What Do You Do To Alleviate Difficulty In Swallowing Medications? Does It Make A Difference If You Take A Lot Of Medication?
Check out a compounding pharmacist in your area. These guys have great ways of taking your meds and making them palatable and swallowable. They have patients of different needs, cancer, Parkinsonism, and in particular young patients. Spoke to mine many years ago and he said he often makes them into lollypops or those "freezies" that youngsters like. They. know what they are doing
A friend suggested I use a straw to take my tablets with as I have often had problems with swallowing them (currently take 5 in the morning, 2 @ noon and with evening meal and 4 before going to bed). Especially by using a wide-bore straw, the fairly large "stream of water", quite effectively directs the various shaped and sized tablets straight down into my throat without any choking (which I quite often experience) and now, no longer "panic" doing this!! Might be worth a try? x
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I am a nurse, also. I would bring that up to my doctors attention. If a pill is not scored, you can half it where it's scored but do not crush without approval. Some pills have an elixir(liquid) form. As stated by others, mixing with applesauce or pudding is another great option. You can also purchase thick drinks like ensure, boost, special K or thick smoothie type drink. Take 1-2 pills at a time and try using a straw. The straw helps channel your drink and pills in the right direction, otherwise, you can aspirate ( take food into the lungs which is called aspiration pneumonia ). I personally had to have an EGD ( scope of my esophagus-upper GI series). I had to have my esophagus stretched. Your MS doctor will typically refer you to a specialist. I started out seeing an ENT( Ear, Nose, & throat ) first. He had an in office scope, then scheduled me for a swallow study with and without contrast. A swallow study provides information on what foods/drinks you are able to swallow without choking. Then I was referred to a GI (Gastrointestinal doctor) for further testing. I hope this helps some.
I don't find pills a problem with swallowing. I find it with other foods. I get scared to eat at times, knowing that there is a good chance I could choke on it.
What Do You Do To Alleviate Difficulty In Swallowing Medications? Does It Make A Difference If You Take Many Meds?
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