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  • iron pills

    hi amymichele
    yes, that was me on the other board. thanks for writing. I replied here because i didn't know if you check the other board as much. I can't believe your daughter can't swallow a pill either. I thought my daughter was the only one. When i called to make an appointment for the blood donating i told them that she can't swallow a pill and they told me to ask the pharmacist because there may be a chewable one. I think i once saw like flintstones with extra iron. Tomorrow i am going to go look for something like that in a chewable. I'll let you know if i find something. I also mainly worry about what she will do after the surgery when she is not getting pain meds through iv, how will she take her pain meds if she can't swallow a pill? She will not want to drink some disgusting tasting liquid. It's going to be a problem. I am hoping maybe a nurse at the hosptial will teach her.
    jennifer

  • #2
    Jennifer,
    This may or may not be helpful, but when my son was 5 and was prescribed a chewable medication, he hated the taste and was determined to learn to swallow pills. We practiced with small candy (like M&M's) He learned in no time...

    Jaci

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    • #3
      iron pills

      hi jaci
      I figure she'll learn when she is in pain and she will not want to chew something or drink something that tastes horrible.

      jennifer

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      • #4
        One of my kids cant swallow tablets either. It is horrible to watch her trying. If I can't find chewable ones for her I crush them and mix them with honey or jam and she takes it off a spoon. Talk to your doctor or chemist ( do you call them that? Drugstore person?) They may be able to offer another alternative.
        Best wishes.
        Cheryl.

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        • #5
          My daughter used to have a huge problem with pills. We did the M&M trick with her as well, and it worked like a charm. Getting them to visualize the pill as food that needs to be swallowed is the trick. Also, putting it on the back of the tongue so it doesn't float forward when they take a sip. Then they can relax and down it goes.

          Give her a glass of water or milk, and a big handful of plain M&M's. Make sure she takes a drink first so her throat isn't dry. Then leave the room and tell her to have at it. My daughter still has trouble swallowing if I'm right there watching her, because she gets tense.

          susannajon
          Susanna
          ~~~~~~
          Mother of a 17 year old daughter. Her "S" curve was 40 degree thoracic from T3 to T9, and a 70 degree rotatory thorcolumbar from T9 to L4. She was operated on March 9th, 2005 by Dr. Boachie-Adjei at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC. She was fused from T11 to L3, using an anterior approach, and the major curve corrected to 20 degrees. She's doing great!

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          • #6
            iron pills

            I just went to CVS and they had flintstone vitamins with extra iron, so problem solved. I asked the pharmacist if this would be okay for her to take and she said it would be fine. She said they may not taste that great. I'm glad i was able to find something. My daughter isn't home to give the taste test yet, but i'll let you all know how it goes. My luck she'll spit it out and tell me she's not taking it.
            Jennifer

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            • #7
              Hi Jennifer,
              You are funny, about your luck she will spit it out and tell you she's not taking it..ha.
              I know it's really not a laughing matter, but when I told my doctor I could not swallow a pill easily he told me to stretch my head out like a turtle bc that helps to open the throat area some. Just a suggestion.
              I am waitting to hear how the blood donating goes. In Texas they told me it is required that the person weigh minimum 110lbs and if they look thin they will put them on a scale to see.(Ste weighs 104)
              I know we both have thin girls right, does Nichole weigh that or NY have different restrictions?

              I'll be thinking of you two, Kay
              now 16 yr old daughter
              with worsen 65 degree upper curve
              surgery Nov 3, 04

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              • #8
                Hey Jennifer,

                Try the M&M trick anyhow... one of these days she's got to learn to take pills. The aren't too many chewable options when they're 40....

                Susanna
                Susanna
                ~~~~~~
                Mother of a 17 year old daughter. Her "S" curve was 40 degree thoracic from T3 to T9, and a 70 degree rotatory thorcolumbar from T9 to L4. She was operated on March 9th, 2005 by Dr. Boachie-Adjei at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC. She was fused from T11 to L3, using an anterior approach, and the major curve corrected to 20 degrees. She's doing great!

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                • #9
                  Hey, thanks for findin me Jenn, in both places even!

                  Thank all of you for the helpful hints..thru the yrs, we've tried them ALL..except for the turtle-head , so you'd better believe she'll tryin to swallow M&Ms like a turtle tonight!

                  Jenn, we kinda came to your same conclusion, that it may come down to her pain being great enough that she just forgets to tense up, and just swallows the darn thing ..once she's in the hospital that is.

                  In the mean time, I'm gonna start her on the flinstones w/ iron, great idea .

                  Our surgeon says the hospital will take one unit from her, as long as she is over 70 #. So, there's yet another reason to get her iron levels up. She's only 95 #, and eats sufficiently, but not enough, in my opinion. She told Dr. last week that she'll try to bulk up before June for the after-surgery time when she's bound to lose some weight.

                  Thanks again for all your comraderie here!
                  Daughter, Lacey has an upper curve of about 55 degrees. She will have posterior surgery in June.

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                  • #10
                    Depending on the size of the tablet maybe you could try 'cutting' them in half or even quarters to make it a little easier.
                    Cheryl.

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                    • #11
                      iron pills

                      cheryl, amy and susanna
                      cutting them sounds like a good idea too, but she is so stubborn she doesn't even want to try, so forget the m & m's. I am just going to wait and i'm sure she will be in so much pain in the hospital she's do anything to get rid of the pain. What do they do though for young children who aren't old enough to swallow? I'm sure they give it in liquid form, right??
                      kay, nicole weighs i'd say about 95 pounds. When i called the make the appointment for donating i said doesn't she have to weight over 100, hoping they would tell me yes and she wouldn't have to do it, but they said her weight would be okay to donate. I'll let you know how that goes, that is thursday. I just want to get through this week.

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                      • #12
                        One thing to keep in mind with the tablets is her age. Kids can be very stubborn and even gentle encouragement may be too much for her and make her even more determined not to. Remember some people just can't swallow them. My daughter that can't is also a very slow eater. She takes very small mouthfulls and takes a long time. Don't push her too hard there may be a physical reason why she can't. There will always be a way around it.
                        Best wishes.
                        Cheryl.

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                        • #13
                          pills

                          Some medications come in a syrup-codeine for example. If the pain is severe There is skin patch with fentanyl(duragesic) and Lidoderm(which is put directly over painful spots).
                          Karen
                          Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
                          Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

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                          • #14
                            iron pills

                            karen
                            those skin patches sound pretty good if they work. We'll see what happens she'll either swallow a pill or she'll have to drink the pain med. Karen, i think you e-mailed me once, are you the one who used Dr. Boachie? That is who my daughter is having her surgery done by.
                            cheryl,
                            i doubt she has anything wrong with her that she can't swallow a pill, but i'm sure some kids do. I dont' think she ever even tried, she just won't try and do it. It's called being a chicken LOL.
                            jennifer

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                            • #15
                              You get that!
                              Another thought, has she ever choked on anything? Ever? Maybe she is frightened of it.
                              Maybe she is doing it because it gets a reaction from you!
                              That's kids for you.
                              Best wishes.
                              Cheryl.

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