Taking Tablets

[Stresshead]

Hi All (again)

I'm hoping you can help me again? This week seems to have thrown everything at us and I'm struggling a bit.

Dad has started to either hold or chew his tablets when I give them to him. Sadly, he does have a fair few to take. Yesterday I found it particularly stressful as he seems to understand less and less of whaut it I say to him and I couldn't make him understand to use the water to swallow them.

I have bought a tablet crusher but am wondering what methods to use to give the tablets to him. I tried it in a glass of Complan but it took him all day to drink it. I tried it in a small glass of milk but they stuck to the bottom and I'm afraid that he wasn't getting the benefit of them. I tried this morning to mix into some jam but he refused point blank to take it.

Has anybody got any advice??

Sorry I feel like I've really mithered this week but I'm really stressed

Thanks in advance xx

 

[Beate]

I have so many problems with that as well! I use a whole mantra every time: "Don't bite or chew. Swallow down with the water. Take a big gulp and swallow down. Don't bite!"

Ask the GP if any of his tablets can be prescribed in liquid form instead. Unfortunately, not all of them can.

If pills should not be chewed, they probably shouldn't be crushed either so I would avoid doing that without consulting the GP first. Some pills have to remain intact and be swallowed whole.

Best of luck. It's not easy.

 

[Stresshead]

I hadn't thought of that. I feel like I'm at the doctors all the time. This last week has seen him unable to walk, unable to use the toilet by himself, hardly eating, having to remind him to eat what's in front of him, chewing his tablets, not able to understand me and also an infection.

Stop the bus I want to get off !!!!!


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[Tin]

After talking to gp about what can/can't be crushed, to add to your confusion, some pills can be halved, have you tried to put them in a solid liquid like ice cream, jelly, mousse, yogurt, foods that don't have to be chewed. Get it into the first mouthful if you can. In terms of savoury dishes, can only think of a soft boiled egg maybe chopped up in a cup. will think a little more about soft savoury and come back later.

 

[Tin]

I hadn't thought of that. I feel like I'm at the doctors all the time. This last week has seen him unable to walk, unable to use the toilet by himself, hardly eating, having to remind him to eat what's in front of him, chewing his tablets, not able to understand me and also an infection.

Stop the bus I want to get off !!!!!


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In this area, we have telephone consulting, I Usually ring to make an appointment for any gp to call back, only get about 10 minutes so I have my questions all ready. Or you could google the medication and find out what could be crushed etc.

If you get off the bus, you'll only end up on the roundabout!

 

[canary]

Try talking to the pharmacist about whether tablets can be crushed - they are usually pretty knowledgeable about such things.
Pills can be "hidden" in a spoonful of wheatabix, yoghurt or ice-cream quite well. Mums not yet at that stage, but my daughter was awful about swallowing tablets as a child.

 

[Stresshead]

Thank you for the replies. I've spoken to the Pharmacist and she is happy for me to crush them for now but I'm going to speak to the GP as some of his medication could be prescribed in liquid form.

Now I just need to master the knack of what to put them in.

Thanks again don't know what I would have done without TP this week.

xx

 

[nov14]

I was told by the memory clinic to put them in a spoon of jam. Not tried it yet because Mum is still managing ok at the moment.


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[looviloo]

Since his fall, my dad has started chewing his tablets... he says he finds them difficult to swallow, which would fit with the suspected TIA the doctor thought he'd had. His speech has suffered too. I wonder though, if it isn't just another habit that dad's developed, a bit like holding his phone out in front of him rather than next to his ear :-/. It's as if he's forgotten what to do.

Stresshead, I hope things calm down a bit for you soon, or reach a new plateau. Everything changing all the time doesn't help does it?

 

[Slugsta]

This last week has seen him unable to walk, unable to use the toilet by himself, hardly eating, having to remind him to eat what's in front of him, chewing his tablets, not able to understand me and also an infection.



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Infections are known to cause, or worsen, confusion so it may be that your dad improves as his infection clears.

Someone mentioned something savoury to hide the pills in - how about mashed potato (you can get frozen stuff, just defrost one 'disk' of potato at a time), cheese sauce, egg mayonnaise, very soft pate...?

 

[Bod]

Does he "need" all the tablets?
Speak to his GP/Consultant, can any be stopped, or the dose reduced. Are any now not worth taking, as things have changed for him?

Bod

 

[Stresshead]

Thanks again for your comments. I tried yoghurt today as the Pharmacist recommended something soft but it was still a struggle. To be honest dads eating is a nightmare If I try and give him anything savory he immediately pushes it away and at the moment seems to be living on toast and jam with a trifle. It's stressing me out as I know it's not enough quantity wise and nutrient wise but I can't force him to eat. I do try and get a Complan down him as well but it takes practically all day for him to drink it.

There seems to be such alot going on at the moment. A pain in his ankle which has massively affected his mobility (needs me to hold both hands and walk backwards for him to walk). We're waiting for the Xray results and a wheelchair. A chest infection for which he has been on antibiotics for practically 5 weeks. Even with short sentences he seems to be really struggling to understand me which is making communication really difficult. Whilst helping him to the toilet I noticed quite a strong odour and also blood in the pan but a water sample has shown no UTI.

He's gone to bed now and I'll keep an eye on him.

I have got an appointment on my own with doctor next week to discuss his medication and swapping what we can for a liquid version and also to discuss his eating, weight etc.

I know you can all identify with this but it's just such a worry to me. I want to look after him as best I can but every day seems to chuck something new at us.

I love my dad dearly, best dad in the world, and my heart is breaking seeing him go through this.

Love and strength to all xx

 

[betsie]

We used to spend what seemed like hours every day trying to get dad to swallow his tablets. Looking back I wish we had stopped some of them which were to prolong his life like statins ( who wants to spend more time then they have to with this horrible disease).

Please check if they are all really necessary and then ask if the others come in liquid form, it wasn't till dad was in hospital that we found some could be order in liquid form.