Any tips for dealing with pain if no good at taking pills?

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
1

My pain in my feet and legs has been going on for a month or so now, gotten worse in the last week and was almost unbearable last night, but I have terrible trouble taking pills. I imagine this is something I would have to get used to if dx but does anyone know of any other things I can do instead? Distraction does not always work as I was at an Osmond concert last night, which should have been distraction enough cos they are awesome, but it wasn’t :frowning: Other than more rest than usual to try and ease it, I don’t know what else to try?

2

I feel for you. I’m terrible at taking pills but now I’m taking 13 a day I’m having to get used to it.

Could you try a pill crusher and mix them into something like honey? I really havent found anything that works 100%

xx

3

I’ve never heard of a pill crusher, is that something you can buy? or like a make your own thing, ie. crushing with a spoon? I’m not sure about taking Ibroprufen for it, until its high intensity so bad that I can’t function. i can still function but its very uncomfortable :frowning:

xx

4

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PILL-CRUSHER/dp/B00422TWOM Thats it or 2 spoons would probably work just as well.

The pain is horrible when you can’t get ontop of it. I hope you get some relief soon

xx

5

Thanks Claire I forgot to mention that. My brain has gone on holiday at the moment.

6

Hi Paula xx You should put this as a new post as it’s gone off topic & there will be lots of people who will give you advice and support on what you are asking xxxjenxxxx

7

Nikki xx just sending hugs to you xxx hope you are bearing up xxxxjenxxxx

8

Hi Paula x go bck onto where the announcements and all the list of comment are - on the top you will see a button that says ‘New Post’ - click on that & it will ask you for the topic and a box to type in your commen/questions then press post at the bottomx be careful that you follow the indtructions for ‘word verificatiob’ if it asks you xxxjenxxx

9

Thanks for all the tips, it’s thankfully not so bad yet that i don’t think i’ll need to start taking pills, but I’m halfway through joining a new doctors surgery, so when I go to them for first appointment, if its really bad by then, it’s advisable to check on crushing pills and maybe certain painkillers i should or should not take? i was wondering if there were any creams or anything like that which might just take the edge off? i could be imagining it, but I think I heard tell of such thing, or maybe it was essential oils, I’m not sure?

10

Hiya…the reason for checking if tablets can be crushed is because many of them have coatings on them so that they dont disolve until they get to a specific part futher down the digestive tract, without the acid in the stomach destroying the main ingredient.

Many tablets,especially the epilepsy drugs we take, are also designed to be prolonged relase and if crushed lose their ability to work.

At work we give tablets on a full spoon of yoghurt/mousse/jelly or at general meal times as the body is ready to swallow a mouthful and seems to help.

Take care Pip

11

Thanks for the info Pip :slight_smile:

12

Sorry for giving rubbish advice :frowning:

13

Why dont you try a pain relieving cream on the painful areas of skin. I dont have direct experience but I think there are creams with active pain relieving ingredients like ibuproven that enter the skin. Also, deep heat type creams can mask pain. maybe even a hot waterbottle might help

14

Oh Nikkinakkinoo … I didn’t think your advise to Jules was at all rubbish.

I certainly didn’t know the things about coatings etc.which others have helpfully told us about, and we couldn’t have been expected to know if not a medical or pharmaceutical person.

Your advice was given with a caring heart to help, and in my book that’s the best intention anyone can have.

Bren x

15

Nikkinakkinoo, your advice was not rubbish, it was really helpful ! Everyone has been really helpful, I appreciate ALL your responses :slight_smile: I’m going to make a note of all of them and see what works for me.

16

Nikki,sorry if I offended you re medication I felt it was something I needed to share as it is important and I was in work mode I guess.

Please dont let it stop you from offering ideas on things, as every viewpoint is what makes this site so valuable to people.

I have a tendancy to type without engaging my brain so sorry again if it upset you.

Pip

17

Pip you didn’t upset me I am more annoyed with myself as its something I should know with what my job used to be. I’m feeling very over sensitive at the moment so it’s probably best if I stay away for a while. I don’t want to upset people or cause problems Xx

18

Hi I hate taking pills too and find swallowing them quite difficult. Try pain relieving creams they might help or the suggestions the others have given.

Stretching and doing yoga might reduce things going into spasm and causing pain. I have a great yoga teacher with a class of us that are full of random ailmennts so no one judges if you can’t do something. It’s great - relaxing and will take the edge off. Other suggestions are a physio or osteopath - this won’t be a permanent solution but again may help take the edge off when things get very bad.

Good luck

Reemz

X

19

Thanks Reemz, will add it to my list and see what works.Not sure what spasm is? I just get pain with no warning, is spasm like involuntary movements? Nikki, hope you feel better soon hugs

20

Sorry had a long day - meant spasticty where the muscles are tight and rigid and feel stiff resulting in pain. My leg and my back do this on the left and when it gets bad its the whole side and feels like all my muscles are tight and fixed and I physically can’t get them to relax. My leg will sometimes cramp then and I may wake up at night with pain. Yoga’s helped me try and manage my symptoms of pain and spasticity and visiting an osteopath helped loosen things when I was in severe pain. It isn’t an easy process though - I stretch at work whenever I have a spare moment, I stretch at home and do yoga twice a week. Though if I’m having a particulalrly bad week and can’t manage I’ll do less.

There’s no scientific stats on it that I know of but phyio’s, osteopaths etc will recommend you to do it try and keep your body mobile and supple.For me it feels like I’m doing something to try and help myself and it can’t do any harm and it will help me keep fit.

Hope you find it helps you.