Is it safe/ok to chew a pill or a capsule?!

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it's usually okay if you mix it or rinse out your mouth completely. if the pill has a coating i wouldn't crush it because they have that for various reasons, usually so it doesn't damage your stomach lining, but also so it has a slow release in your body. for example, sleeping pills have layers so they dissolve slowly and keep you asleep for hours. pills for immediate affect should be okay (pain, immediate heartburn) chewing it is probably not a good idea if it has anything that could interfere with your teeth. i used to crush my pills in a spoon and mix it with honey so the pill powder wouldn't touch my mouth or throat directly.
it's better to swallow pills like it says on the bottle.

My understanding would be that this is not a safe practice. When you chew a pill or capsule you are increasing the surface area of the medication and thereby increase its absorption rate. This may lead to a spike in medication and may not have desirable results.

Example would be a medication that is labeled XR which means extended release. So if you chewed or dissolved one of these pills you would get in a very short period of time what would normally be delivered over several hours.

As long as they are off the shelf and weak pills, then no problem. Don't dissolve in juice but in a glass of water and drink in one go. This will have the same affect as swallowing and dissolving the capsule in the stomach.

I do the same .... and my GP concurs

Extended release medicines should not be chewed or crushed. Ever. You would get the whole thing immediately. If you can swallow food items, you should be able to learn this skill.

It is better to dissolve it in water if you can, but it should be fine :D

My friend also doesn't like swallowing pills, and I've tried it,

I should think it would be ok
as long as you're taking the medicine part

I used to have tablets dissolve in some water when I was little

as long as its not a timed-release opiate narcotic its safe
& it will work faster
but it will prob taste like @ss :(