The True Meaning of Extended Release

 Swallow me not!

The pill on the right - if I have to swallow a pill, that is the perfect size. 

The pill in the center - it's a major challenge for me to swallow whole.  It's extended release - it's set up so that you really should swalloe it whole, and then it disintegrates gradually. I did not realize this until recently so I had been chewing it (at least to get it to smaller parts).  I have made recent atempts to swallow it whole.  I succeed maybe two out of every five tries.  I can swallow it if I don't think about it too much.

The pill on the right - nah, not happening.  It's huge and fat and too much for baby Tommy.

Some may call me a woosy.  Some may think it's all in my head.

Maybe.  It might be all or in part psychological.  But I do think there is at least a possibility of an esophagus issue.  I know that my Dad, particularly later in life, had a lot of swallowing issues.  I know that it takes me longer to eat a meal than Alison and Benjamin - I am normally taking smaller bites and chewing more (they recommend this if you're trying to lose weight - HA! I sure fooled them!).

This huge pill is what was given to me as my first diabetes medicine.  It's my own fault, because I think they were trying to accomodate my desire to have a staggered effext rather than hit all at once.  Little did I know, that "extended release" is pharmacy code for BIG A-- HORSE PILL!

The diabetes medicine is very expensive(at least for our budget).  I could not find gimmicks or discounts to help. I bought it and did not see the pill size until days later.* 

I have been in contact with a special team provided through the insurance company that will help with managing diabetes and provide supprt getting certain diabetes drugs. The diabetes horsepill I got is not on the lisr.  I do have that list, and I am hoping that my primary care can find one siutable.

Since I need to change medicine anyways, I have not pushed myself to swalloe it.  If it was on the list, and the primary care people insisted it was the best choice, I would try to figure out a way to swallow it.  I have been told to grease it with applesause or something similar would help.  I don't knoe if I could do it, but I would at least try if I had to.

I know, that if my blog was anything that people responded to anymore**, that I would get people trying to present ways to get over the psychological barrier.  Sort of like when I blogged about how much gnats loved me.

I appreciate that, and I may have to deal with it sometime.  How real the small esophagus is is harder for me to say.

I will keep you updated!

*There may be some issue with stomach reactions, and I was trying to pick a time when I would be home to deal with any of that.

**Usually, pets and family is a sure thing to get at least a few likes from Facebook, but my recent post filled with cute pictures of our new kitten, Scout, got ZERO response.  Facebook and its algoryhtms are not my friend.

PPS

Grammarly is out, for whatever reason.  Plus I'm trying to do this around a keyboard loving kitten, so please forgive the plethora of errors.  I will fix when I can.