taking medication

[contaenamhi]

I can't swallow medication in whole (don't ask). A few days ago my doctor proscribed me stemetil for vertigo. I break it down with my teeth then swallow it. On websites it says the tablet (like most) should be swallowed whole. will it work doing what I do. to give tablets to older people they say put it in their food and then they chew it and swallow it, isn't that the same thing as what I do . and I always wondered can you actually ask a doctor for something that's not in tablet form? thanks

[Ice.Maiden]

My sister's on Stemetil for vertigo, and like you, she doesn't swallow tablets well. By chopping them up, you're liable to taste the acrid stuff inside, but it doesn't really matter if you can bear the taste. It all goes down the same way.

[skyep]

Hi con - I would strongly advise getting advice off your doctor! I once watched a medical programme which said it depended on the medication prescribed, whether or not it was advisable to break medication up, something to do with the effectivness of absorbtion in to the body. May be your doctor could tell you of an alternative, or whether in fact it is actually o.k to break this particular medicine up to swallow.

[Aprillove]

It's also available in liquid form. That shouls help her. It's not advisable to break the tablets up.

[gelda]

Some tablets can be dangerous if broken up so as skyep says check with your doc first. I'm taking a tablet for bone cancer I have to take it after starving for 8 hours and then stand up or sit up straight without food or drink for another hour which is a real pain as you can imagine but I'm told that it could be dangerous if taken any other way so always read the label or check with your gp first.

[skyep]

gelda - Really sorry to hear you are unwell. Best wishes to you xxx

[gelda]

Thankyou Skyep, I'm coping and very positive, just taking each day as it comes.

[skyep]

gelda - I know absolutely nothing about bone cancer, but I imagine it has made a massive impact on your everyday life! So, I have the utmost respect for your continued positive outlook. I believe strongly in a positive attitude. Hats off to you!!!!!! xxx

[Robinia]

I have stemetil too & I know you can buy Buccastem over the counter (same ingredient) which dissolves slowly in your mouth. However it's not as strong as the prescription ones. It's always best to mention the swallowing probs to your GP at the time as many drugs have alternative forms.
I couldn't swallow pills for a while some yrs ago & it's awful, so I know how you feel. (btw, I found taking pills with milk is easier as it makes your mouth slippery & they don't stick)

All the very best with your treatment gelda...I do wonder how on earth they work out these routines with cancer drugs.

[gelda]

It's probably something to do with how the body's system absorbs the drugs there must be a reason for taking them this way otherwise you could just pop them at any time. I count myself very lucky I was paralysed from the waist down this time last year but now with all these drugs I can walk and drive again. Unfortunately I've got breast cancer which is too far gone to have anything done about it and I've just had a blood test which shows the cancer has spread elsewhere so I've now got to have an MRI scan.The point about this is that if anyone else out there has cancer don't give in to it , think positive, I've had it for 8 years now and everybody is amazed that I'm still here and I'm sure it's the positive thinking that helps. (sorry I've rambled on a bit) Gelda.

[Robinia]

oh my goodness Gelda, that's an awful lot for you to be going through. I've survived 20 yrs+ against the odds following cancer treatment but there's been breast cancer in our family & we (I have a sister) live with the worry of that.
I admire your spirit & hope you've got lots of support.

(sorry we've drifted from the Q in your thread contaenamhi)

[bednobs]

some tablets are film coated or slow release in order that they are delivered properly, The stomach breaks them down at a different rate and because of this it is dangerous to chop them up. have you tried , for example taking with food, or in a spoonful of jam?
Stemitil can be given by a tablet that dissolves in the mouth and although its a different dose thats because more is absorbed when you take it that way. Ask your gp

[shaneystar2]

All of the above but have you tried swallowing them down with fizzy ?
Fizzy water or lemonade .. I am the worlds worst gagger for pills and a friend advised me to do this and I find it so much easier to take them that way .

Gelda ..my best wishes to you and good luck with your treatment .

[Whoever]

I had the same problem when I was a small child. My dad used to crush the tablets into a fine powder between two teaspoons and mix the powder with a blob of jam or honey which I found I could swallow. The sweetness of the jam usually managed to disguise any unpleasant flavour of the medication itself.

[Ice.Maiden]

I'm very sorry to hear about your condition Gelda, and aplogise for not enlarging on what I believe to be the truth. People are correct in saying that some medication needs to be taken whole, for the slow-release effect, and other medication has to be taken with water, or before, during or after food, whatever. As far as I'm aware, Stemetil can be broken up though. I do hope that you continue to think positively, and that you'll be alright - x.

[gelda]

Thanks Ice maiden.

[contaenamhi]

how do people reply to each person, I seen people do that on other questions.

thanks Ice.Maiden, skyep, Aprillove, gelda, Robinia, bednobs, shaneystar2 and Whoever

for some strange reason it only gets bad at night time, and it does taste awful biting it, but it seems to work. I eat a yoghurt after it to get rid of the taste.

gelda - I can't imagine what you are going through. felt like an idiot complaning about what I can't do, when I read your post, hope you get better soon and take care.

[contaenamhi]

Robinia - drift away, certainly no need to apologize for it.

[bigmamma]

Gelda sweetie , I hope you are coping alright , it must be hard and you must have some awful days , all the best to you :-) xxx

I hope you will go back to your gp contaenamhi and get liquid form , it must be horrid not being able to swallow tablets hole :-) x

[contaenamhi]

went back to doctor, she took me off stemetil altogther and said eat healtier and gave me these big rocks of tablets, but luckily they disolve on my tongue.