what is the best way to swallow a medical tablet/capsule? I always tend to choke and spit it out.?

Answer 1

Eek.. I'm seeing a lot of advice on this post that I would be very cautious taking.

Firstly, what medication are you trying to take? The type of medication really makes a real difference. For example, time delayed 'extended-release' or 'sustained-release' pills or anything with an enteric coating cannot be crushed. Multivitamins that contain iron aren't meant to be crushed, either. I recommend my patients to drop these medications into a little (heavy) mineral oil and drink a full glass (at least 8 ounces) of water with the medicine.

Capsules, if sealed, typically can't and shouldn't be opened. Ask you pharmacist what you can do with these medications.

Is the medicine bitter? Mineral oil does the trick, too.

If the medicine can be crushed, crush it and add it to a cup of applesauce.

Is the medicine too big? Again, if the tablet can be crushed try splitting it and taking it as two pills.

Finally, if all else fails, ask your pharmacist if there is a liquid or chewable formulation for your medication. They can get your medicine swapped for a liquid formulation easily. The most important thing here is that you get your medication.

If your local pharmacist is unable or unwilling to help, try another pharmacy. It's our job to ensure you're able to get your medication in a form you are comfortable taking.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Option1 - Put the pill in yr mouth, fill up yr mouth with water as much as you can and swallow in one big gulp. Doing it this way the pill will take a normal course down to your stomach. Don't be so conscience of the pill bcos you will tend to narrow the passage near your throat and you will definitely choke.

Option 2 - Grind the tablet to powder or take out the contents of capsule and mix with a teaspoon of yoghurt (a flavour that you like). Eat it and drink some water to rinse your mouth. I do this for my kids.

Answer 3

Hi! Try to drink a little bit of water, so the medicine will go down easily, and have enough water to take with it also.

If it's a pill/medication that is not coated... it will desolve quickly, so you kind of have to swallow it quick or it will taste really bad.

Another thing... Ask your doctor, if your prescription is "crushable", or if you can cut it w/ a pill splitter. Some meds cannot be crushed or split because of time release formulas.

Also, you can get a spoon of applesauce, pudding or yogurt, and hide the pill in there... Swallow the applesauce w/meds as if you were eating just plain old applesauce.

If you do get that nasty medicine taste in your mouth, try drinking a glass of milk, or apple juice.

Answer 4

I choked on a tylenol once and for years, I was paranoid about swallowing pills.
I really had to work on it.
Now I can swallow those monster vitamins and boy, am I proud of myself!!

The key is just trying not to think about it.
It sounds hard to do - but it works if you just take a swig of water, (don't swallow it) and then put the pill in, toss it kind of to the back of your tongue, and then without thinking about it, just take another swig and down it.

It's also easier to drink milk instead of water, this way you don't really feel the pill in your mouth.

Oh and by the way, if you ever need just a regular painkiller for simple headaches or muscle aches or whatever, there's a great thing called BC Powder. It's faster than advil or any pill like that as it's powder and it doesn't even taste like anything.
(Crushed pills usually taste nasty, as you may know.)
You just put it on your tongue and wash it down with a drink.

Answer 5

Ask your pharmacist if they have a "pill cup" a cup with a little pocket in it that floats the med down with liquid when used for a drink (haven't seen one, but recommended by another parent,

Use a straw. put the pill on his tongue. Then using a straw, suck down three big gulps of water (or whatever). With a straw there is no pill floating around in your mouth like there is if you just try to swallow a pill with a big mouthful of water

JELLO!!! What about yummy red slurp right down your throat Jello(put the med in the jello, spoon out a big chunk and swallow.

I've tried these last ones for my kids and they all worked.

some tablets you can crush up , with two spoons, but then you might actually taste the bitterness of the meds. better to swallow whole....

some use a mouth full of peanut butter, with their meds in it.

Answer 6

I can't really swallow pills unless they are small. But what I have found that helps is to get a mouth full of food and then put the pill in your mouth right before you get ready to swallow. You can follow with liquid if needed.

Answer 7

Melt the tablet in a cup of warm water, just drink it. Open the capsule, it's powder form....won't that just too easy to swallow?

Answer 8

Hard question. Most medicines are available in liquid form; you might consider asking your doctor if this is the case with your meds. :)

I usually get a bit of food (what ever you'd like) and chew until I'm almost ready to swallow. I pop the pill in, take a sip of water, and down it goes! I then drink 1/2 a glass of water to make sure it's down.

Good luck!! :)

Answer 9

Two ways: take a spoonful of applesauce or pudding and take the pill with that, or take some water in your mouth, tip your head back as if you were going to gargle, and drop the pill in. This second way takes practice, but it can work pretty well.

You won't choke if you can concentrate on keeping your throat relaxed.

Answer 10

tried all of the following on different patients.

crush meds (use back of spoon) and put in jelly or applesauce.
you can open capsule also and do this. Ask pharmacist if your meds is safe to crush.

put pill, capsule into piece of banana and swallow it.

hold your head back place on back of tongue and swallow with large drink of water.

ask pharmacist to change med to a liquid form.