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Problem taking Metformin tablets

Posted , 3 users are following.

shirley1958
shirley1958

problem taking tablets

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • shirley1958
    shirley1958

    Posted

    OK not sure what I did wrong. I wrote my reasons for joining the forrum amd it told me I had not filled in the details so I entered 'problem taking tablets' and this is all it sent.

    ​So I will write again my question. I am 29 and 2 years ago I was diagnosed with PCOS about a year later they put me on Metformin, 2 tablets in the morning 2 in the evening. Problem is that when I was young I had an issue with a tablet that has 'mentally scared me' as they say, and since then I can only do small tablets and mostly with shiny coatings on but not the size of the metformin ones. I have spoken to my GP and be sugested crushing and putting them in things like moose, jam etc. However my brain still says this is a tablet. Insidentally I also wanted to know the validity of crushing the tablets as the web seems to say no? I found out later that there is a liquid form of metformin (by all acounts it seems it tastes terible) but my GP wont prescribe it as it is so expensive and I dont have a swallowing issue as I can eat food with no problem. I am getting depressed by all this and have sort of given up on being able to solve this. Today I decided no there must be more help out there so I am asking.

    ​Has anyone else suffered from this? what have others done? If I go on a serious weight loss does this remove the need for metformin or do I need the tablets to fix this condition? Have others got the liquid? do they do patches etc.

    ​Please help. 

  • Lioness006
    Lioness006 shirley1958

    Posted

    Can you cut the tablets in half or quarters so you can swallow them easier?

    This may sound silly, but I used to swallow gummy bears whole to see if I could swallow large pills. Maybe that will give you the confidence to get over your bad experience with tablets.

    Also, I always have the liquid in my mouth before I drop the pills in, which makes it easier to swallow.

    I can take several pills at a time now by putting them all in an old prescription bottle and "shooting" them, like a shot. I put liquid in my mouth first, tip my head back, "shoot" my pills, level my head out, swallow, and finish with some more liquid to help them down.

    Hopefully one of these suggestions helps you. Good luck!

    • shirley1958
      shirley1958 Lioness006

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply. Sadly the inability to swallow is not physical. I have tried sweets and on the whole this works. As soon as it is medical, nop cant do it. When I was much younger a tablet got stuck in my wind pipe and now it is all phycological. I have trid all sorts of things including something called a pill bottle which sounds a bit like your pill bottle but no joy. but also Metformin I was told is not a tablet that you can crush or cut up due to the way it works. 
    • Lioness006
      Lioness006 shirley1958

      Posted

      I'm sorry. I don't know what else to suggest. Has your doctor suggested anything to make them easier to take?

      I've had pills get stuck in my tonsils, particularly alprazolam, because they're small. Unfortunately, they're also horribly bitter and it takes forever to get that taste out of your mouth. I've also choked on them and gotten sick. I don't let it get to me though, because I know I need them and my dr prescribed them for a reason and I have no problem the next time.

      Just think to yourself, you eat food and swallow all day, and have no problems. A pill shouldn't be any different. Maybe it'll help you get over the psychological part. Can you take vitamins, cold medicine, or aspirin? If you can, maybe you can pretend the metformin is something you CAN take.

      I'm sorry if these don't help. I wish you the best of luck!

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