HELOISE Taking medicine does n't have to be a pain

Dear Heloise: I saw a letter in your column from a woman who has trouble taking her medication due to the size of the pills. This is a very common problem. Readers should know that if they speak with their physicians about their difficulty, there are solutions available for nearly every class of medication.
Many medications now come in transdermal patches or gels, chewable or liquid form, melting tablets and even nasal sprays.
If an alternate form is not available for a certain medication, a pharmacist can assist in determining if a specific pill can be crushed to ease administration.
I hope this letter will encourage communication between patients and their health-care professionals. Holly Hauser, M.D., San Diego
Thank you for an enlightening letter, because taking medicine (especially big pills) can literally be a pain -- and it shouldn't have to be! Readers, talk with your physicians and pharmacists. Heloise
Fast facts: Those small, square tissue boxes can be used for a number of things around the house, so don't throw them away when empty. Use them for the following:
UKeep one next to the sewing machine for scraps.
UGreat to store cotton balls in a bathroom or bedroom.
UReuse as a dispenser for disposable plastic gloves.
UStore children's small puzzle pieces in one.
UHandy to keep pet treats in.
Dear Heloise: I use a "strip" shredder to protect myself against others who might use information on letters, forms, credit-card ads and, worst of all, the blank checks the credit-card companies send. I have found that not only can the long strips be put back together, but they take up a lot of room in my wastebasket.
I don't want to spend the money for a real "confetti" shredder (they are quite a lot more expensive), so I make my own. I tear the sheets across several times so I have, for instance, strips that are 81/2 inches across and only 1 to 3 inches long. I can put these into the shredder and have much smaller (though not quite confetti-sized) pieces. I then use my hands to sift through the pieces and mix them up well. Patty Dowsett, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Dear Heloise: Here's my idea for old calendars: Make a scrapbook.
Take sections, such as flowers, nature, events, etc., from pictures on the calendars. I made one, and my grandchildren love to look at it as I tell them a bit about the pictures. It's fun, too! A.K. Bennett, Waldorf, Md.
Sound off: Are supermarkets paying a lot less for the plastic bags they use? I can't believe how many of them tear just as I am taking the groceries from the car into the house.
Please, all supermarkets, give us sturdier bags. It's worth it, just to prevent your customers from being aggravated. I've been lucky that none of the bags contained glass bottles or jars. Angry in Florida
XSend a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax: (210) HELOISE; e-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate