What are the different ways in which I can take medication?
There are many ways of taking medicines, from tablets and capsules through to suppositories, through the skin and different types of injection.
The choice of how you take your medication should be offered to you. The advantages and disadvantages should also be explained. Below are a few advantages and disadvantages of each of the different types.
Not all medicines are available in each of the forms. You will need to consult the specific question relating to that medication e.g. How should I take medication x? Consult the following pages to help you find your answer:
Tablets and capsules | Syrups and liquids | Dispersible tablets | Injections | Skin patches
Tablets and capsules
| Advantages |
Disdvantages |
|
Your choice to take a dose every day.
Easy to take and carry around
Can change your dose (up or down) quickly and usually easily
“Sustained release” (SR, XL, MR etc) tablets and capsules can help reduce side effects and reduce the number of times a day you need to take a dose
|
Can easily forget a dose (or accidentally take two doses)
You need a glass of water or liquid to swallow a dose, so is a reminder that you’re “taking a tablet”
Some can be difficult to swallow
Not all medicines can be given by mouth, as they have to be able to survive the acid in the stomach
Sometimes they have to be taken with or after food
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Syrups and liquids
| Advantages |
Disdvantages |
|
Your choice to take a dose every day.
Easy to swallow
Can change your dose (up or down) quickly and usually easily
|
Can easily forget a dose (or accidentally take two doses)
Might not taste very nice
Difficult and heavy to carry around and you need a way of measuring the liquid
Not all medicines can be given by mouth, as they have to be able to survive the acid in the stomach
Sometimes they have to be taken with or after food
May enter the body quickly so might give you more side effects.
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Dispersible tablets (melt-in-the-mouth)
| Advantages |
Disdvantages |
|
Your choice to take a dose every day.
Easy to take and carry around (unless you don’t like the taste)
You don’t need a glass of water or liquid to swallow a dose, so doesn’t feel like you’re “taking a tablet”
Can change your dose (up or down) quickly and usually easily
|
Can easily forget a dose (or accidentally take two doses)
Not all medicines can be given by this type of tablet, as they don’t taste very nice
May enter the body quickly so might give you more side effects.
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Injections (depot or long-acting)
| Advantages |
Disdvantages |
|
Your choice, but only every few weeks
Can live life between injections without reminder of illness
No worrying about forgetting a dose (or taking a double dose), especially if you know the medicine keeps you well
Some medicines can’t be given by mouth but can be injected
Regular contact with nurses and the service every couple of weeks
Because the medicine is released slowly and gradually, there may be fewer side effects
|
You get an injection (usually into your bum) every fortnight or so, which can be painful and distressing
The effects last several weeks so you can’t change your mind between doses
You can’t stop the drug or reduce the dose suddenly (although if you do stop, your blood levels do reduce gradually)
Needs someone to do it for you
Although generally the side effects may not be as marked, you may get more side effects for the few days after an injection
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Skin patches
| Advantages |
Disdvantages |
|
Your choice every day or two
You always know if you’re having a dose
Some medicines can’t be given by mouth but can be given by patches
Because the medicine is released slowly and gradually, there may be fewer side effects
The patch can be taken off if you need to stop a medicine quickly
|
Can fall off (and stick to someone else!)
New technology so not many drugs can be given this way yet
Have to remember how long ago a patch went on and when the next one is due
Can get a rash when the patch is stuck on
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