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Tips for taking medications (pills and/or capsules)



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Any pointers for taking my medications (both pills and capsules) - I purchased a "pill crusher" from the drugstore and I've been crushing them and putting them in sugar-free applesauce - but honestly, it tastes ick and I can't seem to get the pills completely pulverized to dust. Thanks!

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I started out crushing all my pills but now I use a pill cutter and cut them into 4 pieces. As long as each piece is smaller than pea size I can swallow it without a problem. Taking crushed pills was nasty no matter what I put them in!

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I have such a horrible problem with this. I either have Dannon light and fit Greek yogurt and put the pills in a spoonful to let it slide down, or I have my sugar free Jello with fat free whip cream on top ( just two table spoonfuls)),and put my pills in whip cream to let it slide down quickly. I hope this helps. After surgery, which was 3 weeks ago,I tried crushing and even breaking my pills into quarters, but I kept getting the horrible stuck feeling.

Hope this helps! It saved me from a lot of throwing up.

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i have to take 3 little Iron tablets daily, I find I'm best taking tablets with plenty of fluids, including a few mouthfuls before hand to lubricate my throat and to try and avoid doing it in a hurry. I also avoid lying down or taking them before bed given I feel a tad off afterwards.

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One pill I break in half. It is diamond shape and has a notch to cut the pill in half so each half goes down easily, but all my others go down with no problem. One at a time with a little Water and wait about 1 to 2 minutes and take the next.

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I was just banded yesterday and asked my Dr about this, he said just take them as normal, one at a time, pausing between pills. He said if they get stuck, jump up and down and touch my toes, it'll go through, but do not drink on top of a stuck pill. I've been taking pain pills only so far, but they are a good size and I haven't had any issues, it has only been a day though. I'd think if I can do right after surgery though, that it would only get better/easier as I heal.

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I take three pills every night without any issue.

GuyMontag: At first when I read your response, I admit that I thought you were being a bit flippant BUT I went ahead and tried to take my pills as I would pre-Op (the capsule were the ones that I was most worried about) and lo and behold - you were right! What a HUGE relief it is - I really hated having to ground them all and then take them in loose powder form. I am breaking the larger ones in half (or even quarters, just if I'm being super cautious) but I don't know if I even really have to go that far. Thanks for the insight!

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At my followup appt I learned that any pill that will fit int he cap of a Water bottle is fine to take as is. A little more info to add to the pot here.

I've been taking all mine as normal. I gotta say I hate taking them one at a time (I used to take 7 pills in 1 or 2 shifts), but I'm getting used to it and haven't had any get stuck as of yet.

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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