I will have to remember to try that tomorrow morning. I have the worlds worse time swallowing those horse pills. Why do the majority of the pills on the market have to be so huge.

I will dig those huge vitamins out of the cupboard in the morning and try it. I missed Connie's tip before. Thanks for bringing it to our attention!

I'll try this too. Swallowing pills always makes me gag. Thanks for sharing.

Are you sure that you guys aren't all screwed up?

Or that you have your heads on straight?

Does it work better if one turns the head clockwise ... or otherwise?

Seriously - I'm glad that you're finding an easier way to deal with a problem that's difficult for some.

ole joyful

Gee I'm glad it helped Judy! It works for me, just turn your head so your chin is about to your shoulder and swallow!
I hope it works for everyone.

Connie, My head only goes about half way, but it makes a big difference.

Where did you learn this?

I take ten pills a daY. Five in the a.m. and five at night. Take them immediately after eating a meal, to avoid complications (burping, sour stomach,etc), and I line them up by size. Take the biggest one first with a sip of liquid, working down to the smallest. Thattreminds me, time for breakfast and my morning meds! I'll try tilting my head.

No Jannie, Not TILT -- You need to TURN.

I don't even know where Judy. I read it somewhere but can't remember if it was in the paper or online.

I missed the original post, too, but I am so gaggy when I have to take pills. I'll try this. Thanks. Dottie

I tried this this morning and I have to tell you those things went down slick as a whistle. Thanks Connie I will love you forever and ever for that tip.

If this works for me, I owe you and Connie big time. Thanks.

It did work. I tried it this morning. I got up with a back ache and I have an awful time swallowing anything that is not coated or a gel cap. They went right down. Thanks for the tip.

I'm glad to know this too. Thanks! Also, for those big uncoated pills...roll them around in your mouth with some water to get the sticky off, then swallow with water. Works better for me when I do this.

Leslie/KS

Cpnnie, you're just a genius. I wish I'd known about this when my Daddy was alive. Thanks!!!!

I take a big handful of vitamins every morning and that head-turning trick really helped me today.

Thank you!

I think it's the same principle I use when I raise one arm up over my head when I swallow a big pill. That helps when choking on something, too, not the "Heimlich" kind of choking, but the "it went down funny" kind of choking. I think it stretches the esophagus open and maybe the trachea, too.

Thank you Nodakgirl and Judy!!! This may be the breakthrough of my life time :^)

'Mingo, please tell me more about the one arm over head. DH has horrible problems with choking.
Thanks all,
J

Well if the head turning doesn't work I'm going to try it again while raising one arm raised over my head. I just hope I'm not required to swallow pills in public anytime soon.

I'm getting ready to take my daily vitamins, so I'll give this a try. I don't have trouble with any of the about 10 or so I take EXCEPT for the vitamin C.

"Yes, Flamey (and others) ...

... you may leave the room!" (said in my best teacherly tone).

And why worry if someone were to see you acting in such a fashion in public ... they'd just think that you were letting a friend know where you are.

Just worry about the big stuff: don't sweat the small stuff, O.K?

By the way ... how long has it been since someone turned your head??

ole joyful

Jaybird, a local woman taught me that a long time ago when I was having a little choking fit, I think I swallowed funny and it might have just been saliva, even.... anyway, I was coughing and coughing (which is so embarrassing-all that noise you make and people going "are you OK?") and she said "throw one arm up over your head!" and I did and by golly, I was able to breathe better and the coughing fit ended. So I try to do that whenever it happens. (Usually in a very quiet movie theater!) lol

I just expanded on the theory and now I do it when I swallow my big glucosamine caplet and my calcium tablet. It really does help me.

Zeetera- you can "fake" it by reaching up and then bending your elbow and pretend to scratch your neck or just stretch. Hey! As my XH used to say- Happy Hurricane!

MingO, that made laugh. I'll have to remember that flea trick, lol.

Did you x really say that?? HA! No wonder he's an ex. Bill's due to pass the US now, so good fortunes to your east coasters and hope you don't lose your electricty too.

My grandmother always held up both arms of a baby, or young child, that was coughing, or semi-choking. Always worked. I still do it to my grandchildren.

I never heard about turning your head to swallow pills. I tried it and it works too! Dang, if you don't learn something every day. Thanks.

Zeetera- we used to live in FL and had our share of hurricanes (but weren't nearly as vulnerable as you are, so I can see why you wouldn't think it was amusing!) I can remember my mother laughing her butt off when my XH called her about something in the middle of a fairly mild one (lots of rain and wind, little damage of any real consequence) and when she answered the phone he chirped "Happy Hurricane". She never forgot that and will still use it on us during a bad storm.

Yeah- good luck to east coast of the US and Canada.... Glad you're OK, Zee!

It's amazing that none of us had never heard of the 'turn your head' method of pill-swallowing. (We'll have to get to the bottom of this! Who knows a physical medicine MD?)

When you raise your arms above your head you expand the ribcage and allow your lungs to expand more fully. Then you can push more air out of your lungs to better expell whatever is choking you.

I inhaled a small green pea at dinner last night. (DH shouldn't make me laugh when I'm eating!). Due to asthma, my lung power is only 70%. With my arms up, I was able to cough out that darn pea, first try.

Thank you for this hint. I wish I had learned it back in my nursing days. DH takes ten pills a day and a couple give him problems. He's tried this twice now and finds it much easier.

Thanks so much for the tip. It's too bad you can't bottle it and sell it - you'd make millions :) I wonder why this tip hasn't been mentioned on any of the talk shows, it could save a lot of people a lot of grief. I sure wish I'd known before giving up taking my vitamins a few years ago cause I couldn't get 'em down. Thanks again!

You folks are wonderful!!! The pill trick is working GREAT for me and I am all ready to snatch DH's arm in the air the next time he chokes!(thank you Pink Person for the info)
Thank you all sooooo much for teaching this old dog new tricks!
J

I know I'm late responding to several posts, but I had to thank you for this head-turning trick. I had to stop taking my calcium tabs; I couldn't get the things down. Now I'm going to try them again.

LOL I can't believe no one tried this when I mentioned it on the first calcium pills post! Guess everyone was gone that day but Judy?! LOL

I didn't read the Calcium pills post, cause those go down easy.. it's the Vitamin C that I have a hard time with. :-)

I've been using this method since I read it a few days ago... it works so well I do it with all my pills! Thanks Connie!