Trouble Swallowing Large Viekira Pak Pill

[Lorangerboy]

I was excited to start my treatment this morning.  I was home alone and opened the first Viekira Pak and took out the larger 2 pills.  Put the first one in my mouth took a big drink of water, swallowed, and it lodged in my windpipe.  I could not breathe.  I tried taking another drink, but it wouldn't move.  I ran outside on my carport hoping someone would see me if I happened to pass out.  It was that serious.  Finally I caught a little bit of air.  The pill moved down a little.  That shook me up pretty good.  I spent the next 2 hours trying to find out if the pills could be cut in half or crushed.  Finally called the number at Viekira.com.  The medical professional they connected me to said they had no clinical data to support either one.  Didn't say no, just they did not know. Trying to salvage the treatment, I cut one in half and tried to swallow again.  Both got stuck in the same place, but did not stop me from breathing.  It took a minute for them to slowly move down.  Needless to say, this stopped me from taking the rest of the morning treatment because if I can't take the bigger ones, I will have to stop treatment.  My next step is to see a gastroenterologist for an upper scope to see if there is an obstruction of some sort.  I am able to swallow soft objects and food.  This has me so disappointed.  Has anyone else out there had this problem and how did you deal with it?

   

[Lynn K]

I found some suggestions here

http://www.wikihow.com/Swallow-a-Pill

and here

http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/two-tricks-make-easier-swallow-pills-201411137515

hope that helps

[Lynn K]

I also look at the prescribing information for Viekira and didn't see anything about cutting the big pink pills (ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir)

But on the prescribing information sheet for Holkira Pak (which is Viekira in Canada) I did see:

"HOLKIRA™ PAK tablets should be swallowed whole, with water if required, and not chewed, broken, or crushed. To maximize absorption, HOLKIRA™ PAK should be taken with food without regard to fat or calorie content"

http://www.abbvie.ca/content/dam/abbviecorp/ca/english/docs/HOLKIRA_PAK_PM_EN.pdf

So I don't think cutting the pills is an option

[HazelAustralia]

Yes same here Lynn,

On the Australian supply there are instructions for taking the pink tablets (paritaprevir/ritonavir/rombitasvir) along with the beige one (dasabuvir) WHOLE -

"Do not chew, crush or break the tablets"

Sometimes relaxations exercises are used for young people who find it difficult to swallow pills. Have you had the problem previously Lorangerboy?

H.

[dragonslayerinprogress]

I have to break up my solvadi. Dr. said it was ok as well as pharmacist because they are not time teleased. Called Gilead too and they said what you heard, no public data. They did in house research but didn't complete it so they couldn't say yes or no. I would have not done treatment if I didn't cut them. Hoping to get lab work done to see if it still works

[AussieRosa]

Are you sure you're drinking enough water when you try to swallow the pill? If you're taking a couple of big gulps and it's still not going down it does sound as if there may be some kind of obstruction. Have you ever taken large multivitamin pills? They're of a comparable size.