You may need to grind the tablet or capsule contents before taking them, for example because you have difficulty swallowing or don't like the taste. By knowing what medications can and cannot be crushed, you can try and mix them with food or drinks to make them easier to swallow.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Knowing If Medicine Can Be Refined
Step 1. Call your doctor or pharmacist to see if your medication can be refined
In some cases, you may not be able to grind them because the medication may not work as well in the smooth form. In some cases, crushed drugs can even be harmful to the body.
- Never smooth a drug that is absorbed slowly because it can interfere with the absorption of the drug in the body. By grinding it, you may accidentally take large doses of the drug.
- In addition, enteric-coated tablets should not be crushed. The medication is coated in a material designed to protect it from stomach acid, or prevent stomach irritation. Therefore, grinding enteric-coated tablets may interfere with this mechanism.
Step 2. Read the drug label
You may be able to identify an unrefined drug by its label. Pay attention to certain signs on the drug that indicate that the drug should not be crushed.
- In the US, common markers used to characterize drugs with controlled or delayed absorption include: 12-hour, 24-hour, CC, CD, CR, ER, LA, Retard, SA, Slo-, SR, XL, XR, or XT.
- Enteric-coated tablets are marked with EN- or EC-.
Step 3. If the medicine cannot be refined, ask the pharmacist or doctor for another formulation
Most drugs can be formulated in other forms, such as liquids or injections.
- Your medication may be available in a solution that you can easily take by mouth. If the drug is not available as a solution, have your doctor or pharmacist prepare it for you whenever possible.
- In some cases, your medication is also available as an injection. To check availability, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Method 2 of 4: Preparing the Necessary Materials and Tools
Step 1. Prepare a dose of medicine
It is recommended that you grind the medication per dose so you don't have to worry about it getting damaged or wasted. In addition, avoid also smoothing several types of medicine at the same time, unless authorized by a doctor or pharmacist.
Step 2. Prepare a tool for grinding the drug
You can use several tools to refine medicine, but no tool is better or worse.
- You can buy a tablet softener to make the process of refining the drug easier.
- Use a plastic container that can be closed, and a hammer or thick glass. Make sure you use dry and clean plastic.
- Use a small bowl or glass and a hard spoon.
- Use a mortar to grind the medicine.
Step 3. If needed, prepare water to soften the tablet before crushing it
Once the tablet has softened, you may be able to grind it more easily.
Step 4. Prepare food or drink as a medicine mixer
Make sure your medication can be taken with food/drink other than water. Some drugs interact with certain foods/drinks, causing poisoning and/or other side effects.
Method 3 of 4: Smoothing the Tablet
Step 1. Make sure the tools you use are clean and dry
Do not let you damage the medicine because of the cleanliness of the tool. Dirty tools can be dangerous for you.
Step 2. Use a tablet smoother following the manufacturer's instructions
You can choose from a variety of tablet grinders from different manufacturers. Find the tablet smoothing that best suits your needs.
Step 3. Use a plastic container
Place the medicine in a dry and clean plastic container, then close the container and place it on a flat and hard place.
- Mash the medicine with a hammer or hard glass.
- Shake the plastic again. Make sure the large part of the pill can still be crushed evenly.
- Re-mash the medicine, and reduce your energy. You may need to pound the medicine several times until it is smooth.
Step 4. Use a plastic container or mortar
Put the medicine in the container or mortar. Before placing the medicine, you can soften it by placing the medicine in a small amount of water for five minutes. Once the medication has softened, you may be able to smooth it more easily.
- Mash the medicine hard with a spoon or mortar. Make sure the medicine doesn't jump out of the container.
- Collect any medication that may be "stuck" on the rim of the container.
- Re-mash the medicine, and reduce your energy. You may need to pound the medicine several times until the medicine disintegrates.
Step 5. Clean the reusable equipment, to ensure that there is no residual drug that sticks and can react with the drug to be crushed later
Drug contamination can be life threatening.
Method 4 of 4: Taking Refined Medicine
Step 1. Make sure the medicine can be taken with food or drink other than water
If you are unsure about the safety of a drug, contact your doctor or pharmacist. Some drugs interact with certain foods/drinks, causing decreased function, poisoning, and/or other side effects.
Step 2. If possible, mix the powdered medicine with the food or drink of your choice
Before mixing it, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
- Take medicine with applesauce, pudding, peanut butter, etc.
- You can also take the medicine with milk, chocolate milk, fruit juice, etc.
Step 3. Take the medicine according to the dose, and do not reduce or exceed it
The dose of the drug has been carefully measured, so you must follow it.
- If you mix a dose of the drug with a serving of applesauce, for example, finish the applesauce in one meal.
- If you mix two doses of medicine, say for morning and evening, in applesauce, take some of the sauce in the morning, and spend the rest in the evening.
Tips
- To make it easier for you to take the powdered medicine, cut off the end of the plastic container.
- If your medication cannot be crushed, you may be able to take it by placing the tablet on your tongue, drinking water, and swallowing it while moving your head toward your chest. This step can help you swallow the medicine in capsule form.
- If you're not sure which medications to grind, or whether you're allowed to grind medications, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
- To swallow a large tablet that cannot be crushed, try placing the tablet on your tongue and then sucking the water out of the bottle while moving your head.
- Destroy one type of medicine at a time. Some types of drugs can interact with other drugs, causing side effects or decreased effectiveness.
- If you mix more than one dose of the drug with water, you can store the rest for 24 hours at room temperature. Close the medicine container before storing, and throw away any unused medicine after 24 hours.
Warning
- Be careful when taking highly concentrated herbal remedies. The drug may burn the tongue or leave an unpleasant taste in the memory.
- When taking crushed medicine with food or drink, such as milk or applesauce, make sure the medicine does not cause side effects.
- Never inhale crushed medicine. This includes drug abuse.
- Consult your doctor if you have difficulty swallowing the medicine. You may have muscle or nerve problems.
