Hi Chiggles,
There are many members who have the same fears about swallowing pills as you do. Again, the goal is to expose yourself in small doses and ofcourse taking pills only when you need them. Can you try taking chewable multivitamins? Those may be a better alternative because you don't have to necessarily swallow them.
Many cold and flu medications come in liquid form as well. Would this work as an option for you if need be?
Keep us posted.
Faryal, Health Educator
I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one with this!! I freak out even about panadol - which I've had all my life... I'm not on any meds at the moment (other than contraception!), and I start getting anxious just thinking about potentially getting a cold and having to take cold and flu tabs! I've never worried with any medications before... I also worry about medicating my kids too - I had to give my youngest (3yrs) panadol the other day, and again - although she's had it a squillion times before (okay, maybe not that many!) I still checked her every 5 minutes for ages until I was sure she was okay...
I'm guessing the only way to get past this one is to just suck it up and know (hope!) that nothing will go wrong...? I get the same restriction of throat, itchyness etc etc...
Thank you all for taking the time to share your stories. Although I'm sorry you too have experienced this I feel better knowing I'm not the only one. I'm still on my meds and taking them and the anxiety has pretty much disappeared.
I too had an allergic reaction to a medication years ago... one that I had had many times before but then all of a sudden had this crazy reaction... so now I'm afraid of everything.. except Advil..lol... Even when I was pregnant I was afraid of my multi vitamins... I eventually took them but it was hard..
I also don't eat shellfish anymore as this now scares me... ridiculous but true...
I am like this too! I actually did have a really bad reaction to a herbal cleanse pill once, but it wasn't life-threatening, just extreme abdominal pain. Anyway, the other day I had to start taking a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement, and I was even worried about that! But for me, the main thing is that I am afraid of vomiting, so strange as it may seem, I worry about that rather than about my throat swelling up ... sigh. I'm starting to actually be able to see how irrational that is, which, for me, is great progress!
Anyway DazedMommy, I'm glad you got through the first few days, because after that we always feel safer, right? :) Because if anything was going to happen, it would happen fast!
i am the same even with paracetamol, i to was on beta blockers and had to go to hospital and thort i was having side effects but think it was a PA, it is true tho if you are having side effects your mouth will go blue and youll be sick. also pills do have side effects but lets face it were not going to get everyone going its all in the mind, when you take them just keep yourself busy for the next hour and think if it was going to happen it would of the first time you took them. ;)
I had the same experience as you regarding medication. When I came out of the hospital after my surgery this year I had to take meds, I too would panic and worry about side effects. But it did get easier and eventually I was able to take them without panicking. It's just getting over that initial what if syndrome.
!
