I'm kind of embarassed to ask but, how do you take a pill? why can't i swallow it easily?

Question

I'm 14 and still can't take a pill, I find it hard to swallow and the pill stays on my tongue. I even tried swallowing it in a piece of food, but that didn't work.
How did you learn to take it?

I have to be able to swallow a pill like right now, I'm sick with Bronchitis and need to take 2 pills. Please help me!

banana was a bad idea!! i accidentally chewed the pill and gagged!

Answer 1

Relax Relax Relax Relax Relax Relax Relax Relax Relax
then put water in your mouth 1st then put the pill then drink the water and drink more water!

Answer 2

The first important thing is not getting anxious when you take the pill. You need to be relaxed.If you are quite apprehensive before taking it, take deep breaths (in and out) until you feel relaxed. That will help to relax your neck and throat musles and facilitate swallowing.

Next, drink a little water to keep your mouth and throat moist. {They say place the pills on the tip of your tongue then swallow with water- but that does not work in my case.} I found it easier to swallow by placing the pill at the backpart of my tongue without touching the tip or sides of the tongue, keeping my head a bit tilted then swallowing it with a cup of water or two. I would then take a small piece of any food to change the undesirable taste I could sense (if there is any). Be sure not to throw the pills into your throat as it can stimulate your gag reflex and you could end up vomiting or you may choke.

I would say however, that an easy way to swallow pills largely depends on what you learned and discovered as effective in your case. You may want to try to find what is the best suitable method for you. Practice swallowing a candy with similar size to your pill. Then apply the way you feel is the easiest way for you, the on the next time of taking a dose of your pill.

Answer 3

Forget water. Some people have a very strong gag reflex. They will gag as soon as a hard object gets to the back of the throat. I have this problem and my father and brother, also, cannot take pills with water or any other liquid.
Please give this a try. Yes, you use a bolus of chewed up food. But the type of food should be chosen carefully. Any food that is soft, (like e.g. chewed banana), will NOT work well. The pill is in the middle of the chewed up, soft food & will elicit the gag reflex like a liquid.. Try some rough food that is still moldable like chewed up rye bread, lasagna, lightly chewed corn, etc. that can be molded around the medication but is rough enough to mask the hard outline of the pill or the margin of a large capsule.. Then swallow it. Or swallow some of that chewed up food and quickly swallow another chewed up food bolus with the tablet hidden in it. You could even swallow some water just before trying the preceeding procedure. That should work. Also, many people tilt their head bacwards in order to swallow pills. Don't. Tilting the head narrows the diameter of the throat. Keep your head level and swallow. (that level head aspect opens the throat to its widest diameter. )
I know the move works I've used it for 55 years.
Good luck and please do not feel ashamed.
Doc. Dan.
Mr. Enrique is correct. As a last resort braking the pill into small pieces or powder, and swallowing it, with a liquid, will work. (I have resorted to that method when there was no suitable foods available.) But there are drawbacks to that last-resort method. Taste is one of them but not too serious, nor long term. The real problem could arise with sustained release medications which are designed to deliver a steady dose of medication over an extended period of time. And, also, enteric coated drugs. (in both these situations the pill's outer coating is important and should not be destroyed, if possible. For example, drugs that have a coating that prevents them dissolving in our stomachs., but they later dissolve in the small and large intestine. Some medications irritate the stomach lining, such as aspirin, & their pills have enteric coatings.
If none of of the suggested pill taking methods work, many drugs can be bought as liwuid suspensions or solutions. Other pills are compounded as suppositories which are inserted up our anus and dissolve there.

Answer 4

In general,

1) drink water to lubricate the throat and oesophagus.
2) put pill in mouth.
3) add water in mouth, then swallow water + pill.

Often, it is difficult to swallow pills because they are dry and stick to dry mucus membranes. Step 1 is an important step.

Next attempt:
dense, viscous food (like cooked oatmeal). However, still use the steps from above (especially step 1). Put the pill in the spoonful for step 2.

If that still does not work, try some solid food; use a piece that could be swallowed whole without choking (e.g., a small patty of cooked hamburger, a small meatball with spaghetti sauce). Don't forget steps 1 and 3.

Answer 5

first figure out if the pill floats or not.
if the pill sinks, take it in your mouth, take some water then lift your face up- the pill will sink and therefore will be at the back of the throat. Once you swallow the pill goes first and the water follows
If it floats (eg like a capsule) take it in your mouth, take some water then bend forward, with the face down. The pill will float up to the back of your throat. Once you swallow the pill goes first and the water follows
Don't be shy. I had the same problem and this method works every time
and if it does not, just take another swallow of water and repeat.

Answer 6

Try putting a little water (or whatever) in your mouth first. Slip a pill in, then take another drink. When you turn the drink up; take a couple of swallows in a row. And like the other guy said RELAX!!! Good luck!

Answer 7

don't think about it first of all
either place it on the very back part of your tongue and drink alot of water (8 oz) or place some water in your mouth and slip the pill in between your lips and swallow

Answer 8

I also had the same problem as you. What I did was

-Drink a small amount of water
-Put the pill on thetip of my tongue(Not to the point that it falls)
-Close your mouth and let it sit in the middle of your tongue.
-Take a BIG gulp of water

It should work for small to medium pills.

Answer 9

put the pill on the very back of your tongue and take a sip of water and swallow it and keep on trying until you get it down.

Answer 10

Don't overthink this one. The harder you try, the more difficult. If it's a capsule, put the cap and a mouthful of water in your mouth, tilt your head forward, and swallow. If it's a tablet, tilt your head back.