets, or end up with the flu. And my fear of the flu is stronger then my fear of tablets, so yeah.

 

Yay fear fights.

To help me control my ADHD, I had to take a pill everyday. So I am pretty good with swallowing them because I did it foryears.

Yeah, i guess with enough practice and all it isn't a big deal. I didn't exactly have any pills i had to take when i was young anyways, but i also didn't do well with tablets and pills anyways if i tried to take em, so i've just kinda stuck to liquids and stuff.

 

----> Me. Me. Me.

---->This topic is me all over the bloody shop.

----->pills suck, i hate them, who ever made them is a sadist.

----->I suffer as nature takes its course and it is a b****. 

 

Glad i'm not alone . Although i'm probably more afraid of them then anything i think.

 

I take liquid medicines and stuff if i get sick in normal cases, and those still help a bit.

Yes! I've had plenty of trouble taking pills and tablets in the past sometimes I have nearly vomited because of them.

 

Now though I put the tablet/pill on my tongue and knock it back with a drink easy before I would put the drink in first then the tablet/pill  .  

I'm always worried about that myself. I didn't really worry much with the tablet i took because it was really small, but with something bigger i'd be more concerned.

 

And even that tiny thing didn't wanna go down my throat. :/.

 

Knocking it back could work, maybe i'll try it.

 

And haha, yeah i don't think a drink is going to help much if its put in before the pill or tablet.

 

One of my biggest phobias in the past was trying to swallow a pill. For some odd reason, I had fears of choking on it. I would try to drink it down, but I just couldn't do it. Instead I would let the pill dissolve in water and then drink it all down. I got made fun of for it sure, but it worked fine for me. Then one day I just said to myself I was gonna swallow it down and after taking a really big sip of water and doing a really big swallow it all went down. Now I don't have any trouble with it, but I still take one pill at a time, as opposed to some people I know who swallow multiple pills with one sip.

 

You'll get over it Zygen, just keep practicing.

That sounds quite like me to a good extent. Even after taking what is a very small tablet i'm still kinda afraid of choking on it or something. It just doesn't seem like it would go down my throat whole. 

 

I think maybe the fear played a part in my throat feeling like it locked up and not letting me swallow the tablet. Of course then i bite it open(Tastes nasty) and i got it down somehow.

 

I guess baby steps, i have to take the medicine atleast a few more days, hopefully not to long though.

 

I don't know how good it would taste melted down.. I normally just opt for liquids, even if they're mostly for children and the dosages aren't always enough to make a difference.

 

I don't think i've ever been made fun of really(well besides from my brother, but thats him.) but then again i don't really disclose that to everyone, partly out of fear, and partly because its just not something to come up randomly in conversation.

 

It does kinda make me feel like some kinda underdeveloped child, ya know? I'm 16 and i still can't take pills, even my 6 year old cousin takes pills.

 

I'm glad i got sympathies and respect from y'all though, not that i really doubted it considering how much i love y'all, but yeah. It makes me feel a bit more comfortable, and even gives me a little confidence to maybe get over my fear.

 

I kinda only took the tablet because the alternative of getting the flu scares me more then the tablet. One fear prevailing over the other. I have quite alot of fears now that i think about it..

 

But yeah, i guess i'll hopefully eventually get over it.

 

And i don't think i'll be swallowing multiples anytime soon, if ever ;p.

 

Gotta work on baby steps first.

 

Thanks Sugarcube though, its nice to get to hear about another person who shares a similar fear, and how you overcame it, really it does mean alot .

 

And the help and advice from everyone is appreciated as well.

It's easier for me to swallow medicine but, when swallowing pills I would need to take it with some water for the pill to go down faster. Just keep practicing, with some water.

Yeah, i have to take it once daily(Unless i actually get the flu, then i gotta take 2 daily.) and i assume my brother will be sick for atleast a day or a couple depending. So yeah.

 

Hopefully it'll go better then todays attempt ;p.

 

I actually couldn't swallow pills when I started doing it. I was about 6 or so then, I had it crushed up into my food so I wouldn't taste it. I started practicing with just empty capsules until finally one day I got it. Never had a problem since then.

 

In fact, now I take my entire handfull of pills at once.

My mom sorta did that to an extent with the tablet, except it was icecream and it wasn't crushed up ;p. Didn't really help a ton besides hiding the awful taste.

 

Sounds like you got the hang of it though ;p.

 

Been taking them since I was 6. I don't understand why it's such a problem for people. :/

Well, its up to many things, like fear, or gag reflexes or other stuff, or maybe lack of practice.

 

Not everything is easy to pickup for everyone.

 

I don't have any issues at all... well, at least I don't think I do. I had to take these large capsules in my teenage years for some kind of minor illness; that's pretty much the extent of my experience. I took big gulps of water, that probably helped a fair bit.

I see, i really don't have to many instances where i would have to take pills or tablets, but occasionally. And i don't normally take them then.

Only kind of pill like medicine I've ever taken would be aspirin and for me I just knock it back with a glass of water no problem. I vaguely recall having to take a rather large pill dry at one point, and I still remember that being the worst. 

I've never taken aspirin really, so yeah idk. I hadn't taken any swallow medicine before today though either.

 

And that does sound quite hard, especially considering how i can't swallow a tiny tablet with water and everything ;p.

 

I don't have a problem with taking them unless I don't have water or juice. I only take the pills if I really need it.

Yeah, i think thats how your suppose to do it anyways.

 

And i don't really take medicine in general unless i really need it, but yeah.

Yeah, for the most part I have some serious problems.

 

I just have a strange feeling it's going to get stuck in my throat, and that I'll start choking.

 

Usually I have to bite it in half, then swallow it, it works every time.

i just couldn't even get it to go down, could partly be myself fearing something that causes me not to be able to swallow though with it.

 

And yeah thats what i did with the tablet, but it tastes really bad, even after i ate some icecream.

 

This used to be an issue for me, but then I got really sick. I had to take pills. Lots of them. Now I can take handfulls at a time, except with something really cold. If what I'm drinking is cold, it just sits in the back of my throat and I can't swollow, and it sits there and turns to mush and pill gross.

Yeah, i guess when your sick and want to get better you don't care as much.

 

And yeah, pills taste really bad. tablets to, definitely not something you want to taste ;p.

 

I don't take pills unless I have to, like after I got my wisdom teeth removed.  However, I used a pill crusher, because I refuse to swallow them like that.  Idk, I just can't.  I seem to have a hard time.

Ow wisdom teeth,i hope mine don't grow in or have to be taken out or something.. I have a feeling they will anyways.

 

I never heard of a pill crusher, but i can infer what it is. 

[MorningFlash 214]

It's so hard for me to take tablets, I slowly got my hands on it, then I got my brace and I just forgot how to do it all over again...

Last time I took a tablet, I puked it back up again also, so that's not particularly encouraging either.

[ReverseFaller 2,483]

I hate swallowing pills, as I'm really bad at it. I usually gag on them. I've never really taken tablets before. Capsules are the ones I really hate. They're huge, and they taste like ass. 

[Zygen 6,065]

It's so hard for me to take tablets, I slowly got my hands on it, then I got my brace and I just forgot how to do it all over again...

Last time I took a tablet, I puked it back up again also, so that's not particularly encouraging either.

Yeah, not incredibly encouraging.

 

I'm kinda scared about doing that as well.

 

I hate swallowing pills, as I'm really bad at it. I usually gag on them. I've never really taken tablets before. Capsules are the ones I really hate. They're huge, and they taste like ass. 

I feel like i would, but i don't really even bother usually.

 

Capsules are quite big, i can't remember if i've ever attempted to take one, but i had enough trouble with the tablet ;p.

 

And yeah, the tablets taste pretty akin to that...

[Esk 201]

I used to. Just don't think about it too much, and don't start off by gulping a huge pill with a tiny bit of water. It takes practice. Start with something really small (like a Zyrtec or Sudafed) and work up to a reasonably-sized one. Just out of curiosity; do you have a bad gag reflex, and does this pop up anywhere else?

[Tigerpop198 696]

The use of water always makes it easier. I always used water with any pill, that's how I learnt to take them.

[Zygen 6,065]

I used to. Just don't think about it too much, and don't start off by gulping a huge pill with a tiny bit of water. It takes practice. Start with something really small (like a Zyrtec or Sudafed) and work up to a reasonably-sized one. Just out of curiosity; do you have a bad gag reflex, and does this pop up anywhere else?

Yeah i guess it does just require some practice.

 

And I dunno exactly. Not necessarily that i'm aware of, although i'm not sure how to judge that.

 

I'm just not use to swallowing things whole.

 

I don't know if i've gagged on a pill or tablet ever actually, but its more so a fear that i might i guess if I have anything towards it.

 

The use of water always makes it easier. I always used water with any pill, that's how I learnt to take them.

[cmarston1 5,951]

I have been taking anxiety pills in the morning and pills that are supposed to help me get to sleep at night since I was quite restless as a young child and it was really tough getting me to sleep.

I have been taking them for years so now it is really easy for me to do so well kind of.

Since the taste of pills are awful I recommend taking a glass of water or juice and drinking that and using that time to swallow the pill making you unable to taste it. (You put the pill in your mouth and then drink the beverage and swallow both at the same time.)

After a while of doing that it becomes very natural and just an everyday task and nothing special what so ever.

So yeah I hope this helps.

Edited December 20, 2013 by cmarston1

[Morgielouwho 223]

I almost always gag on them but I always manage to choke them down. I know they will help out.

[SharpWit 2,472]

Taking pills for the flu doesn't prevent it. You can only get vaccines through shots, and nasal sprays. So if you don't get the flu that just means you got lucky and if you take a pill for something you don't have you'll be lucky not to overdose on something else since your body doesn't need it.

[DubWolf 16,572]

I remember my first pill. It's definitely an awkward feeling when it goes down your throat. You just have to pretend like it's not there and drink it with the water you swallow.

[Thrashy 2,798]

Eeyup. Pretty much can't swallow any pill without water (unless it's one of those tiny little decongestants), but even with water, it still takes a couple of swallows to get one down successfully.

[Creamy Arty 6,251]

Swallowing pills was nearly impossible for me as a kid. Couldn't do it without nearly choking until I was in my mid-teens. My gag reflex has always been sensitive.

 

There were two things I'd do to overcome it, that succeeded more often than not. The first being I would wrap the pill in a small amount of bread and swallow that. Could be that the softness and texture of the bread went down smoother than that hard pill. Dunno. The other was to get a mouthful of water after putting the pill in my mouth and looking down. Doing that caused the pill to float to the top of the water, which was the back of my throat, and I could then swallow it more easily.

 

Give both of those a try if you haven't already. Hope one of those eases the pain.

 

Usually I have to bite it in half, then swallow it, it works every time.

Too bad they typically taste horrible when you do that. 

[Zygen 6,065]

I have been taking anxiety pills in the morning and pills that are supposed to help me get to sleep at night since I was quite restless as a young child and it was really tough getting me to sleep.

I have been taking them for years so now it is really easy for me to do so well kind of.

Since the taste of pills are awful I recommend taking a glass of water or juice and drinking that and using that time to swallow the pill making you unable to taste it. (You put the pill in your mouth and then drink the beverage and swallow both at the same time.)

After a while of doing that it becomes very natural and just an everyday task and nothing special what so ever.

So yeah I hope this helps.

Yeah i guess after a while its just second nature ;p.

 

And thanks i'll have to try and remember when i gotta something again.

 

Taking pills for the flu doesn't prevent it. You can only get vaccines through shots, and nasal sprays. So if you don't get the flu that just means you got lucky and if you take a pill for something you don't have you'll be lucky not to overdose on something else since your body doesn't need it.

Idk, all i know is we went to the doctor and she gave everyone medicine to take, i think its the same as what my brothers taking to get over the flu, but just less.

 

I may already have the flu to, so who knows. 

 

I remember my first pill. It's definitely an awkward feeling when it goes down your throat. You just have to pretend like it's not there and drink it with the water you swallow.

Yeah it is kinda awkward, i guess if i'm less conscious about it it might work out better.

 

Eeyup. Pretty much can't swallow any pill without water (unless it's one of those tiny little decongestants), but even with water, it still takes a couple of swallows to get one down successfully.

Well i can't take them at all without water, hardly with it ;p.

Swallowing pills was nearly impossible for me as a kid. Couldn't do it without nearly choking until I was in my mid-teens. My gag reflex has always been sensitive.

 

There were two things I'd do to overcome it, that succeeded more often than not. The first being I would wrap the pill in a small amount of bread and swallow that. Could be that the softness and texture of the bread went down smoother than that hard pill. Dunno. The other was to get a mouthful of water after putting the pill in my mouth and looking down. Doing that caused the pill to float to the top of the water, which was the back of my throat, and I could then swallow it more easily.

 

Give both of those a try if you haven't already. Hope one of those eases the pain.

 

Too bad they typically taste horrible when you do that. 

idk if my gag reflexes are that bad or not.

 

i think i'm more so afraid and kinda paranoid that i'll choke or something though.

 

I'll have to try that though. Thanks.

 

And i'm not really in pain right now, i haven't got the flu yet, its just a matter of dodging it, which i may already have it as i was around my brother prior to him getting it fully. 

 

Hopefully i don't catch it though, guess well see.

[SharpWit 2,472]

yeah you would only take it so as not to suffer as much against the sympyoms and to fight against it

[Zygen 6,065]

yeah you would only take it so as not to suffer as much against the sympyoms and to fight against it

Yeah, idk maybe my mom or the doctor one is having us take it due to us having been exposed to him while he was contagious. 

 

I have no idea frankly, i was at school when they went to the doctors office.

[lincolnshirepony 527]

I'm very horrible at swallowing pills. I've only done it a handful of times in my life, with great difficulty every time. This year I had to take a medication which required swallowing for about six days, and it was terrible. I ended up sticking the pills in yogurt and trying to get that down with water. It tasted horrible and took several tries, but it eventually got the job done.  

Edited December 20, 2013 by lincolnshirepony

[Zygen 6,065]

I'm very horrible at swallowing pills. I've only done it a handful of times in my life, with great difficulty every time. This year I had to take a medication which required swallowing for about six days, and it was terrible. I ended up sticking the pills in yogurt and trying to get that down with water. It tasted horrible and took several tries, but it eventually got the job done.  

Glad i'm not alone then ;p. 

 

The icecream i put the tablet i had in all ended up melting before the tablet went anywhere lol. So yeah.

 

Bitting it in half didn't taste very good either...

[Virulence 254]

No I don't have issues with pill swallowing. It's pretty easy if it's a gel coat one, but those powder ones that stick to your throat are a little more difficult.

[Gone Airbourne 21,969]

When I first tried swallowing pills I absolutely detested it :/... 

 

But it is not so bad really I can swallow *most* pills without water but not those over-sized tank ones 

[ded 121]

I used to take pills all the time, and I've grown very used to it at this point.

 

Though at first, my throat would seem like it's swelling up, oddly enough, and I would be able to feel the pill down my throat.

Not tryna anyone uncomfortable or anything xD

[Starlighty 790]

Ok yes, thank you for making this topic because EVER since I WAS young I could never swallow pills ... I LITTALY had to take kids chew ables till like a year ago... plus children chew ables  taste better anyways... but I choked a lot while trying to take pillls >..> even now its hard for me even though i have gotten use to it.