Ideas re: swallowing pills and sleep meds

Hi Chris, Sorry no help at all re the sleeping pills, but the swelling issues I can empathise 100%. IF I have the option for soluble I take it. IF I have the option to cut the pills into tiny pieces and swallow 1 by 1 with mouthfuls of custard or yoghurt or even soft jelly/jello. IF I have the option to grind and stir through ice-cream I take it. I always discuss with any prescribing doctor options for small capsules or curable tablets. With over the counter stuff (Panadol, Tylenol etc) I choose "mini-caps" options. In short, with meds I become a baby. It can take me up to 30 mins to swallow a dose I have cut up to take with custard. IF this has not happened to someone they have zero idea of the issue and hence zero sympathy. Try my solutions, plus, try to relax when swallowing. It does help. A little bit. Jenny

Hi Chris

You're having a rough time it seems. My only thought to add onto the pills post is something that was suggested a year or so ago here by folks talking about trying to swallow food. Some people reported that drinking a little warm water or other liquid before/between each tiny bite helped them.

This makes sense to me as I recall that it became impossible for my guy to drink cold water & milk, and he didn't gave Sjogren's. The cold seemed to make his throat spasm a bit. The esophagus is a muscle and muscles need to be warmed up for best performance.

On sleep: doesn't sound as tho your pills are working. That psychiatrist is a joke!

Hi , cant help with sleeping pills (I average between 3 and 5.30 hours ..depending on whether I have slept 3 hours or 5 hours sleep I have had the previous night and I don't  take the prescribed amitriptyline )

?Re the swallowing ..I normally take room temperature water with tablets/capsules and if I take cold water  the tablets (even the tiniest ones) get stuck to my tongue. I take a mouthful of normal water pop the tabs in towards back of mouth  and tilt my head up..the tabs go to back of throat and I swallow; sometimes they stick in the esophagus....so I drink more water on top. Seems to work for me.

Following on from others -I have also had more luck with swallowing pills with something carbonated than flat. No idea why.

I hope you don't take this wrong but I think your psychiatrist is a boob. You need to go see a GI doctor. When you start having trouble swallowing your pills that you did not have a problem swallowing before it is definitely a sign of something wrong. I started having trouble swallowing my food and even water I would choke on and of course pills as well. I was also having a lot of stomach aches and bloating and that is what brought me to the GI doctor. And I was shocked when he asked me if I had trouble swallowing. It turns out it is a symptom of gastritis and gastroparesis so that's why I'm suggesting you go see a GI doctor. In the meantime I will give you a helpful hint about swallowing your pills. If you have any capsules to swallow instead of tilting your head back you want to tilt It forward because capsules float and so the capsule will float up towards the back of your throat when you tip your head down. When it comes to tablets which for me are my hardest. I just try to really throw my head back fast and hard and that usually does the trick. If one gets stuck in your throat and this happens to me frequently a piece of bread will push it down all the way.

As far as your sleeping problem goes you don't mention what you're taking to help you get to sleep. I personally had no luck at all on the normal sleep aids that are often prescribed. I am having a lot of luck taking trazodone 150 mg. I take that about 9:00 pm and it really helps me sleep. It is an antidepressant but a lot of psychiatrist will prescribe it as a sleep aid because it works so well that way. Good luck to you and I hope things work out for you. Keep me posted.

I thank you all VERY much for your help! It’s a scary thing to have a hard time swallowing pills. I used to help my mom with this with applesauce etc. but she was 74 and I just turned 50. Again, thank you all so much!

I really understand how you feel re swallowing. I have SS over 20 years and that's my worst symptom. All my medication has to be liquid form where possible, otherwise I crush what isn't.What about swallowing food? That's a nightmare for me and most of my food has to be bland/blended.Unfortunately, there is no other way and I hardly eat out now. It can be frustrating at times but then I'm aware there are people worse off.......

There is a product called "Gloup" which is a lubricant made to help people take tablets.  Might help!