Questions about medication administration often arise when I’m talking with patients and those that care for them. Here are some tips that may be of help:
If your loved one is having trouble swallowing a pill, check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if the medication is crushable.
IMPORTANT:
- if it’s a ‘timed release’ or ‘extended release’, not crushable.
- if it’s ‘enteric coated’, not crushable.
- usually, other medications that come in tablet form ARE crushable. Capsules can also sometimes be emptied of their contents and added to food as described below.
If your doctor or pharmacist gives you the ok to crush a medication, here are some good ways to do so:
- Purchase a pill crusher.
- Two Spoons Method: place tablet in the first spoon. Press second spoon onto tablet crushing it between the two spoons.
- Two Cups Method: place tablet in the bottom of the first cup. Press second cup (slightly smaller) onto tablet crushing it between the two cups.
Once crushed, add medication to A VERY SMALL AMOUNT of soft food like applesauce, yogurt or ice cream (only a few bites worth). This way you can ensure that all the medication is ingested. If you put it in a larger amount of food and then the patient decides he/she doesn’t want to eat it all, they don’t get all the medication.
If you have a syringe (NOT THE KIND WITH A NEEDLE), like nurses use for saline flush (10cc), here’s a handy way to crush meds in the syringe:
Your medication may also come in liquid form. Check with doctor/pharmacist.
Did you know that you CAN NOT dissolve medications in thickened liquids? The ingredients in thickeners bind with medications making them unavailable to the body for absorption. Go with the choices below instead.
What food/fluids should I take medications with?
Here are some of my patient’s favorites:
applesauce or other crushed/blended fruit (bananas are a good one, add a little honey)
- yogurt
- pudding
- jam or jelly
- honey
- ice cream or frozen yogurt
- cottage cheese
The following medications are typically taken on an empty stomach:
- Reflux medications
- Thyroid medications
- Sinemet (Parkinson’s medication, aka, carbidopa/levidopa)
Bronchodilators (e.g., Advair) require you to rinse your mouth with water, after using the inhaler, to prevent candida (aka, “thrush,” which is a fungal or yeast infection) or to prevent other kinds of uncomfortable mouth sores. DON’T FORGET THIS!
- To prevent pills from getting stuck in the esophagus or refluxing back up when you lay down
- Take your evening medications well before laying down in bed (at least 1 hour before bed, especially if you have a large volume of pills and liquid to swallow).
- Take medications in an upright position and stay upright for at least 30-60 minutes afterward.
- Take pills with plenty of fluids, if this is safe, as well as at least a few bites of food, to prevent tissue injury from pills staying in the esophagus.
Source: Swallowstudy.com – Karen Sheffle
What if your loved one or patient doesn’t want to take their meds?
- Explain the benefits, ie, why the medication will make them feel better.
- Offer a ‘treat’ after taking it, like a favorite dessert or some time outside enjoying the sunshine.
- Explain that you will not force them to do anything they don’t want to do, but that their doctor prescribed these medications for their benefit and he/she knows all about their body and how it will work best.
- A huge pile of medications, or many pills in a cup, can feel overwhelming. Present one pill at a time and celebrated each one taken.