I have a fear of taking pills....?

Question

Okay I have a HUGE fear of taking pills. I get really nervous and anxieous when I have to take them. I feel like a wimp but its just something I have a very hard time doing. Can anyone give me SERIOUS advice or share their story?

AND IF YOUR JUST HERE TO MAKE FUN OF ME BUCK OFF BUDDY!!!

Thank you.

Answer 1

DO NOT CRUSH PILLS! (This is for everyone, please read the article below.)
However, you can coat them in like a spoonful of jelly and then just gulp the whole thing down. You can also put some water in your mouth, pop the pill in, then chug more water. The pill will slide right down. I used to have trouble with big pills and the jelly worked great and now I have no problems.
Just try to relax and think how much they will help when you have to take them. If they are prescribed, you can also ask for a liquid or patch instead and see if that is available.
Good luck.

Answer 2

I never swallowed a pill till I was 18, when I went on birth control pills which had to be swallowed whole (or so my mother told me). It does take a little getting used to, but now I can swallow any pill, even without water. But I still haven't figured out how people can take more than one pill at a time.

You should learn how to swallow pills, in case you have to take one sometime that have to be swallowed whole (bc might not be one of them, but there are some out there).

I'd suggest you practice with mini M&Ms. Use milk or another thick liquid (something thicker than water) to make it easier. First, just take a sip of the milk but don't swallow. Notice that the milk makes a blob shape in your mouth. Now swallow it, and notice that the entire blob goes down, it doesn't go down as a thin stream but as a blob, more or less. All you need to do is get a pill in that blob, and you won't even feel it going down. Try it with an M&M.

It's going to take some time to get used to it. Practice once or twice a day, then reward yourself with more M&Ms :-) I'll admit that even after 14 years of swallowing pills, every once and a while it gets hard for no reason - I swallow the water and not the pill itself! But I just try again - it's no big deal.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I am so there with you girl! I cannot swallow pills. It doesn't matter how much pain I am or how bad I am cramping I cannot swallow them. I just start gagging and spit it right back out. Sometimes I don't even feel it hit my gag reflex but it did hit it and I spit it right back out. At first I was embarrassed since I have never been able to swallow them. When I was younger it was okay but now that I am 18 everyone assumes I can swallow pills. I can't. Here's what I do to get past it:
I had strep recently and the doctor prescribed amoxicillin. The pills are huge. Before I even left the office I had him rewrite the prescription for amoxicillin in suspension (liquid) form.
For pain I crush my pills. Sure it tastes bad, but I would rather put up with the taste and drink juice afterwards or something than stand at the sink and choke. I ALWAYS check the packages to be sure that the medication is not time released or enteric coated. If it is either you CANNOT crush it. I even managed to take gelcaps if that is the only thing avaliable. Just poke a whole in one end and squeeze the medication onto sugar. Tylenol is easy to take. Put the medication in a ziplock, take a glass with a thck bottom and press once. Then working across the pills crush them. Works the same for all pills; except the exceptions I mentioned ealier. If I don't have anything to crush pills with or I don't want to go to the trouble I have BC headache powder. They are pre-crushed aspirin. They look like coke so you have to carry them with the package. I also have chewable tylenol they recently came out with but it is so flavored to cover up the taste of tylenol it is nasty. I almost prefer the crushed regular tylenol. So theres my story and how I work past it. Sure its all in my head but I'm fine with that. I can't swallow pills and thats just how I am. It drives my parents crazy to this day. All I hear is "If you would just swallow the pill you wouldn't have to taste it." They don't seem to see the taste doesn't bother me anymore. As for antibiotics and the like; alot of the drugs can be suspended (liquid form) so I tell the doctor that is what I want. He is good about changing it. Good luck and know you are not alone. I hope this helps. Oh and as for vitamins; you don't need them unless prescribed by your doctor so you don't have to worry about those. So I have to confess their is one pill if I really work at it I can get down. It is about 1/8 - 1/4 inch across and if I split it in half and use about 24 ounces of water and work at it I can eventually get it down if I am lucky. Alot of times I never get it down though. Just choke several times and go take some liquid medication. Nasty taster but it doesn't matter to me anymore. It is a decongestant. Use it when I have colds.

Answer 4

I have the same problem, I can't swallow pills. It just doesn't work for me.

So if a pill can't be avoided I chop it up (or open it up, depending on the type) and spread it on a peanut butter sandwich, the peanut butter over powers the taste of the pill (in most cases) or at least makes it bearable. Sometimes I will put it in apple Sauce

best of luck

Answer 5

I was scared until i was 14 or 15. I would swallow macaroni all the time when i was little cause i never like to chew it, but i couldnt swallow a pill. Well one day i got sick enough to where i needed advil but all we had was pills, so i made everyone go away while i took it. Just sit it on the back of your tounge and drink like you're thirsty. don't worry, it wont get stuck. there's really nothing to be afraid of and once you do it the first time you'll want to take pills, it's kind of fun lol. i took 3 advils at once. i actually like doing it now lol (could be a bad thing but u know lol). good luck.

p.s. just make urself do it. u'll be fine. :)

Answer 6

If it's something that u have to take, crush it. Make sure with the dr that it can be crushed. That's what we do at the hospital for ppl who have trouble swallowing. We crush them and mix them with pudding or ice cream.

Answer 7

don't worry, i HATE taking pills to. i always have trouble with them...still do. I only take small pills & that's it., i believe it might help me in the future for taking larger pills. you could try that maybe?

Answer 8

You might try to start by swallowing mini m&ms thats how I started. Then you might try little chuncks of ice....that will always melt. It is just something that you have to get used to doing. Start small and then work your way up. Good luck!

Answer 9

dear luara(if thats how you spell it)

its okay if you dont want to or are afraid of taking pills.its best if you go to the store and buy meds in liquid form.also talk to your doctor about this phobia he may be able to help you

godbless

Answer 10

try to eat with banana, chew the banana first then before you shalow put the pill in your mouth then glup.... finish as easy as that dont chew the banana much just little chunk ok. ignore that you put the pills