I am starting to hate myself because of the fact that I can’t swallow pills.
I just want to be a normal/regular person.
I tried all methods doesn’t work. Im tired of this.
Any suggestions?
How do you swallow pills?
r/ask
I am starting to hate myself because of the fact that I can’t swallow pills.
I just want to be a normal/regular person.
I tried all methods doesn’t work. Im tired of this.
Any suggestions?
Comments
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I gag like a MF
Pill in mouth > líquid in mouth > swallow liquid and pill
The end.
I put it under my tongue, then drink several gulps of water.
Medium sized sip of water
Drop pill in
Take a big drink of water that washes everything down the esophagus
Well, you already tried all methods, so I have nothing left to suggest.
Practice with tic tacs. If you can’t do a full one, cut it in half.
You should be able to go to a special pharmacy to get liquid if you really need to. Ask your doctor.
Ask your mom.
Hide the pills in some cheese.
I put it in front of my front teeth and then take a massive gulp of water and more often than not, it works!
Have to be careful of not flooding my mouth otherwise it can literally feel as if I’m drowning…
OP and others with the same inhibition and those that overcame.
I have a 12yo who cannot swallow a pill. Any and everything else yes. We have tried everything we can think of to help. He cannot express the why.
I just swallow them dry.
Try tucking your chin in when swallowing.
My truck for swallowing capsules is to actually lean your head forward with your mouth full of water and the pill- capsules float, so it will automatically rise to the back of your throat and go straight down when you swallow. Works every time. Not with tablets or gelcaps, though.
I got a fucking fish oil gel stuck in my throat once and thought I was going to die. For some people this is a real problem.
I have to hold my head back, drop the pill in the back of my throat, then swallow with some water. None of that sip of water first bullshit, I’ll gag and it comes back up.
What medical professionals recommend is to drink some water first to hydrate, then put the pill in and drink another gulp of water. That and keep your head tilted down, not up as you might think.
My trick is to never drink it with water. Idk why my brain wont let me swallow pills with water. Only iced tea or juice works for me
Pill as far back on my tongue as it’ll go and then a giant sip of water. I had to practice with macaroni noodles to get used to swallowing something solid.
I discovered that I find it a lot easier with a probiotic drink. It’s pretty much just yoghurt, so you could try that also. It kind of tricks your mouth/throat into not noticing there’s other stuff mixed in.
I am the same, 52, and can’t swallow pills. I worry as I age cause medicine will be heading my way to take daily, probably. I have tried everything I feel, I just can’t. I always thought it was due to drowning as a child
Repost the question on reddit one more time until I’ve died from not taking the pills
Try tipping your head foreword instead of backwards when swallowing
I put the pill in the middle of my tongue, take a big gulp of water, and pull my tongue forward between my teeth as I swallow. I was having problems getting the pill to go back and down my throat and that’s fixed it.
If it’s the size of the pill, get a pill splitter – they’re super cheap. Little sip of water into the mouth, pill on the back of the tongue, and then medium sip and swallow.
Coated tablets if you can.
For me, the key is not to think at all about the pill, just that you’re about to drink.
Put the pill or capsule on your tongue, and hold it in your mouth. Think only about the water. Then drink the water.
The pill should go down with the water if you’ve done it right. You might need to experiment with pill placement or head angle. Myself, I put the pill at the tip of my tongue. I think I have my head even or tilted slightly down at first, then tilted back when I’m drinking.
It took me years to figure out how to swallow pills. Hopefully this works for you.
I use the Axl Rose technique:
https://youtu.be/8SbUC-UaAxE?si=43U0maSpzxPFomme
Glug of water, push the pill in the side of your mouth, one quick hard swallow 👍
I am a 60 year old woman and have a terrible time taking pills my whole life. I recently found that its best for me if the water isnt too cold and I close my teeth when I swallow as you would if you were eating food. I figure that since we can swallow big bites of food no problem, I would pretend it was food, or swallow as if it were food.
It really works for me.
Try pudding with the pill a few times. Then applesauce with the pill a few times. Then try warm water.
Put the pill in my mouth (orientation is important btw) and the center of my tongue and make a little pocket for the pill to sit in with my tongue. Then fill the inside of my teeth with milk (it’s a thicker drink) and try to swallow while keeping my tongue on the bottom of my mouth.
I started with toast and peanut butter myself then had to start practicing the swallow without the pill before putting it in and doing it, now I have no issue but I had the pill issue for many years myself
Tilt your head forward instead of back, this actually opens your throat!
I always had a problem taking pills, but I just put the pill in my mouth pretend it’s not there and then I’m going to drink the biggest drink of water I’ve ever had. It works for me.
Pop em in and swallow like a duck.
I’ve always found it easy but in my back pocket, if my kids ever have an issues taking pills I plan on just having them practice with a couple of Tic-Tacs. They’re harmless to swallow and whatever psychological hangups you might have about swallowing something without chewing it first I imagine would be easier to conquer if the thing you’re practicing on at least tastes good.
Look down, not up!
Chew them first
Try putting your chin to your chest when you are swallowing
The sip of water -> pill ->gulp of water is great. Try looking up vs looking down. Also, try carbonated water.
I just cup my tongue with the pills, take a gulp of water. I take 5-6 at a time. Sucks getting old.
I have an issue where if I swallow a pill i feel like it’s stuck in my throat. I always swallow the pill with lots of water and eat something crunchy afterwards
You can try the pudding method. Put the pills in a spoon of pudding and just swallow.
ETA: drink a cup of water afterwards
The only way to get over that is to actually swallow pills on a regular basis for an extended period of time. I used to be unable to swallow pills too. Then I started antidepressants. Start with small pills and do NOT tilt your head back. That actually blocks your ability to swallow because the back of your mouth moves further away and your tongue can’t reach that far. If anything, tilt your head forward.
I had such problems when I was younger, but then I didn’t concentrate on it did everything else and suddenly it worked. Little pills front, big pills back btw.
I started with putting the pill in applesauce and pudding for my kids.
Take the pill, put it in your mouth, push ur tongue against the top of ur mouth and swallow. Use water if u take more than one or 2 pills so they won’t get stuck 🙂
Pills float so I put some water in my mouth, pill in, head tilt slightly down so pill goes towards your throat, tilt head back up as I swallow
I’ve been sticking them straight up my ass for years now. The only one I had problems with were the Flintstones chewable vitamins. Can’t really chew but you make do.
Try making a chewing motion for a bit before you try, like you’re eating something. It relaxes your throat and encourages saliva which makes it more like swallowing food rather than some strange object.
This may seem stupid but I find it’s more likely to go down if I look straight ahead, then slightly up before I swallow. Stretches out the throat and makes it easier.
You need to relax your throat. I struggle with this. Everything in me wants to block it. I try to sneak up on my swallowing muscles. I put the pill and water in my mouth, with the pill.tossed back and then I try to swallow normally. I don’t always succeed. I choke myself at least once a week.
I suck at taking pills but i have 2 i have to take daily, here’s how I do it. Take a big drink of water, like 2/3 full. While your mouth is full of water throw the pills in and swish it around until you lose them and swallow all the water at once. Stops you from fixating on the pills location and subconsciously sabatoging yourself.
Honestly I just shove them down my throat bc I can’t swallow them otherwise
Pour some water in my mouth and swallow the pill at the same time as the water.
I take a sip of water then pop the pills in and swallow and try not to gag
I use a straw. Have the pill in your mouth and drink lots of water through the straw.
Open your throat, suppress your gag reflex, maintain eye contact, pretend not to gag. That’s how you swallow.
I put a handful in My mouth, up to 10, take a drink of water and swallow.
Try to audibly make a gulping sound as you swallow the pill
Use a water bottle that you can put your whole mouth around, like Dasani and create a suction while you swallow.
I take a heap of pills twice a day, they come in sachets for morning and night, I tip the sachet into the middle of my hand, group them up and toss them towards my throat and swallow, no liquid required.
I will use applesauce/mashed potatoes if it can be taken with food. Spoonful of food, chew a bit to trick the brain, place pill in mouth on top and swallow. I have gi issues that capsules and pills irritate if they aren’t coated when I try to take them so I’ve learned ways to get around it when I can
Put the pill under your tongue > drink water > swallow the pill with it
Medium sip of water, enough to make the pills float in it so they aren’t touching any part of my mouth, head back, throat open, swallow!
Breath out before you swallow
I used to stuff the pill in a big spoonful of applesauce
I throw them in my mouth, take a medium sip of water, allow the pills to get wet (may have to swish) and swallow.
Tablets sink, capsules float.Tablets lean your head back and swallow, capsules lean your head forward and swallow.
This is the way I have done it lately
It is important to do step 3 4 5 in immediate succession to prevent it from sticking to either your tongue or the lining of your throat
With water. I can’t take it raw dog like that
Pill under tongue behind teeth, tilt head forward, filling sip of water, then throw head back while swallowing.
Water first, then push the pills in and swallow immediately: don’t let them settle.
Here’s a method I developed as a kid who had to take 8 pills twice a day:
Place the pill(s) under your tongue.
Take a large sip of water or other non-carbonated beverage. Enough to nearly fill your whole mouth.
Lift your tongue with your mouth still closed so that the pills are suspended in the liquid in your mouth above your tongue.
Swallow all of it at once.
This method still works for me as an adult with an overactive gag reflex, so I hope it helps you too!
If all else fails, orofacial myology treatment is like PT for your mouth and they can help!!
Usually pill in mouth then swig of water or chew up a mouthful of food and then just before I swallow it pop the pill in
I guarantee that you regularly swallow chunks of food that are bigger than your pills without even thinking about it. The problem with the pills is that you are thinking about it.
Take a big sip of water and look down towards the ground when you swallow. I do this when i have to take more than one pill and don’t feel like taking them individually. It works perfectly
It took me a while. You have to pretend the pill is not there and you’re only swallowing water. It helps if you don’t feel the pill in your mouth and you are taking a gulp.
I take a big sip of water and tilt my head back and drop the pills in my mouth and then swallow. I then take another sip of water after.
I have a lot of empathy. It took me many years to learn to swallow pills. Be patient and kind to yourself.
Water in mouth, put pill in mouthfull of water, swallow mouthfull of water and pill follows.
My brother in law can’t swallow pills, so he either gets the liquid gels and breaks them or just chews them. They say not to but honestly if it gets it in your body fuck em
I hold the pill between my front teeth, take a big gulp of water… and swallow, drink a couple more gulps.
A pharmacist taught me to swallow pills with the pill in apple sauce.
With some pills you can grind them up, mix it in water, then drink it
There was a German study done on this and they found two methods worked best:
The pop-bottle method – put the pill in your mouth, close your lips around the outside of the opening of a water bottle, then swallow the pill with the water (and your lips on the outside of the bottle(“)
The lean forward method – put the pill and water in your mouth, tilt your head forward, swallow in that position
I throw my head back obnoxiously lol. Not even joking. I need the pills to get tossed to the back of my throat to trigger the swallowing.
Take the biggest mouth full of water you can. Tilt your head up, drop the pill in. Then swallow it all in one big gulp. It’ll help till you get used to it. Then you’ll be able to do it with minimal liquid.
It’s a mental thing, not a physical thing. Once you get used to the idea of swallowing without chewing you’ll be fine. If it help. Break your pills in half to. Smaller pieces, and do them in separate swallows.
i do the hold your thumb trick to help with gag reflex. my friend takes pills with food instead of water
I used to take care of kids who did a lot of meds.
Try this:
I have taught tactile defensive kids to do this and it works pretty much 100%.
Food every single time
Problems swallowing pills: Lean forward technique | NHS
Just forget that you have the pill even. Just convince yourself you’re taking a drink of water and swish it a little harder than normal and swallow sort of quick so the pill doesn’t drop and stick to the tongue.
I can’t do it either. Total mental block. I have to have something to chew at the same time. So I take a bite of a cookie and when I’m ready to swallow said cookie I throw the pill into my mouth and it all goes down.has to be something to chew though can’t be any food (like yoghurt).
Thankfully it’s not something I have to do too often
How I learned was that I’d fill my mouth with water, tilt my head back, drop the pill and swallow quickly.
Take a big swallow of water and hit it back fast.
Focus on drinking the water, not swallowing the pill.
I have to crush them. I’m convinced there is a tiny pill sized hollow in the back of my soft pallet where pills get stuck.
As a child i faced this difficulty but after becoming a teen u automatically adjusted i guess so I’m not sure if there would be a such a point for you or not
May be try with snaller pills
Put it in pudding, sip of water first.
Place pill on a spoonful of applesauce or pudding and swallow as you normally would with one of those foods. Start with small pills (you can also use tic tacs or other small hard candies to practice). Also, whenever possible use a coated, oblong tablet. Uncoated and/or circle tablets are harder to swallow. Another trick that can work is to take it with soda/pop. The bubbles help mask the feeling of the pill in your mouth.
I don’t know, put it in your mouth and swallow? I know that doesn’t make sense to you because you have a problem but seriously. I take two pills every morning. One is small and I literally only have to gather a little saliva in my mouth and swallow. The other is quite big so I put it in my mouth and then take a regular drink of water and swallow.
With water or scotch
Put the tablet on your tongue.
Take a mouthful of fluid.
Lower your chin to your chest.
Swallow.
Then have another drink.
If it means anything, I chew mine because of the same problem! But apparently, don’t tip your head back, that makes swallowing easier.
I think it helps if the water is super cold….
Which part is hard? The speech therapist at the nursing homes I’ve worked at have the patients tuck there chin down when swallowing – which is kinda opposite of what most do. So maybe try that
Practice with M&Ms. That’s how I got my kids to do it.
If I’m on the go then just one at the time and swallow. If I have a glass of water in front of me then I just chuck all 6 of them in at the time and drink a sip of water.
If you are struggling then try with something thicker like yogurt on a spoon, Plopp a pill on it and cover it with more yogurt and then swallow. And take a few spoonfuls more of the yoghurt
Honey yogurt by the spoonful 🥄
Try it with a spoonful of applesauce or yogurt instead of water.
I had this same issue. I was always worried it would clog my throat or something.
My trick is as I’m putting it in my mouth, in one motion I’m tilting my head back and chugging whatever drink I have so hard that I hope I involuntary swallow it. It works every time.
I think of the pill like a small piece of food like idk a raisin or something. Im sure u have already tried that though
I take 8 pills at a time. I use a shotglass, toss the pills back into mouth and follow with a glass of water. Cheers!
I put water in my mouth (or soda helps it better) then I tilt my head back put the pill in my mouth with my lips partly open and I wait til I can feel it in the back of my tongue and swallow
I put water in my mouth (or soda helps it better) then I tilt my head back put the pill in my mouth with my lips partly open and I wait til I can feel it in the back of my tongue and swallow
It’s counterintuitive but tilt your head forward
My mom had me practice with mini mms
Chew a big bite of food and drop the pill in right before you swallow. My friend thought that was what it meant when her pills said “take with food” and she said it works.
I can’t swallow pills whole so I just crush them and mix them into some water and then drink them
I put them on the middle of my tongue and then take a big drink of water. Works every time.
I had my daughter try yogurt, pretty successful. I can easily swallow pills.
Applesauce is the answer
I use a tea spoon of water
I didn’t use to be able to swallow pills.
Then, one day, one got trapped under my tongue somehow. I put copious amounts of water in my mouth.Used my tongue to flip it up and then swallowed. And that’s how I still do it.
Just think of it as if you are swallowing a mouth of food and swigging a drink of water to wash it down. I taught my kids this trick and they don’t need water anymore. They just pop whatever pill they need and swallow it down.
I take mine with applesauce. For whatever reason it works like a charm
Many people lean their head back to swallow a pill. That stretches and tightens the esophagus. I look down, tucking my chin in. This compresses and expands the esophagus. Pop the pill in my mouth, small sip of water, and down it goes.
Get a pill swallowing cup, there’s ridges and a little shelf the pill sits on, as you drink it just goes down. It’s how I learned as a young’un 👍
Google Pill taker cup
If you feel like the pill “scratched” your throat a bit going down, take a few bites of banana. It will get rid of that feeling.
I put the pill as far back on my tongue as possible, keep my head tilted slightly back, then take a big gulp of water & swallow! You can do it OP!!!!!
I think its something like 1/3 people struggle to swallow pills. That means you ARE normal. I have s son who also struggles with it. Some things we have done thru the years:
Turn your head to the side as you swallow
put water in your mouth first, then put the pills in and quickly swallow. Don’t hesitate just go.
Try taking the pills with 2% milk, i use the fairlife brand (not sure if the brand makes a difference)— it is life changing. I don’t choke or gag or have to try multiple times anymore they just slide righttttt down
I take about half a mouthful of water, tilt my head back, toss my pills in and swallow. I can swallow several pills this way. My nightly regimen is about 8 pills: vitamins, supplements and allergy pills. My family thinks I’m a freak for taking pills this way some reason, but it’s just how I’ve always done it.
I pop them all the way down my throat sometimes I don’t even get a chance to chase them with a swig of water. I’ll just swallow them dry, majority of the time I follow up just taking a swig of water anyhow.
I use a thick protein drink like boost or ensure. Sometimes I resort to applesauce. If I use water or a thinner drink, I have trouble swallowing pills
Put the pill in the mouth, then swallow the pill. Then drink water.
Crush your pill, put it on a spoon, and add some condensed milk on it. That’s how my parents did it when we were little.
I’ve had a problem for many years swallowing big Multivitamins. Finally found that I have to take a huge gulp of water with them. Usually go down fine that way.
I put them under my tongue first, then when I swallow I use the momentum of the water to pull them down too
Depends on the type of pill. Tablets and capsules are not the same thing. Capsules float.
If it’s a capsule I place it in my mouth and take a swig of a liquid. I then look downwards with my head, so the pill floats toward the back of my throat, and swallow. Tablets and gel capsules and the like – I just place on my tongue and you have to drink something with force as if you’re quite thirsty.
Water, then chew without biting the pill to trick your brain into autopilot thinking you’re going to swallow food. Then swallow.
That’s what I worked out as a kid because for some reason my tongue kept coming up and catching the pill or something and I couldn’t swallow it no matter how much water I took with it. Maybe it’s a mind trick that will work for you.