Do you remember when you "learned" how to swallow pills? I don't. And I don't remember my oldest son ever having an issue when he moved from the liquid form of medicines to pills. Yesterday I witnessed someone learning to swallow pills...quite the adventure.
My middle son, Cowodie, has had an intermittent drippy nose and headache for the last few weeks. On Wednesday his throat was so sore he would not even talk. Now for those of you who know this sweet child, he is anything but quiet, so I knew his throat was really sore. I couldn't get in to see the doctor until yesterday morning and of course Cowodie's throat was better. We kept the appointment thinking that possibly the drippy nose and headache were hold overs from a sinus infection he had in January. The doctor concurred that the infection was not over and Cowodie needed another round of antibiotics. She asked me if I thought he could take a pill and I told her I wasn't sure, he hadn't ever done it. So not wanting him to "learn" to take pills when he was sick (tell me when you take pills if you aren't sick) the doctor gave him a liquid.
When I went to get the prescription filled, I knew it was not a good sign when the technician's eyes got wide as she looked at the computer screen. She asked me if I wanted generic and I told her no problem. Her eyes didn't get much better. She then told me the price....$240, ouch! She offered to call the doctor and see about a different med or to see if pills would be okay. I was surprised to find out that the pill form of the same medicine was only $114.
We ended up with the pills and suggestions for how to take them. Cowodie loved the first suggestion swallowing m&m's, until he realized he didn't get to eat them, just swallow. He has such a strong gag reflex, I began to worry he would not be able to swallow. After 30 minutes of struggling, giggling and snorting water through his nose, he got one down, one m&m that is. I couldn't imagine doing this with two 300mg pills every day for the next 14 days! Another suggestion was using a straw to suck in the water and he would forget that he was swallowing a pill...this from a woman who used to work with geriatric patients. Another m&m along with a straw, this one took only 15 minutes.
When it came time to take the actual pill, he did a little better...but I think it is going to be a loooooong two weeks!
Friday, February 22, 2008
A Pill of a Problem
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1 comment:
We have put them in the midst of a spoonful of Jello, pudding, or applesauce, something you have to swallow without chewing, and let them swallow that way.
Poor boy. Poor mom! What, are these pills covered in 24K gold?
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