Pills are globular masses of medicinal substance coated in a coating designed to be swallowed whole. Pills are less costly to manufacture than capsules and tend to last longer on shelves.
Just follow your doctor or pharmacist’s instructions when splitting pills; using a pill cutter could be hazardous.
What is a pill?
Pill is the common name given to any solid pharmaceutical oral dosage form of medicine – this includes tablets, capsules and chewable pills or liquid medications – used for oral consumption.
Pills typically come in round or oblong shapes, though you might encounter medications of other shapes and sizes. The FDA requires most prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to include an imprint code to help healthcare workers quickly identify them in case of medical emergencies.
An imprint code of a pill consists of numbers and letters, or other marks or symbols on its surface. Some tablets also feature an “score,” which indicates where they should be split apart to take medication; there are pill-splitters available to accurately break scored tablets apart.
What are the main types of pills?
Medication comes in various forms. Liquid medications can be given orally or intravenously. Liquids may be helpful to those who have difficulty swallowing pills, including children. Others prefer granules or powders which can be mixed into drinks or soft foods; still others might even choose gummy candy to take their medicine.
Tablets are solid pharmaceutical oral dosage forms made by pressing powdered, crystalline or granular substances into their desired shapes under high pressure using steel punches and presses. Tablets contain not only their active ingredient(s) but also excipients like disintegrants, lubricants and binders which aid absorption.
Given that different drug companies might produce identical pills, it’s crucial to check both sides for imprint codes. Furthermore, weather and temperature can alter how split tablets appear.
How do pills work?
The Pill helps prevent pregnancy by blocking sperm from reaching the uterus and stopping egg from implanting into fallopian tubes, as well as thickening up mucus on your cervix to make passage harder for sperm. For maximum effectiveness, take it at precisely the same time every day; missing one increases your chances of becoming pregnant.
Pills typically feature a score mark that makes splitting them easier, but sometimes this feature doesn’t exist or one side looks very similar to another side of the pill.
Some pills feature codes on both sides to make finding them in an emergency easier. You can use an imprint code tool to quickly locate them as well.
What are the side effects of pills?
Pills can be an effective form of contraception if used correctly and on time each day; they should be taken at approximately the same time each day at around the same time, and missing one or more may result in spotting or bleeding.
Girls experiencing uncomfortable or embarrassing side effects such as spotting or bleeding should seek guidance from their healthcare provider immediately. If these side effects persist, girls should consult with them directly.
Depending on the type of pill she uses, taking birth control can increase her risk for blood clots in her legs (deep vein thrombosis) and heart attack as well as increase her chances of breast cancer by an unknown percentage.
Before prescribing the Pill, a doctor or nurse practitioner will discuss her health history and provide instructions for taking it as well as backup contraception if she becomes sexually active.
How do I know if I’m taking the right pill?
Correct use of birth control pills is estimated to be 99.999% effective at preventing pregnancy, making it paramount that they be taken every day and other forms of contraception when engaging in sexual activity.
Women may experience side effects when taking the Pill, although these typically diminish with time. Common issues include tender breasts, nausea (feeling sick), breakthrough bleeding and tender breasts – especially during its first few months of usage.
The extended-cycle pill is a combination hormonal pill designed to decrease your monthly periods from 13 to four. It does this by combining certain hormones found in other hormonal birth control pills with progestogens that do not contain estrogen; these may be recommended if there are certain health conditions involved.
