Difficulty taking medication

[karenlsinging]

I have read several posts on this forum which mention people with dementia having difficulty taking tablets and we all know the number of tablets you have to take seem to increase proportionately to your age, dementia or not!

Some are old posts so may have been answered by now but I thought I would share our experience with you.

Mum was chewing tablets when dad gave them to her and he was getting very worked up about it, especially if the instructions with the medication said "DO NOT CHEW". I decided to phone the pharmacy where he gets prescriptions filled and asked if the medication (Rivastigmine) was available in liquid form and told them why. They told me yes, no problem, they just need the appropriate prescription from the GP and they would contact him and get him to fax it to the pharmacy (mum & dad have been going to the same GP surgery and pharmacy for 50 years)and hey presto. When she then needed paracetamol for arthritic pain, we asked for it in liquid form and again no problem.

Many, many drugs are available in liquid form, but you have to ask for them. Much easier to deal with than tablets which may be spat out, chewed, too big to swallow etc.

We use a syringe to deliver the correct amount and put it in a little fruit juice which she drinks with no problem at all.

 

[gigi]

Thanks Karen..that's really helpful.

I do know a lot of medication is much more expensive in liquid form...so it's good to hear about a "no qualms" GP who was willing to prescribe it without a fuss.

The syringe idea for administration is excellent.

Love xx

 

[Nebiroth]

Rivastigmine is also available in the form of a skin patch. Not only is this even easier to give than liquid form (and many liquid form medicines taste awful, either bitter, or overpoweringly sickly orange sweet to cover up the bitter taste) but also, the dose is slowly given over the day. This can sometimes avoid the problems associated with these drugs such as nausea and diarrhea because you don't get the "spikes" you get when taking them in liquid/tablet form.

 

[myheadisinaspin]

bonus thanks for info mum has problems with tablets sometimes they get stuck she says, so i will be looking into that, learn something new everyday xx

 

[karenlsinging]

Rivastigmine is also available in the form of a skin patch. Not only is this even easier to give than liquid form (and many liquid form medicines taste awful, either bitter, or overpoweringly sickly orange sweet to cover up the bitter taste)

Thanks - didn't know that patches were available but she copes fine with the fruit juice. I don't know that she has much taste sense now anyway. I've dissolved co-codamol for her in water (makes it effervescent) and she has drunk it and then said "MMM, my favourite, do you want some?!" You have to laugh.

"it's good to hear about a "no qualms" GP who was willing to prescribe it without a fuss"

Probably helped by the fact that GP's mum also has Alzheimers!

We have been very lucky in that we have almost an "ask and ye shall receive" situation here. I'm horrified when I read some of the posts here from people who can't get access to Social Worker, Memory Clinic, Dementia Co-ordinator and even a diagnosis in some cases.
Karen
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