Good day! I need help with taking medication without throwing up. I have finished 22 rad (13 more to go, yeah!)and 2 chemo (cisplatin) sessions. Just today, I seem to have started trouble swallowing medication. I took an anti-nausea tablet earlier today, and immediately threw up (including the tablet itself). Earlier in the morning, I took a Vitamin tablet and same thing.

I do have a PEG and have heard that pills can be crushed and fed through the PEG. I am not sure exactly how I would stick powder through the tube. If someone has done this before, I'd appreciate any pointers. Or maybe there are other suggestions.

While the anti-nausea pills can be crushed, there are some pills (capsules) that cannot not be crushed. Primarily stool softeners and laxatives. Any suggestions in this regard would be great. Maybe I can switch to liquid if available? Any brand names welcome.

I also read that while most pills can be crushed, some that are the slow release kind (e.g. Blood Pressure medication which I do take) must not be crushed. If this is the case, I am curious how I would go about taking such medication.

Appreciate any guidance. Thanks in advance.

Best Regards,
Chetan

Hey there -congrats in being a third of the way through!!! With regards to the medication - if the dr. Is not available to you call your pharmacist. The would know what kind of meds you are on and whether they can be crushed! If they can be - the best way to administer them is by crushing them ,mix them with warm water - once it's thoroughly dissolved suck it up with your syringe (the kind you use to flush the peg - put it into the line and then flush it with more water - slowly - i would use at least ine full syringe to flush possible two. are you vomiting because you are gagging on them? If so this will work - if you are vomiting because you are nauseated from chemo it may come back up again but its worth a try!! Also Monday ask for any meds you need in liquid or patch form. If possible. Good luck and sorry your suffering through this take care!

Hi Chetan

As Cheryl suggests, you need to talk to your pharmacist or doctor about this as some medications can be crushed and some cannot. They will be able to switch your meds around to patches, liquids or crushable.

However, I want to share how Alex coped. Alex suffered nausea for months after chemoradiation and threw up no matter how we administered the pills. He found that the worst time was first thing in the morning for some reason. We also found that if he took his anti-nausea med, Maxalon, before getting out of bed, (sit up to take it but lie down immediately after), waited half an hour or so and then got out of bed, had a cup of coffee to test the state of his stomach, and then took his other meds, it was easier for him. Also, we switched time of day for taking the once daily meds to night time.

Crushing tablets (the ones your doctors tell you can be crushed) can be done between 2 big spoons and then administered as Cheryl suggests. Alex's pills didn't dissolve so we swilled them around in half a cup of water and then sucked the mix into a syringe before it had a chance to settle. Then flushed with another syringe of water, also swilled around the cup to pick up any bits we had missed.

We also bought a pill cutter and that helped with some of the meds. I also started taking liquid vitamins which I mixed with Ensure and had it put down my tube.

If you have a Rite-Aid pharmacy ask the pharmacist for a pill crusher. It works great!!!! Any other pharmacy should have it too but I know for sure Rite-Aid carrys them since thats where I got mine. You need to check with your doctor about what pills you can crush. Never ever crush medicine that is time release. After you crush the meds put it in a tiny medicine cup with some warm water. Wait a few minutes and take a syringe and suck up the liquid and put it in your tube. Make sure you flush it with at least 40 cc of water. Also, wait at least 30 minutes after you take meds to do your feedings. One more thing is to ask your doc about medication interactions. Ex. cold meds and pain meds shouldnt be taken at the same time, the cold medication could lessen the capabilities of the pain meds.

Good luck!!!!

Hello All,

Thanks so much for the wonderful tips. I bought a pill crusher from Rite Aid and it is working great through my PEG. I think I was vomiting because I was gagging, but it is hard to tell because every now and then I still feel nauseous even though it is two weeks after chemo. Maybe it is the radiation too that can cause the nausea/vomiting?

Best Regards,
Chetan