34 tablets a day now!

joyful164
joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
edited 25. Jun 2009, 05:49 in Living with Arthritis archive
Just back from 'proper GP' and he has now put me on Tramadol. I think most of you are on this I believe. Have to persevere with the Clonazepam though and also the Tens machine. He's pleased I got them. Told me how andwhere to use them.

He has told me to carry on reducing Preds. and take an extra Omeprazole at night.

Anyway, got home, re-organised my pill box organiser and when I counted up the number of tablets, I couldn't believe it. This is on top of the ointments (2) for psoriasis, which is minimal and then the nose sprays and eye ointments for hayfever.

Has anyone considered the capsules though? The actual shells are made up of gelatin and titanium dioxied (W171) Black printing (E172) is only minimal but these elements taken over a period of time, contibute towards stomach irritation. Therefore, does anyone actually take the medication out of the capsule? Bearing in mind,that I alone take 6 of these capsules a day.
Because of hiatus hernia and ulcers I do get some bad stomach irritation if I do not take the omeprazole which is another capsule

Would be interested in some feedback on this one.

joyful

Comments

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,284
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi Joyful
    That iS a lot of tablets for you to take! :shock: Poor you! :(
    Sometimes you can't take them out of the capsules as they need to be in your stomach before it disolves or they can cause damage to you.
    If you want to try crsshing any tablet or taking it out of it's capsule - best to ask pharmacist so you don't do yourself any more harm.
    You take care and I hope you remember them all! :wink:
    Toni x
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi I don't think you're supposed to take capsules apart as they desolve slowly to release the correct amount of drug. I'm sorry, thats a lot of medication for you to manage. :shock: I hope they are making you feel better! :) Love Sue
  • dachshund
    dachshund Member Posts: 9,280
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hello joyful.
    I cannot take tabs or caps as they get stuck in my throat even with a lot of water so the doctor find's me liquid med or he's said take caps apart and put put powder in yogurt i have not had a problem that way.
    joan xx
    take care
    joan xx
  • page35
    page35 Member Posts: 1,081
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    dachshund wrote:
    Hello joyful.
    I cannot take tabs or caps as they get stuck in my throat even with a lot of water so the doctor find's me liquid med or he's said take caps apart and put put powder in yogurt i have not had a problem that way.
    joan xx

    Thats a good tip, i find some tabs hard to take i can manage paracetamol caps but any bigger i find very differcuit.
    page
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    HELLO When I worked with people who had swollowing problems, as a result of having neuro problems, we used yogurt to help with swollowing pills or the special thickener Thick & Easy, a powder that turns any liquid as thick as needed from just a slight, hardly noticable thickness to a jelly that can be spoon fed. When doing this we never emptied capsules or crushed tablets, as this can change the effect of the drug, and consent from the Dr from the patient was obtained first.

    But if I have problems with a big tablet, I use yogurt and it works well, good excuse for a snack too! :) Love Sue
  • dachshund
    dachshund Member Posts: 9,280
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    The doctor told me to put the caps in yogurt i would not do it if he had not said.
    joan
    take care
    joan xx

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