Both Art and I were instructed to take 80 mg. of Lipitor which is a statin because of his irregular heartbeats and my high triglycerides. His heart is just fine now. Art thinks the arrhythmia may have been caused by medications given to treat GERD. Later tests showed he didn't have GERD so he was instructed to not take that medication anymore. Whatever the case, he's fine but he was told to keep taking the 80 mg just in case.
We have a new doctor now who said we should get off such a high dose of statin. However, we have a ton of those horse size pills. She told us we can use a pill cutter until we finish our supply.
OK... I have not had a problem swallowing those pills or even the 80 mg. which is amazing since I was in my 30s before I could swallow pills without too much difficulty.
Art could swallow anything.
Well, for some reason he started having a really hard time swallowing those pills that were cut in half. He thought it might be the sharp edges. Whatever the case, he'd have to eat something to get it down because it kept getting lodged in his throat. I watched him struggle and was glad I was still able to swallow mine.
And then suddenly... I couldn't.
What the heck! My throat would just close down.
Aggravation! I blamed him for jinxing my throat.
Oh dang it!
Now we both take our pills with food. Somehow eating and then taking the pill quickly fools us into keeping our throats open.
Sigh....
I guess it just shows you how susceptible I am to suggestion.
We have a new doctor now who said we should get off such a high dose of statin. However, we have a ton of those horse size pills. She told us we can use a pill cutter until we finish our supply.
Art could swallow anything.
Well, for some reason he started having a really hard time swallowing those pills that were cut in half. He thought it might be the sharp edges. Whatever the case, he'd have to eat something to get it down because it kept getting lodged in his throat. I watched him struggle and was glad I was still able to swallow mine.
And then suddenly... I couldn't.
What the heck! My throat would just close down.
Aggravation! I blamed him for jinxing my throat.
Oh dang it!
Now we both take our pills with food. Somehow eating and then taking the pill quickly fools us into keeping our throats open.
Sigh....
I guess it just shows you how susceptible I am to suggestion.
This is puzzling, but you have found a solution, whatever the cause.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry..,.what a struggle.
ReplyDeleteThat seems like a very high dose to me. I take 40mg of Zocor, which isn't as strong as Lipitor, and I had very high cholesterol before I started taking them. The other thing you could do is take the pills every other day until they are gone. I myself would just throw them out and get a lower dosage, but that's just me. :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, my husband takes his pill with a banana.
ReplyDeleteSo far the only thing I take is 5 mg of Amlodipine for my blood pressure and 25 mcg of Levothyroxin for my thyroid deficiency.
ReplyDeleteI suggest you both have a fabulous day! Aloha, Mom
ReplyDeleteOh, dear, that's too bad you have to take statins. They really are so bad for you. Perhaps your throat is trying to tell you something.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting.
ReplyDeleteYou are suggestible, but that is one of the things that is intriguing about you. I'm pretty rigid, by contrast.
ReplyDeleteMy MIL had quite a hard time swallowing pills. I don't think we ever figured out a solution to the problem.
I understand your susceptibility. I once caught my boyfriends tennis elbow and I never swung a racket.
ReplyDeleteMay want to try this: after cutting the pills, with each individual half, bang the cut, "scratchy" edges on the counter, holding the smooth half tight with the tips of your fingers. That usually helps. Your "smoothing out" the cut edges. Art's sander machine won't be necessary.
ReplyDeleteFor swallowing any kind of pill: the obvious that folks don't think about: "wet your whistle: with a drink of water first.
Put the pill in your mouth and "slobber" all over it first, THEN try to swallow your naturally-slickened pill with your water or fluid.
Drink some more fluid right after it. Speech Therapists always tell patients to swallow with their chin down! That's they way our bodies were meant to function, not jerking the head back or swallowing with your chin to the ceiling.
Repeat for each pill. Yep, capsules are a tad easier.
If you wait too long or try to chew it, it will be more difficult.
Chewing on pills in capsule form isn't pleasant. The medicine is in a capsule for a reason, usually cuz the med inside smells and tastes like fertilizer.
If the doc determines that you need the med, they've probably weighed the risks of taking it against the risk of not taking it. Ask questions.
Many of my patients are simply alive because they take their meds. Others say, "I feel fine; it's not helping me." When they stop taking them against medical advice, they find out how much the meds were actually helping them...sometimes due to a trip to the ER.
Besides, you must be a good example to your Mom!
The drug stores have a glycerin spray in grape flavor and I think cherry flavor to help swallow pills; about $7 a little spray bottle.
Might be a symptom from inhaling or swallowing all that granite sanded off of the garden lantern.
Good luck! Linda in Kansas
I've tried the chin tuck before and had a 50/50 success rate. Hmmmm.... glycerin spray? Now that is very interesting. Thank you so much for your suggestions always, Linda! You are wonderful!
DeleteI think some docs get carried away with the statins. They have been backing off the dangers of high cholesterol.
ReplyDeleteI hope your doctor also gave you CoQ10 supplements as those statin drugs depete this important enzyme. No GERD but prescribed meds, causing side effects?
ReplyDeleteWe have too much respect for people with degrees in medicine, imo. So many times they are wrong and we pay the price. Their answer is more drugs, and then even more. I believe they are great at tests, diagnosis and surgery (IF it really is needed), but their easy handout of prescriptions makes us poorer, and big pharma richer. And not necessarily healthier.
Good luck and good health to you, and to all of us!
I have no problems with them, I fill with as much water as possible. My wife is the opposite, she'll put the pill in and then the water.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I do think it is the sharp edges that cause the problem.
ReplyDeleteDo they work with ice cream!? :-)
Blessings glad you and Art are doing better. Health is wealth
ReplyDeleteI've never been able to take statins it makes me too tired...
ReplyDeleteI stopped taking mine. My GP said there are contraindications, as your diet is the most important part. Plus, I was getting horrid leg cramps in my calves. I did some research and found it a common symptom. It simply wasn't worth it for some old, iffy science! I just have to eat less.
ReplyDeleteSwallowing issues are a well-known problem as people grow older.
ReplyDeleteI think some docs get carried away with the statins. They have been backing off the dangers of high cholesterol.
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