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Any tips for swallowing enzalutamide tablets?

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User
Posted 27 Jan 2015 at 21:14

Hi All

I'm shortly starting second line treatment for advanced, inoperable PCa. I also have reflux disease (aka GORD) and hiatus hernia which makes taking large tablets a real challenge. I've been told that the proposed medication (enzalutamide tablets) aren't just large - they're gigantic! My specialist nurse says they can't be crushed or chewed.

I'd dearly appreciate hearing readers' hints and tips on swallowing these damn things ( I gather that Abiraterone tabs are just as large).

Incidentally, does anyone else agree that it's ironic that my much beloved NHS has to pay £3k a month to keep me alive on these tablets which are so large that I could choke to death on them?

 

 

User
Posted 28 Jan 2015 at 15:41
Hi Beano,

I am on both of these Meds and yes they are rather large and have to be swallowed whole. Luckily I don't have too much trouble. May I suggest that you take a drink of water just prior to taking the tabs then one at a time with a good amount of water.

My father had difficulty swallowing and was referred to a speech therapist who helped him with his swallowing.

Hope this helps.

Best of luck,

Davey

User
Posted 28 Jan 2015 at 17:27

With Enzalutamide you can take with or without food. Not true of Abiraterone though.

I take the Enza tabs just after a main meal when I feel the throat is opened up by previous swallowing rather than just going in cold as it were.

With a little water for each tablet. If you can use a bit of saliva as well this helps. Maybe psychological but it seems to work.

The other thing I do is have lungs at least half full of air for each swallow so that if I do have to cough it up again I ( hopefully ) can. 

User
Posted 28 Jan 2015 at 19:21

My husband take Enzalutamide. he usually has trouble swallowing big tablets but doesn't appear to with these. He take his vitamins, then has his fruit and yoghurt for brekki then takes the enzalutamide individually. Then he has a couple of slices of toast and fresh coffee to wash it down!

Try not to worry, they are big, but do go down fine.

 

Glen

User
Posted 28 Jan 2015 at 19:24
Hi Beano

they are a bit like horse tablets, Mick only took them for a short while and he found that he had to take each one with a fair amount of water as Rob says after food helped as the throat is already at max stretch.

Interestingly enough I was looking at some other medication recently that is equally huge and wondered why do they have to be so large? one for me to ask an oncologist friend of mine ..if I get an answer I can explain I will post for you

xx

Mandy Mo

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User
Posted 28 Jan 2015 at 15:41
Hi Beano,

I am on both of these Meds and yes they are rather large and have to be swallowed whole. Luckily I don't have too much trouble. May I suggest that you take a drink of water just prior to taking the tabs then one at a time with a good amount of water.

My father had difficulty swallowing and was referred to a speech therapist who helped him with his swallowing.

Hope this helps.

Best of luck,

Davey

User
Posted 28 Jan 2015 at 17:27

With Enzalutamide you can take with or without food. Not true of Abiraterone though.

I take the Enza tabs just after a main meal when I feel the throat is opened up by previous swallowing rather than just going in cold as it were.

With a little water for each tablet. If you can use a bit of saliva as well this helps. Maybe psychological but it seems to work.

The other thing I do is have lungs at least half full of air for each swallow so that if I do have to cough it up again I ( hopefully ) can. 

User
Posted 28 Jan 2015 at 19:21

My husband take Enzalutamide. he usually has trouble swallowing big tablets but doesn't appear to with these. He take his vitamins, then has his fruit and yoghurt for brekki then takes the enzalutamide individually. Then he has a couple of slices of toast and fresh coffee to wash it down!

Try not to worry, they are big, but do go down fine.

 

Glen

User
Posted 28 Jan 2015 at 19:24
Hi Beano

they are a bit like horse tablets, Mick only took them for a short while and he found that he had to take each one with a fair amount of water as Rob says after food helped as the throat is already at max stretch.

Interestingly enough I was looking at some other medication recently that is equally huge and wondered why do they have to be so large? one for me to ask an oncologist friend of mine ..if I get an answer I can explain I will post for you

xx

Mandy Mo

User
Posted 28 Jan 2015 at 22:03

Hi Davey and thanks for your thoughts.  I'm glad the size of the tabs don't cause you too much difficulty.  Maybe my reflux disease has narrowed my gullet but it's virtually guaranteed that  I'll choke on larger tabs!

User
Posted 28 Jan 2015 at 22:05

Hi Rob - these tips sound really helpful so I'm definitely giving them a go! Cheers mate :)

User
Posted 28 Jan 2015 at 22:07

Hi Glen T... your suggestion sounds great and I like the idea of taking them in the middle of breakfast when the gullet is having to cope with other stuff like food so will be a bit stretchy... nice one!

User
Posted 28 Jan 2015 at 22:13

Hi MandyT - will be VERY interested to know what your oncologist says. I get the impression that mine doesn't really think about practical problems like that. Maybe the specialist nurse may be able to advise if you also get nowhere. In my humble opinion there should be a law against  producing tabelets of such an absurd size. We're not horses so why produce such things?! Life's tough enough without making it worse for us. Thanks for your guidance and suggestions!

User
Posted 28 Jan 2015 at 22:16

So sorry I got your username wrong ... I mean Mandy Mo! It's not possible to see the member's name or comment when you're replying on this site...pity, especially if your memory's going to pot like mine!

User
Posted 28 Jan 2015 at 23:24

Hello Beano

 

I started on Enza  last week. When I first saw how big the capsules were I worried that I might not be able to swallow them, but in fact my anxiety was groundless. After putting a capsule in my mouth I filled my mouth with water and then concentrated on swallowing that, ignoring the Enza capsule, which simply followed the flow. It worked first time !

Best wishes

Owen

User
Posted 29 Jan 2015 at 10:38

Do they have to be swallowed with water?

Is it worth asking if they are allowed to be taken with some orange juice????

I find this is more lubricating than water, as with water they can get stuck in the back of the throat.

We asked the Onco about this in respect to Abi, and he said that "he did not see why not" but I am not sure if he really knew.

I would just find out if the sugar in the OJ could affect the drugs - but not sure how!

Good luck

 

Alison

User
Posted 29 Jan 2015 at 19:09
Hi again Beano

No worries about my name I answer to anything!!

I asked about enzalutamide MDV3100 manufactured as Xtandi at the hospice today, I was advised that the tablets are big so that they are absorbed very slowly,the full dosage cannot be made into less tablets. This is also why you cannot break or chew them. The active ingredient is layered throughout the tablets. You may also notice that there are warnings on the box not to handle the tablets as the ingredients can be absorbed through the skin so they are generally dished out by someone wearing gloves into a small dish for the recipient to take.

Not a lot of help to you in swallowing them but at least you know it is for a valid reason.

Xxx

Mandy Mo

 
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