I can't swallow pills!

Mustangsally82 · 02-03-2007, 11:23 AM

I've always had a problem with big pills like vitamins and some antibiotics. I am on several prescriptions and don't have a problem with those pills that I do take as long as I take them with a carbonated drink.

I was given a new drug to try a few weeks ago and it takes me 3 or 4 attempts to swallow it down. It's a small pill but it must be dense because it sinks in my mouth when I'm trying to take it.

I am currently not taking any vitamins because the pills are too big. Can anyone recommend some chewable vitamins for adults, or powder vitamins that don't taste awful? I really need to take a basic vitamin if nothing else, but I just can't swallow the pills.

sinnie · 02-03-2007, 12:42 PM

The one your having trouble with, the prescribed one, are you able to cut it in half or crush it into a drink? You might want to ask your doctor.

I used to get the big version of metformin, I guess it was a different generic, now the ones I get are like aspirin. Anyway to help me, I would drink first, put it on my tongue and swallow it with a big gulp of water. If it's floating in the water in my mouth, I usually didn't notice it and it went down right away.

I also get mine stuck in my throat a lot and it SUCKS! Especially if they're a smelly nasty thing!!

I dont know of any chewable vitamins or powders for adults that don't taste awful unfortunately. If anyone knows of any I'd like to know too!

I'm with you and I hate taking pills!

lachicarubia · 02-03-2007, 01:14 PM

I use a whole food multivitamin from VivaTRU. I take the capsules whole, but I open the capsules, and mix the powder with juice for my DSs. They tolerate it very WELL, even my 7 year old, who is very picky and refuses a lot of things.

They are GREAT, because whole food vitamins are made from REAL food, and are 100% absorbable.
Most vitamins on the market are synthetic, they are created in a lab. Synthetic vitamins are only about 20% absorbable. So you would have to take about 5 of those synthetic vitamin pills in order for your body to ABSORB enough vitamins to meet the RDA's.

Mustangsally82 · 02-03-2007, 09:38 PM

The thing is that this new prescription is half a pill. I'm only taking half, and it still sinks straight to the bottom of my mouth. I'm going back to see my doctor soon and hope to ask if there's an alternative, but until then I've already paid for the pills I currently have so I kind of feel obligated to take them.

Where do I find these natural vitamins? Also, I've heard that you can't absorb more than 500mg of calcium at one time, but is this only for synthetic calcium pills, and if you took natural ones could you absorbe more than 500mg at a time?

Jashobeam · 02-03-2007, 09:43 PM

DH has swallowing problems in regards to pills. He takes kids gummy multivitamins. I sometimes take kids chewable vitamins. Both have the adult dose recommendation on the back of the bottle.

Fuzzy Bear · 02-03-2007, 10:14 PM

Isn't this where we come in singing?
Just a spoonful of sugar, wait a min... can't use sugar...

Just a spoonful of jelly? The fat free kind of course! Or cottage cheese, or ice cream? ok not ice cream!
Helps the medicine go down.
The medicine go dooowwwwn.
The medicine go down...

So Yeah, have you tried taking it in a mouthful of something with a strong taste; it should probably be something thick, like jam. Other than that, I agree with the other cyster and think you should go the chewable way. My 15 yr. old can't swallow big pills either so I got him flintstones chewable and he loves it! (esp. since his older brother can't have any lol)
HTH
Good Luck with your meds.

Fuzzy Bear

lachicarubia · 02-03-2007, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mustangsally82

Where do I find these natural vitamins? Also, I've heard that you can't absorb more than 500mg of calcium at one time, but is this only for synthetic calcium pills, and if you took natural ones could you absorbe more than 500mg at a time?

Here is a link with more info about the Whole Food multivitamin form VivaTRU: Click here.

Here is more info about Calcium absorption:

Quote:

The great majority of retail calcium products are produced by bonding calcium to inorganic chemical salts. Unfortunately, the body does not readily absorb and utilize this form of calcium. Many manufacturers have added magnesium to increase the absorption qualities of their calcium. Restructuring cheaper products, however, is not the answer as most of the calcium in these products is not absorbed across the intestinal wall.

Quote:

For Example: 1,000 mg of calcium citrate yields 21% calcium (210 mg calcium). Out of the 210 mg of calcium, if 20% is absorbed, then your body will absorb 42 mg of calcium into the blood stream. So in this example, after taking 1000 mg of calcium citrate, only 42 mg of calcium will be absorbed into the blood stream.

Source: VivaTRU

VivaCal, from VivaTRU is different! VivaCal contains the patented amino acid chelated calcium, proven to absorb better than other forms of calcium sold in the market.
Since the calcium is bound to an amino acid, the body recognizes it as food, and readily absorbs it into the blood stream.

Quote:

VivaCal, on the other hand, is not a restructured inorganic product; rather it is a quality calcium mineral bonded through an amino acid chelation process. This process allows for the bonding of calcium to amino acids and results in the natural absorption of Viva-Cal throughout the intestinal tract. High quality magnesium is added to Viva-Cal because recent research has shown that magnesium is equally important in helping to prevent osteoporosis. Magnesium also contributes to increased energy, muscle relaxation, and reduced tooth decay and atherosclerosis.

Source: VivaTRU

On the VivaTRU VivaCal, it lists the amount of calcium that will actually reach the cells: 140 mg/capsule, which is WAY more than the 42mg of calcium that will be absorbed from a supplement with calcium citrate from of calcium.
Here is more info about VivaCal from VivaTRU: click here

The chart below shows the different absorption levels of the different forms of calcium. The VivaTru VivaCal has the Calcium Chelate form of Calcium (the tallest one, in the middle)

Mustangsally82 · 02-03-2007, 11:28 PM

thanks for all the great info!

I've tried putting it in yogurt, applesauce etc. before, but I'm really strange in that I chew all of my food. I chew ice cream, yogurt, etc. so I can't really put a spoonful of something in my mouth and just swallow it. I need to work on that too, because it's probably part of the problem of swallowing a pill whole.

I've taken Flintstone's vitamins before but they taste so bad. And they're not really gender-specific so I feel like I'm missing out on some things.

Jashobeam · 02-05-2007, 12:10 PM

The Flintsones gummies taste good!

cyster17899 · 02-06-2007, 03:05 PM

I take Centrum chewable multivitamins. You can get them from wal-mart.

ttara123 · 02-06-2007, 04:59 PM

I don't know what to say about your prescription pills, but there are new multivitamins from Viactiv called "flavor glides" that supposedly go down better. I have some, but I don't have any trouble swallowing pills anyway, so I can't compare. You can get a free sample at http://walmart.triaddigital.com/Free-Samples.aspx and Walgreens also has them on sale now -free after a mail-in rebate

I think viactiv also haw chewy vitamins that are like the chocolate calcium chews they started out with.

Jashobeam · 02-07-2007, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ttara123

I don't know what to say about your prescription pills, but there are new multivitamins from Viactiv called "flavor glides" that supposedly go down better. I have some, but I don't have any trouble swallowing pills anyway, so I can't compare. You can get a free sample at http://walmart.triaddigital.com/Free-Samples.aspx and Walgreens also has them on sale now -free after a mail-in rebate

I think viactiv also haw chewy vitamins that are like the chocolate calcium chews they started out with.

I just got my free sample in the mail! I'm giving it to mom though

I love Walmart free samples!

sailorzeo · 02-23-2007, 12:54 AM

When my aunt was post-surgery after her gastric bypass, her multivitamins were in sheet form, like the Listerine Pocket Packs, that little sheet that dissolves on your tongue. I don't think they were prescription, but I don't know where she got them from.

And yeah, when I was a kid, I had a rough time taking pills. It was so bad, if my parents forgot to ask the doctor for chewable or liquid, they had to pretty much shove the pills down my throat, like you do with a dog or cat. I just could NOT swallow them. I'd choke and gag and throw up. I think that changed when I started getting my period and started taking ibuprofin like candy. :-P

Zeo

Mustangsally82 · 02-23-2007, 09:50 PM

I got my Viactiv sample a few days ago and had no problems taking it.

Now I just need for Wal-Mart to start selling them! I checked today and all they had were the chewable things, which have way too much sugar in them.

I did see the Centrum chewables, but the only kind they had at my small Wal-Mart was Centrum Silver chewables. I passed on them, hopefully the Viactive ones will be out soon.

lightfello · 02-23-2007, 11:52 PM

I know they also make a Centrum liquid. My brother takes that since he can't swallow pills either.