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med suggestions for non pill swallower

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/2/2008 2:27 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks again to everyone for all the insight and education.  I am looking for some suggestions for meds that can be injected, or are capsules that can be opened or pills that can be crushed.  The enemas I take are the Rowasa but many of you have written of other types of enemas.  What are the differences?  Do you use them just in flare state or for maintenance as well?  What are the time frames for seeing some relief for symptoms from the anti spasmodics?  Thx
Posted 1/2/2008 2:34 PM (GMT 0)
Most the pills that we take are in the capsule for a reason. It's so it can survive the stomach and make it's way to the large intestine. Same for the Asacol which has a coating. I had a hard time swallowing pills too because I had a phobia about it, but after all these years of taking them - I am an old pro now. I can usually swallow my whole morning dose in one swallow (3 Colazal, 1 Forvia, 1 Biotin, 1 Prilosec, 1 probiotic).

As for the enemas - Mesalamine, Rowasa, Salofalk are all basically the same. These are 5-ASA's in liquid form. Then there is Colocort or Hydrocortisone enemas which are steroid enemas. Then Cortifoam and that is steroid enema in a foam. The suppositories are Canasa or mesalamines.

The liquid 5-ASA's can be used for maintenance but steroid enemas are used for treatment. So 5-ASA = maintenance and Steroids = treatment
Posted 1/2/2008 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
Very clear and succinct....thanks!  Do the steroid enemas get in to the blood stream and cause the same side effects as prednisone?

Posted 1/2/2008 4:54 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, they can.....but for many it's not as severe.

I think the reason you can't swallow the pills is because of reflux. Try Zantac twice a day for a month...it's the first one I tried and the difference was amazing.

quincy
Posted 1/2/2008 6:21 PM (GMT 0)
The steroid enemas, for me, started giving me side effects after I was on them for about 3 months or so. I believe the equivalent of steroid enemas is like 8mgs (maybe less) of oral that actually enter your bloodstream.
Posted 1/2/2008 6:47 PM (GMT 0)
texasyankee - Have you ever tried taking pills with food? When I was first diagnosed with UC, I had never swallowed a whole pill in my life because I was afraid to swallow them. I would get so nervous that my throat would close up. I would just chew everything. Obviously, we can't do that with the meds we take for UC for the reasons that Red_34 lists above. So, I had to learn to swallow pills... or continue to be sick. I found that taking the pill with food is the only thing that works for me. Bananas work best. I just take a bite of banana, chew it up and then throw the pill in. I can't feel the pill in my mouth with the banana in there, and it goes right down. Just a thought from someone who used to not be able to swallow pills.
Posted 1/2/2008 8:53 PM (GMT 0)
When I was younger I had a lot of trouble learning how to swallow pills. What helped me was placing the whole pill in a spoonful of applesauce and then eating it. That way you're kind of tricking yourself into thinking it's just applesauce you're swallowing. It also helped me to place the pill near the back of my tongue, then take a big drink of water and pretend that I was just swallowing the water. Now I can swallow multiple pills all at once, which I never thought I'd be able to do. The Asacol tablets aren't all that big, but I still hate taking some huge ones, like certain antibiotics.
Posted 1/2/2008 9:30 PM (GMT 0)
Unfortunately I am so use to taking pills that now I can take a handful of them without water. (learned to do it out of laziness and not wanting to get out of bed for a glass of water).

applesauce is a good suggestion. And Sherry is correct about most of our pills needing to be whole so they can be released in your colon.

Think positively about these pills.... the pills that you are probably taking will not have as many side-effects as Prednisone (that you could probably crush) or other liquids meds.

--Keith
Posted 1/2/2008 10:48 PM (GMT 0)
thank you all for the support on the pill swallowing thing. I have tried it all over the years, including hypnotherapy and a stint with a colleague who treats phobias. My gag reflex is so intense that many foods cause the same problem. The GI thought it would get better when he stretched out the strictures in my esophogas. I have seen a little improvement....some things do go down easier but texture has to be really broken down in order for it to stay down. My 10 year old daughter suggested I practice on mini m&m's since that is what she is doing to learn to swallow....we tried the applesauce/yogurt technique with her to no avail. My husband and son shake their heads at me because they both take handfulls of pills with hardly a sip of water. It is extremely frustrating to not be able to get or keep them down since I'd like a better alternative to prednisone.........this stuff makes me feel like I am going to float off the earth. Thanks again for all the encouragement.
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