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Use this form to tell us about a change to a patient's medication — stopping something, starting something, dose or quantity changes, brand requests, or anything else affecting what we dispense.
Lots of people find it hard to swallow pills. There are things you can try to make it easier and a pharmacist can offer advice.
take pills with water – you can take some pills with other drinks or food. Always read the instruction leaflet
lean forward slightly when you swallow
practise swallowing with small sweets or bits of bread – try bigger pieces as swallowing gets easier
do not throw pills towards the back of your throat
do not tip your head back too much when you swallow – this can make swallowing more difficult
do not crush pills, open capsules or alter your medicine without getting medical advice – this could stop the medicine working properly
Do not try these techniques if you also have difficulty swallowing food and drink (not just pills), as you might choke. See a pharmacist or GP for advice.
This video shows how to swallow a pill using the "lean forward" technique.
This video shows how to swallow a pill using the "pop bottle" technique.
A pharmacist can advise you about:
Problems swallowing pills can be due to:
