When Pain Relief Is a Hard Pill to Swallow

If you have trouble taking your medication, consider liquid or chewable forms, or find out if you can grind your pills into your next meal.

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Managing arthritis may require you to take a handful of pills every day, a problem if you have trouble getting the pills to go down. However, if you peruse your local pharmacy, you can find alternatives that are easier to swallow: liquid forms, pills that can be ground into your favorite food or drink, or chewable forms. The key is to find out whats available, the correct dosing of these other forms, and, especially, which pills can be crushed and which must be left intact. Let the pharmacist know if youre having problems, because he or she could have a good recommendation for an alternative, says Mandy Leonard, R.Ph., Pharm.D., BCPS, assistant director of Cleveland Clinics Drug Information Services and Formulary Management.
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