I can't swallow my Accutane pills

My doctor just started me on Accutane, but I have trouble swallowing the pills. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I have always had trouble swallowing pills. I know the directions say not to chew or suck on the pills, but does it really damage the esophagus? I just don't see how else I can take the pills unless I can open them up and mix it with food or something.

Hey,

I also used to have trouble swallowing tablets. I was told to hold my nose whilst I swallowed with one in my mouth and some water. Really did work perfectly every time, then eventually I was able to do it without looking like i was doing an old dance.

Good luck man, it really does work

keep us posted

Thanks. Anyone else? I should state that I was on Accutane once in high school, and having the same problem, I opened the capsule and mixed it with yogurt, and I didn't seem to do any damage. Anyone else try this before?

your definately not supposed to do that...im happy to hear it didnt damage your esophagus jake but that is so bad.... accutane has a huge amount of vitamen A that can do alot of harm to certain parts of your body...

fill your mouth with water put the pill in...stop thinking and swallow the water..you wont even notive its in there...a lil practice and youll be off and running

1.) No, Accutane does NOT have a "huge amount of vitamin A." Accutane contains isotretinoin, which is similar in makeup to vitamin A, but *not* the same thing.
2.) As long as you consume the liquid inside the pill with water or some sort of substance, the chances of you damaging any part of your body, including the esophagus, are virtually nonexistent.

A lot of people here actually take a liquid form of isotretinoin instead of a pill Accutane, including myself. As far as I know, none of us has experienced anything other than a mild sore throat, and that's only when I take the substance without any sort of water/etc.

I should add, though, that a lot of people, myself included, originally had trouble swallowing pills.

Just keep doing it, and you'll be able to do it regularly eventually.

It's a lot easier than cracking every pill open, that's for sure.

1) excuse my mistake...its is
"like" vitamen A , im sorry for the confusion

2) as written on my sotret box information

"take sotret 2 times a day with a meal, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. SWALLOW your sotret capsules whole with a full glass of liquid. Do not chew or suck on the capsule. Sotret can hurt the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach (esophagus) if it is not swallowed whole."

3) as you said there are those who take liquid form, i have not researched this but i would think that that type of accutane has a slightly different make-up which has less potential to harm the esophagus.

"3) as you said there are those who take liquid form, i have not researched this but i would think that that type of accutane has a slightly different make-up which has less potential to harm the esophagus."

Untrue.

If anything, liquid isotretinoin such as that from AG-Guys or ChemOne would be more harmful, as it's simply isotretinoin powder suspended in an alcohol peg. The isotretinoin in accutane pills is suspended in a much more evenly-distributed, "smooth" substance.

obviously you have some kind of degree, or alot of time on your hands....all im aware of is that it is harmful if not swallowed whole....perhaps Jake you should consult your doctor for better information.

Yes, consulting a doctor is always the best advice, but numerous users of both pill- and liquid-format isotretinoin here can attest to the fact that no long-term damage has resulted from use.

Degree or not, I (and others) simply don't appreciate misinformation being given to those with questions. If you don't know an answer, you really shouldn't "assume" one instead.

well considering that these sites are for accutane users to speak openly i was simply sharing MY OPINION...which is what these sites were designed for...if someone wanted medical advice they should be consulting a doctor..

and as ive said before i apologize for the vitamen a mistake...that was wrong...like i said we are all human and make mistakes...

the rest of the information...was copied exactly from the box. also just so we are clear i consulted a family member who is a pharmacist, who also instructed that 'its really not a good idea to crush accutane, hence the warning on the box'

i hope all users of this message board are fully aware that unless instructed otherwise everything written on these sites are opinions or home remedies...

Please check this website. Accutane is highly soluble in fats, so dissolving the oil in milk reduces its concentration and it may be safer for the esophagus

http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/lexicomp/isot...

Extemporaneously Prepared
Alternate method of administration of Accutane® capsules, based on unpublished data (not recommended by manufacturer): An oral suspension using the entire capsule may be prepared by adding one 10 mg capsule to 15 mL warm (~37°C or 97°F) 2% reduced-fat milk (or 20 mg capsule to 30 mL, etc, so that the concentration is maintained). Stir until capsule shell dissolves and capsule contents are dispersed throughout solution (approximately 10-15 minutes). Suspension stable for ?4 hours at controlled room temperature or under refrigeration. Use appropriate precautions for handling teratogenic capsule contents.

i have taken the pill apart and put it into apple sauce....not sure whats going to happen to me tho

I can recommend a reputable pharmacy (Accutane) rxpillsnetwork.com/buy-accutane.html... I received the order and it was on time and the pills work great.

wow this post is really old! but i cant believe i found someone with my same problem!:( im from argentina and i have been searching in spanish and i couldnt find anything.. i tryed to look for it in english and i found this!maybe u wont see it .. but i would love is u or some other person that have had the same problem could answer me!!!! can i bit the pill? i mean.. to take what is has inside?

I took Accutane from usa online pharmacy http://isotretinoin-usa.info when I was 18. I had suffered with extremely severe acne since I was 11. Accutane was a miracle. It completely cleared my skin within 4 months with minimal side affects. I did have dry skin and pretty chapped lips for 4 months but for clear skin, it was a price I was willing to pay. Think carefully before taking this medicine due to the severe side effects that some people experience, but for me it was 100% worth it. I am now 21 and have had clear skin ever since. I can remember reading about Accutane before taking it and hoping it would be the solution I had been praying for. To this day, I am very grateful for the impact it has had on my life. I would give it a chance!

Wow, you ALL have read my mind here! My 15 year old daughter was just prescribed Accutane (well, the generic known as Clavaris 40 mg) and she CAN NOT swollow a pill to save her life. We have tried EVERYTHING except suspending her from the Empire State Building upside down in mid air and throwing the pill down her throat until she swallows it ...) but anyway ~ the first day we cut the pill open and mixed the yellow liquid inside with some pudding. Down it went, no problem. Then, I had some extra time on my hands to read the 50 pages of instructions that came with the RX the next morning ~ DO NOT CHEW OR CRUSH the capsule, ONLY swallow it whole to be sure it does not damage the esphogus. OMG! So, I called the doc, she says it's okay to open the capsule, and do what we did (thus, the mixing w/ pudding). I went a step further and called the manufacturer Barr Laboratories and was told UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should the capsule be broken, chewed, or cut up and my daughter should NOT be taking the liquid inside unless it is swallowed whole inside the capsule. I am dying here!! Would whoever took this medicine in the past for the full 6 months and cut it up every day as we have been doing, PLEASE write back and confirm that your esophogus is still intact and that you did not die from this procedure. Thank you!!!

I'm 16 and I live in Poland. Here we have Izotek, not Accutane or Clavaris, so I don't know if those pills are exactly the same. What I wanna tell you is that I'm taking Izotek for about 6 months, I haven't swallowed ANY of the pills, I just always crush them with my teeth and swallow the capsule and the liquid, with tea. And that's it. My esphogus is absolutely fine and I didn't die, although the instruction is telling me to swallow a pill without crushing it. The pills are working absolutely fine, the results are fantastic.
So, Connie, you should really consider crushing the pills. Maybe search for some more information (e.g. if Clavaris and Izotek are the same pills, but I guess they are, Izotek is orange too).
Anyway, goodluck! I really hope your daughter gets better. If you have more questions, ask away.

Connie, as yeyeah said, anything happens,or so i think. im taking roaccutane ( its the same droug of accutane) and im on the 5th month. i crushed all the pills in this 5 monthes and im still alive with any changes on my esphogus. and my doctor said me that its better to take them without crushing but that if u cant, there is no problem at all if u just take the liquid it has inside

Thank you both so much for your responses. I assume we are talking about the same yellow / orange (ish) liquid medicine that is inside the accutane pills. It seems to have kind of an oily substance to it, and is sometimes difficult to mix up in certain foods ~ but pudding does seem to be easier than other things. With that said, how is your acne responding to the medication? This is only my daughter's 4th day, but it seems that her acne may be getting worse. I understand that this sometimes happens before it gets better. I hope you all have seen clearer skin since taking this medication, and that you find it has improved your condition. With all of the monthly blood work that we have to do, I hope it is worth it! Thanks again! Connie from Maine, USA