Crushing tablets could be very dangerous!
By cbeee3
@cbeee3 (2061)
India
July 19, 2009 8:20am CST
Most of us have had to take medication in some form or the other in our lives.At times, people have issue swallowing medication in the solid form-capsule, tablet, gelcap etc.So they end up crushing/breaking the solid medicine and then eating it.
Crushed tablets can be very risky, in some cases.. I reiterate, In some cases!!
Crushing coated medication destroys the coating, which is designed to keep the medication intact until it passes through the stomach and reaches the intestine.The coating may protect the stomach lining from irritation.
Long-acting or slow release drugs are meant to be released into the body at a steady level.If one opens such capsules before administering it, the patient could get a large and may be even a toxic dose.
Some tablets can be broken while others should not.If you cannot swallow your medication, just consult your physician or pharmacist who can tell you if a liquid formulation is available. Hope this little tip comes in handy.
Do you have issue swallowing medicines in the solid form?
5 people like this
14 responses
@ebook_freak (1511)
• India
19 Jul 09
Wow!
And Hi Cuz, seeing u after a long time!
I never knew you had this interest in medical stuff. Your dad must have told it to you!
I knew it!!!!
I am sorry I couldn't contact you las tweek, I was admitted at hospital. No, not because of crushed tablets!
Anyway, good advise. I don't remember it, but I think capsules are made of some gelatinous substance that dissolves in alkaline medium. Pancreas and inteatines are alkaline. Stomach is acidic. So it dissolves at the intestine. Sometimes it can cause problems at stomach wall as it corrodes the mucus layer that prevents formation of holes in stomach, but most of the time it is harmless. The only problem is tht there won't be any effect in you body as a result of intake of medicines.
And sorry for the el medico language.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Ajith.
I knew it!!!!
I am sorry I couldn't contact you las tweek, I was admitted at hospital. No, not because of crushed tablets!
Anyway, good advise. I don't remember it, but I think capsules are made of some gelatinous substance that dissolves in alkaline medium. Pancreas and inteatines are alkaline. Stomach is acidic. So it dissolves at the intestine. Sometimes it can cause problems at stomach wall as it corrodes the mucus layer that prevents formation of holes in stomach, but most of the time it is harmless. The only problem is tht there won't be any effect in you body as a result of intake of medicines.
And sorry for the el medico language.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Ajith.3 people like this
@ebook_freak (1511)
• India
20 Jul 09
Well many said I had a scope of being a 'Behind the Scenes' freelance photographer. Did I spoil your make up dear?
All right, just like the custom goes- I'm sorry.
All right, just like the custom goes- I'm sorry.@cbeee3 (2061)
• India
20 Jul 09
Dr.Freak in the house.Please clear the way.
Cuz,I missed you a lot. I am glad to have u back. I hope you are better now.
Now I know you have been paying attention in Med school. Please tell me you did not just copy that out of your text book.
Why did you have to drag my dad into this?! You have given away my source.
.OK OK, he was lecturing me, but still.. Why oh why did you have to let people know?! ...LOL
Why did you have to drag my dad into this?! You have given away my source..OK OK, he was lecturing me, but still.. Why oh why did you have to let people know?! ...LOL
@cyrus123 (6363)
• United States
19 Jul 09
Hi cbeee3! Like you said, in some cases, this is true. Some elderly people have difficulty swallowing medicine like this. My mother, for example, was bedridden the last two years of her life because she had several strokes. She also had alzheimer's. We had to crush some of her medicine and dissolve it in water so she could swallow it a little easier. It was either a nurse or one of the home health aides who came out to bathe her everyday who told one of the sitters to do this. I'm not sure which it was. She (my mother) never did suffer a toxic dose. She had to be fed through a stomach tube and that's one reason why we had to give it to her this way.
Thank you for sharing this tip, though. I will be sure to check with my pharmacist about this sometime in the future if it should get to the point where I can't swallow my medicine. Kathy.
@cbeee3 (2061)
• India
19 Jul 09
I am so sorry to hear about your mother Kathy.
It must have been so painful for you to look at her suffer like that and she must have been in so much pain herself. May her soul rest in peace.
You are most welcome for this little tip.
Thanks a bunch for stopping by and sharing your story and views. God bless you!
@Eskimo (2315)
•
19 Jul 09
I've always had trouble swallowing tablets, so quite often break them up to make them smaller, especially things like paracetamol. When I was young I used to get tablets crused up with jam to make them easier to consume.
Not all medicine is coated, however I can usually take capsules if they are not too big.
2 people like this
@cbeee3 (2061)
• India
19 Jul 09
Yes, we need to be careful with the coated medicines, that too especially if the dosage is high.It also depends on what the medicine is for.
I know it can get hard to swallow the tablets and capsules when they are too big.
Thanks for your response!!
1 person likes this
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
20 Jul 09
Hiya Cb..
Your friendly neighborhood spider comes again to answer..
I have no problems in swallowing food, much less medicine. I'm a swallow person LOL..
But I think that there might be a bit of problem in the sense that it defeats the purpose of the medicine if it's crushed..that's what I know.
I have no problems in swallowing food, much less medicine. I'm a swallow person LOL..
But I think that there might be a bit of problem in the sense that it defeats the purpose of the medicine if it's crushed..that's what I know. 1 person likes this
Thanks zed! Me... a spider? That is all I needed to read. *Talk to the hand* LOL
LOL..
I don't have issues swallowing medication either
@John4Christ (1597)
• India
19 Jul 09
I still remember when I was small and when I used to take any tablets i used to throw up, and hence my doctor had indeed given me some liquid form of medicine, but I used to crush some tablets and take it with honey, now honey acts as a coating in this case and it is known to take away any toxic effects that could take place......so somewhere it nullified the effect.....
But then the information you have given is so good, I was actually unaware about such a thing.......
Thanks a lot for the information !!!!!
2 people like this
@cmnavarro (251)
• Philippines
20 Jul 09
i do not have any problem swallowing medications that are in tablet form, but if it's big as an ordinary candy i think i'll have trouble swallowing it. hehe this article is helpful, we don't open capsules because it might end up ineffective too. =)
@cmnavarro (251)
• Philippines
20 Jul 09
but some tablets are supposed to be crushed or chewed before swallowing... the best thing to do if you have any medication that you have to take regularly, ask the physician who prescribed it on how to take the meds properly...
1 person likes this
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
20 Jul 09
I hate taking pills, the big ones get stuck in my throat. I do know that some pills you cannot crush, split or take apart. You should always ask the pharmacist about taking the medication, they are the experts on it. This is a good post, some folks do not know this.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160663)
• United States
20 Jul 09
I really do not have anything different to add here, but I wanted to come on and add my support because you have said it all succinctly. Unless the label says "May be crushed or chewed" you need to swallow that pill or gel cap whole. Some experts say that to swallow a gel cap easier, tilt your head forward so it will float to the top of your throat and in contrast a solid pill will go down easier if you look up, like a chicken drinking water as it will sink down your throat then.
1 person likes this
@cbeee3 (2061)
• India
20 Jul 09
Hey there GardenGerty,
I liked what you added about how to swallow a solid tablet and a gel cap. I know many of us do not have issues swallowing medicine.
But then there are also a number of us who do.What you shared with us could really help people who have this problem!
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
19 Sep 09
Hi cbeee. I used to have trouble swallowing medicine when I was little. My mom would actually crush up any pills and put it in orange juice for me. I didn't know that it could be dangerous to do this, though it does make a lot of sense. Fortunately for me it never caused me any problems...at least, not that I am aware of anyway.
I don't have a problem swallowing them whole now. So long as they aren't overly big, that is.
Happy mylotting!
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
20 Jul 09
Hey cbeee! You are absolutely right! It is sometimes very
deadly to crush a tablet or capsule without asking a doctor
or pharmacist first! Sometimes there is a reason that they
give it to you in the forms that they do for your protection!
As you said, if you do crush certainly pills it could end
up doing you more harm and even be toxic. So it is always
better to check with the pharmacy before breaking a tablet
or opening a capsule! And if you do have a problem swalling
meds, which alot of people do let your physician know that
BEFORE they write the prescription!
1 person likes this
Thanks for your response! @bing28 (3795)
• Philippines
20 Jul 09
Thanks Cbeee3 for posting, nice learning from each other's post. Such infos would be of help not only for me but to others whom I can warn of said effects. Your tip is important and I'm glad I'd been aware of such thru your post. Keep on posting informative and educational topics, mylotters learn from it.
1 person likes this
@smartie0317 (1610)
• United States
20 Jul 09
Thanks for the info. I used to know someone and she had these type of pills they where like a shell. I don't know the proper word. She could pull the two parts of the "shell" apart and get out these tiny little pieces of medicine and she would pour them into her juice, soda, coffee, whatever she was drinkiing. Sometimes, she'd get sick from doing that. I don't have issues swallowing pills. I take it, drink a gulp of water, swallow, and drink some more water to wash away after taste. Liquid medicine tastes so bad I can't take it.
1 person likes this
@yogambal_64 (1014)
• India
20 Jul 09
Hi, I do not have the habit of crushing any tablets or capsules prescribed for me, but I know of some people who cannot just swallow any of these and so powder them, remove the outer coating, mixing it with some liquids and so on, these tablets are actually coated purposely to avoid the direct intake through our throats, they finally get dissolved in our system, so removing the coatings and powdering etc is not advisable, they can very well inform the doctor their discomfort in swallowing these medicines so as the doctor can prescribe with any other option.
1 person likes this
@cbeee3 (2061)
• India
20 Jul 09
You are most welcome. There are some tablets and capsules you can open and have. If you really have an issue swallowing the capsule, please ask the pharmacist or your doctor.They will definitely find another alternative.
Thanks for your response!! I hope you get well soon
