I have found the last few weeks I am having a hard time swallowing my pills - is this something common? I used to be able to take 4 - 5 at a times and now it seems like 2 are hard to go down and I start to gag. I have not been feeling to great these last few weeks either.....

just wondering if anyone else has this issue?

Yuppers Char......been there....even got to where food was choking me......
it wasnt all the time but it would just "happen" like my throat wasnt working right and had somehow gotten smaller or something.........
just be careful........

Swallowing problems are an issue for a lot of MSrs. I've had it from time to time. I use a different method for pill taking that has made it much easier and I can send all 5 down in one shot.

Try this:

Put all your pills in the lid of your Rx bottle, take a sip to slick your throat and swallow it.

Now take a medium gulp and hold it in your throat, tip your head back and dump your pills into the "puddle" and swallow the whole lot. Follow with another sip and it's a done deal. I have to do this sitting down because when I tip my head back, I also tip my whole stinkin' body over! It hurts.

my dad has pd..the swallowing can be a real issue with him. taking pills with a big spoonful of applesauce helps them glide down. followed by some water.

I do the same as AMN.

When I did the course of oral pred while on vacation a few weeks ago, I had to do the sip, hold it , pop two pills, swallow, rinse, repeat thing.

I did it with chocolate milk! It didn't just cut the taste of the pills, but at the risk of being gross, the mucus slicked everything up for me...LOL

I like your idea AMN - I might try the chocolate milk idea too riverwild

LOL! Gotta love that phlegm! Ewwwwwwweeee!!!!!!

I hadn't been having any problems swallowing my vitamins, pills and such until I read this thread.

I could hardly get the humongus fish oil, horse capsules, down my throat..LOL

I'm so suggestive...ugh!

LOL Sal! The fish oil things are easy!! Just bite down on them hard...and watch how quick you swallow them suckers!

It does seem to matter a great deal what sort of coating the tabs have;
my smallest, Zetia, has a powdery coating and gets stuck more often than
the bigger ones! I did have an awful time with a calcium supplement (huge
AND powdery), but got the plop-fizz version later and that went better.

Fear of the choking can be a self fulfilling problem if you are worried about
it happening too. Are you having problems with foods or beverages?
I know that there are dry mouth conditions that can make this difficult
as well. If the problem persists or you are having trouble with swallowing
other things, definitely begin to document and let the Doc know. It's
a very scary feeling. atb.