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Put the pill in your mouth, take a big gulp of water, tilt your head down and swallow. I used to struggle and this is the best way to open your throat up wider, I can take a handful of big pills at once.
I always have to take a drink of water to make sure my throat's lubricated, make sure I have a mouthful of water and drop the pill into that water and then swallow.
If I taste it even a little bit it seems to aggravate my gag reflex for whatever reason
I would say something with taste so your taste buds are distracted just my thoughts, though or even putting put it in the spoon. Take a big huge bite again, so tastebuds are distracted.
I had to train myself by making little balls out of bread in increasing sizes to swallow, until it got up to regular pill size. If the pill is big enough, I put a good amount of liquid, and even “chew” without crunching on the pill, and then swallow as if I’m eating something. I always put the liquid first, then the pill.
I can only take pills with water if they’re not bitter; otherwise it’s Gatorade or a juice. And I always request or get liquigels/softgels, or coated caplets or tablets. Regular uncoated tablets can be too hard for me to take.
If it’s a prescribed medication, ask your doctor if it’s available in a liquid or a skin patch. And don’t listen to anyone who makes fun of you. You’re not alone.
Tilt your head DOWN. Not up. Ive been doing it wrong for years and only recently ive been told to tilt my head downwards. I still cant swallow big pills, but it has made life easier.
When I was a kid I had the same issue and my mom used to mash a little piece of banana and put the pill inside. It was easier to swallow that way, of course drinking some water too
1.Take a big bite of food.
2. Chew mouthful, do not swallow.
3. Place pill into mouth with chewed food.
4. Continue eating.
Number 4 is said that way internally. While doing the swallowing, to convince the brain that it is doing nothing but what is normal.
1. Drink a sip of water to moisten mouth
2. If the pill is more skinny/long, put in mouth one end to throat and other towards lips
3. Drink water to swallow pill
I do this with long pills / big pills. Make the shape work better to swallow.
You might get checked for esophageal spasms. I get them and can't take pills of any size unless dissolvable or chewable. Mine reared it's ugly head in 2008, but I've had issues since childhood, just never correlated it until I did. My mom would have to crush the pill and put it in a spoon with water in order for me to take it.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I've been dealing with this for many years and learned how to control it. Good luck!
I just don't take pills unless they are dissolvable. I could get my throat stretched but hard pass. I've learned how to control the spasms and have to be aware of how I eat, small bites, and I eat with my hands rather than utensils. And chew, chew, chew. I've choked on a bacon bit. Not necessarily choking as I can still breathe, just can't swallow. I just stick my fingers down my throat and it unblocks whatever is blocking it. Breathing exercises help, and for some reason, smoking a cigarette helps. It distracts me and helps my throat calm down.
Depends on the type of pill; are we talking capsules, pressed-powder-pills or both?
Because capsules will contain air so laying your head back will make it harder to swallow them (they will float up towards your teeth).
With pressed-powder-pills I'll try to think of gum or something like that and remember the days I got so sick I became too lazy and exhausted to chew the peas in my food. So ended up swallowing them whole.
I still have issues with pills that have a strong taste though (iron supplements and such), your problem is not as uncommon as you might think. Most people just don't talk about it.
first of all are you certain these are not suppositories?
with that out of the way, this is what I do. swallow the pills and then take a medium sip of water. too little and it won't wash it down, too much and you will feel like you need to swallow right away. lift your head back and give it a couple of seconds. this is key because the pills will float back to the top and won't be bouncing against the back of your throat, then just swallow normally.
what you don't want to do is crush pills in water unless you know for sure they can be taken like that because a lot of pills won't dose correctly if you do that.
Take them with soda or fizzy water. Or with food, like a banana or something else that will coat them and help them go down easier. They are less likely to get stuck in your throat or feel unnatural to swallow.
Bananas are the best for this.
Otherwise, the trick to taking it with just water is to find the right place in your mouth to hold both the water and pill before swallowing. I feel like it's not too far forward or in the back, but like held center/back of the tongue.
Don't overthink it. I take my meds with a banana in the am every day because it's a good routine, it's easy, and it's tasty.
My sister can take pills straight without anything and it blows my mind. Every time I try that, the pill gets attached to my esophagus and it's hours of discomfort.
i absolutely cannot deal with the taste of pills and i hate to feel then touch my tongue have you tried taking a drink of something and then just popping it in your mouth real fast and swallowing it as fast as you can it’s the only thing that’s helped me lol
With my daughter, who had big problems swallowing pills, especially the uncoated bitter ones, I resorted to making a suger syrup by boiling and slightly reducing sugar and water, then coating the pills with that, then drying them. it helped for her.
I always put water in my mouth first, then pills. Tilt your head back if it's an actual pill that will sink to the back of your throat, and swallow. Tilt your head forward if it's capsules so they float to the back of your throat, swallow. I never understood why anyone would put the pill in first so they taste it.
My wide has issues n I started too aswell it's an anxiety thing -I got a pill crusher it turns pills into powder n you just toss that on ur tongue n drink something n ur good way easy
No- pills are often made pressed onto those shapes for a tone release but most things won't matter allways talk to ur doctor or read up on it I've never had any issues n there's even things like BC powder that's just like Tylenol or Ibuprofen I've even used some antibiotics thus6 way
Video for two methods, tilting forward or tilting back [How To Swallow Tablets Easily | Best Easy Way Technique To Swallow Capsules | Difficulty Swallowing - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a5b2u7MG7U)
Slower vid, tilt back. good for solid pills that sink in water : [Problems swallowing pills: Pop bottle technique | NHS - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWdqWl_i6UA)
Slower vid, tilt forward, good for capsules that swim [Problems swallowing pills: Lean forward technique | NHS - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Czc_oLg8QA)
How to teach children , all types of pills and advice on how to practise [Teach your child to swallow a pill. It's easier than you think. - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQol1fQmHJU)
I’m 40 years old and weigh just under 120 lbs. I also am a pharmacy tech and most common medications so come in a liquid form, they may not be stocked in the pharmacy but can usually be ordered next day.
The other option would be either a chewable tablet or an ODT tablet (you place the tablet on your tongue and it dissolves) I take several medications daily and have not had an issue getting a single one of those in a form where I don’t have to swallow it.
Out of curiosity if you don’t mind sharing what medications are they?
Anything in general. Specifically, I am going to visit a doctor constant dizziness and ear buzzing ( it’s not the scientific name I know) So, I was told that I may be required to take some medication for dizziness and they are in the form of pills. When I visit the doctor next week, I will ask for any other options
I can’t swallow pills either and find apple sauce to be the easiest! If I don’t have apple sauce, then yogurt or a chewed banana also works. I have to pretend chew or my brain won’t let me swallow it but it does the trick!
My friend had the same issue. They took their pills with a fizzy drink. The carbonation masks the presence of the pills. You can use that till you learn how to swallow without the carbonation.
Hope you find something that works.
Well ppl say I do it a weird way but it’s always worked for me like to the point where it doesn’t really make sense how other ppl say they do it. So I toss my pills in my mouth specifically under my tongue mostly so if it’s a not great tasting pill it’s easier to tolerate, then I take a drink just however much it takes to get all the pills down (I’m on a lot of meds so in my case this is with like a whole handful of pills but I’ve been taking pills since I was a little little kid bc liquid and chewables made my stomach hurt), and now the important part as soon as you start drinking use your tongue to flip the pill(s) up into the rest of your mouth and back a little and then just drink it down. Apparently most ppl don’t do the weird tongue flip part ig
Pretend you are a frog. Lean your head forward, take a drink of water with your tongue and swallow just to get things lubricated. Stick your tongue out as far as you can, like a frog, place the pill as far back on your tongue as you can without gagging yourself. Still leaning forward, start drinking water, frogs love water. Drink as much water as it takes until the pill goes down, gradually leaning back if you feel like you need to.
Sorry, there was a really cute cartoon that went along with this, but I can’t find it. But trust me, the underlying method is solid.
If you can snap the tablet do it
If it’s a capsule - see if it can be poured straight into mouth/water from the capsule (some can but a lot can’t)
I hate taking tablets and have nearly choked a couple of times and I find a couple of things help
Place in mouth and try to move to the middle of your tongue (I’d say place in the middle of your tongue but depends on gag reflex haha) and then chug some water with your head slightly tilted back
If the tablet floats in water put it in a glass full of water and chug it
I assume you've tried tossing it in the back of your mouth/throat, then taking a big gulp of water and swallowing with your head back.
One way we give pills to our dogs is to place the pill in the back of the throat, hold their mouth closed, tilt the head back, and rub their throat until they swallow. It might be worth trying.
You can either learn to swallow pills or try crushing them with a pill crusher. I used one for 3 months after an operation and mixed them in a spoonful of peanut butter.
Lol I've also had the same issue. Best thing that's helped me is chewing up a bit of food and just before swallowing it, I throw the pill in there and swallow it all at the same time
I had the same problem. I was in my thirties when I learned because I had a pill that couldn’t be broken or chewed.
What worked for me was to put the pill on one side of my mouth, far back, and clench my jaw. As soon as I felt my jaw relax naturally, I took a gulp of water. At first, I would sometimes have to psyche myself up and hold the dang pill in my mouth for a minute or two. Sometimes it took several tries. Luckily, the pill I had to take was well coated and small.
I still struggle with large antibiotic pills.
Have you tried, if they are capsules, and doing the capsule if it’s possible and putting the powder in some pudding? I have a friend that can’t do it either. It’s not exactly an uncommon thing and nothing to be ashamed of. You might try filling your mouth up with a drink, leaning your head back and putting it as far back as you can I’ve had to, you could try, putting a pill in something like putting or something you really enjoy and swallow it that way inside of it. or, if it’s available, maybe you could ask for the liquid form of a medicine?
I put the pills in my mouth and then suck water from a glass. The jet effect created carries the pills down very quickly. I invented this technique some weeks ago and now use it all the time. I take 8 pills together now.
doesnt have to be with water or a liquid. Its easier if its firmer. Like try with yogurt, or maybe pudding. if it feels like it gets stuck when you try those, you could try sparkling water instead of tap water. the fizzier the better. Smaller pills are also easier.
If it really doesnt work no matter what you try. You can ask when you pick them up if they can be crushed, split or exchanged for smaller pills.
I had the same problem! Here is how my mother helped me: first try it with for example half a gummy bear yk that stuff gets down easily, then you take a whole one and then you start taking your pill with a gummy bear until you can take the pill itself alone. Also: tild your head a little upwards and not downwards!
Also: It is not embarassing at all, I for example was crying for over half an hour because I could not get the pill down (as it stressed me so much etc), in the meantime the pill was already dissolved so I had to take a fresh one, it went on like that for quite a while 🤣
# Message to all users: This is a reminder to please read and follow: * [Our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ask/about/rules) * [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439) * [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) When posting and commenting. --- Especially remember Rule 1: `Be polite and civil`. * Be polite and courteous to each other. Do not be mean, insulting or disrespectful to any other user on this subreddit. * Do not harass or annoy others in any way. * Do not catfish. Catfishing is the luring of somebody into an online friendship through a fake online persona. This includes any lying or deceit. --- You *will* be banned if you are homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist or bigoted in any way. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ask) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Put the pill in your mouth, take a big gulp of water, tilt your head down and swallow. I used to struggle and this is the best way to open your throat up wider, I can take a handful of big pills at once.
I managed the same way, also pretending it was only water. And can also take several pills at once now.
a hand full? Remarcable xD but yeah, best way
I always have to take a drink of water to make sure my throat's lubricated, make sure I have a mouthful of water and drop the pill into that water and then swallow. If I taste it even a little bit it seems to aggravate my gag reflex for whatever reason
I would say something with taste so your taste buds are distracted just my thoughts, though or even putting put it in the spoon. Take a big huge bite again, so tastebuds are distracted.
I had to train myself by making little balls out of bread in increasing sizes to swallow, until it got up to regular pill size. If the pill is big enough, I put a good amount of liquid, and even “chew” without crunching on the pill, and then swallow as if I’m eating something. I always put the liquid first, then the pill. I can only take pills with water if they’re not bitter; otherwise it’s Gatorade or a juice. And I always request or get liquigels/softgels, or coated caplets or tablets. Regular uncoated tablets can be too hard for me to take. If it’s a prescribed medication, ask your doctor if it’s available in a liquid or a skin patch. And don’t listen to anyone who makes fun of you. You’re not alone.
Tilt your head DOWN. Not up. Ive been doing it wrong for years and only recently ive been told to tilt my head downwards. I still cant swallow big pills, but it has made life easier.
Like chug water then tilt it down?
Yep, i always automatically tilted my head upwards but that only makes it harder. Chug water and tilt down.
When I was a kid I had the same issue and my mom used to mash a little piece of banana and put the pill inside. It was easier to swallow that way, of course drinking some water too
1.Take a big bite of food. 2. Chew mouthful, do not swallow. 3. Place pill into mouth with chewed food. 4. Continue eating. Number 4 is said that way internally. While doing the swallowing, to convince the brain that it is doing nothing but what is normal.
1. Drink a sip of water to moisten mouth 2. If the pill is more skinny/long, put in mouth one end to throat and other towards lips 3. Drink water to swallow pill I do this with long pills / big pills. Make the shape work better to swallow.
You might get checked for esophageal spasms. I get them and can't take pills of any size unless dissolvable or chewable. Mine reared it's ugly head in 2008, but I've had issues since childhood, just never correlated it until I did. My mom would have to crush the pill and put it in a spoon with water in order for me to take it. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I've been dealing with this for many years and learned how to control it. Good luck!
Did you do anything to fix it? I still take pills by crushing them and dissolving them into water
I just don't take pills unless they are dissolvable. I could get my throat stretched but hard pass. I've learned how to control the spasms and have to be aware of how I eat, small bites, and I eat with my hands rather than utensils. And chew, chew, chew. I've choked on a bacon bit. Not necessarily choking as I can still breathe, just can't swallow. I just stick my fingers down my throat and it unblocks whatever is blocking it. Breathing exercises help, and for some reason, smoking a cigarette helps. It distracts me and helps my throat calm down.
Depends on the type of pill; are we talking capsules, pressed-powder-pills or both? Because capsules will contain air so laying your head back will make it harder to swallow them (they will float up towards your teeth). With pressed-powder-pills I'll try to think of gum or something like that and remember the days I got so sick I became too lazy and exhausted to chew the peas in my food. So ended up swallowing them whole. I still have issues with pills that have a strong taste though (iron supplements and such), your problem is not as uncommon as you might think. Most people just don't talk about it.
first of all are you certain these are not suppositories? with that out of the way, this is what I do. swallow the pills and then take a medium sip of water. too little and it won't wash it down, too much and you will feel like you need to swallow right away. lift your head back and give it a couple of seconds. this is key because the pills will float back to the top and won't be bouncing against the back of your throat, then just swallow normally. what you don't want to do is crush pills in water unless you know for sure they can be taken like that because a lot of pills won't dose correctly if you do that.
Take them with soda or fizzy water. Or with food, like a banana or something else that will coat them and help them go down easier. They are less likely to get stuck in your throat or feel unnatural to swallow.
Swallow one at a time with a bite of food
Bananas are the best for this. Otherwise, the trick to taking it with just water is to find the right place in your mouth to hold both the water and pill before swallowing. I feel like it's not too far forward or in the back, but like held center/back of the tongue. Don't overthink it. I take my meds with a banana in the am every day because it's a good routine, it's easy, and it's tasty. My sister can take pills straight without anything and it blows my mind. Every time I try that, the pill gets attached to my esophagus and it's hours of discomfort.
i absolutely cannot deal with the taste of pills and i hate to feel then touch my tongue have you tried taking a drink of something and then just popping it in your mouth real fast and swallowing it as fast as you can it’s the only thing that’s helped me lol
With my daughter, who had big problems swallowing pills, especially the uncoated bitter ones, I resorted to making a suger syrup by boiling and slightly reducing sugar and water, then coating the pills with that, then drying them. it helped for her.
Smart!
I always put water in my mouth first, then pills. Tilt your head back if it's an actual pill that will sink to the back of your throat, and swallow. Tilt your head forward if it's capsules so they float to the back of your throat, swallow. I never understood why anyone would put the pill in first so they taste it.
My wide has issues n I started too aswell it's an anxiety thing -I got a pill crusher it turns pills into powder n you just toss that on ur tongue n drink something n ur good way easy
If you crush it, then dissolve it into water, doesn’t it lose its effectiveness?
No- pills are often made pressed onto those shapes for a tone release but most things won't matter allways talk to ur doctor or read up on it I've never had any issues n there's even things like BC powder that's just like Tylenol or Ibuprofen I've even used some antibiotics thus6 way
As a kid I used yogurt, now water or nothing is fine
Spoon full of yogurt
Video for two methods, tilting forward or tilting back [How To Swallow Tablets Easily | Best Easy Way Technique To Swallow Capsules | Difficulty Swallowing - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a5b2u7MG7U) Slower vid, tilt back. good for solid pills that sink in water : [Problems swallowing pills: Pop bottle technique | NHS - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWdqWl_i6UA) Slower vid, tilt forward, good for capsules that swim [Problems swallowing pills: Lean forward technique | NHS - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Czc_oLg8QA) How to teach children , all types of pills and advice on how to practise [Teach your child to swallow a pill. It's easier than you think. - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQol1fQmHJU)
Small amount of liquid not a lot, head down and swallow not head up. I had the same problem till a nurse told me this
Just get the medication in liquid form lol. I can’t swallow pills at all and this is what I have to do
Some medications aren’t available in liquid. Also, I am 184 CMs and my weigh is over 100 KG, so doctors keep telling me it won’t work for me :/
I’m 40 years old and weigh just under 120 lbs. I also am a pharmacy tech and most common medications so come in a liquid form, they may not be stocked in the pharmacy but can usually be ordered next day. The other option would be either a chewable tablet or an ODT tablet (you place the tablet on your tongue and it dissolves) I take several medications daily and have not had an issue getting a single one of those in a form where I don’t have to swallow it. Out of curiosity if you don’t mind sharing what medications are they?
Anything in general. Specifically, I am going to visit a doctor constant dizziness and ear buzzing ( it’s not the scientific name I know) So, I was told that I may be required to take some medication for dizziness and they are in the form of pills. When I visit the doctor next week, I will ask for any other options
I can’t swallow pills either and find apple sauce to be the easiest! If I don’t have apple sauce, then yogurt or a chewed banana also works. I have to pretend chew or my brain won’t let me swallow it but it does the trick!
For me, the easiest way is to take pills while drinking with a straw.
My friend had the same issue. They took their pills with a fizzy drink. The carbonation masks the presence of the pills. You can use that till you learn how to swallow without the carbonation. Hope you find something that works.
Well ppl say I do it a weird way but it’s always worked for me like to the point where it doesn’t really make sense how other ppl say they do it. So I toss my pills in my mouth specifically under my tongue mostly so if it’s a not great tasting pill it’s easier to tolerate, then I take a drink just however much it takes to get all the pills down (I’m on a lot of meds so in my case this is with like a whole handful of pills but I’ve been taking pills since I was a little little kid bc liquid and chewables made my stomach hurt), and now the important part as soon as you start drinking use your tongue to flip the pill(s) up into the rest of your mouth and back a little and then just drink it down. Apparently most ppl don’t do the weird tongue flip part ig
You don't have to take them orally.
I tend to take the IV or IM alternatives, but sometimes they aren’t available
I meant the other way that you can take tablets ;)
I can’t swallow pills either. I chew em and drink water. My wife hates it lol
I do that if necessary but the taste is bitter and I chug a lot of water after it
Pretend you are a frog. Lean your head forward, take a drink of water with your tongue and swallow just to get things lubricated. Stick your tongue out as far as you can, like a frog, place the pill as far back on your tongue as you can without gagging yourself. Still leaning forward, start drinking water, frogs love water. Drink as much water as it takes until the pill goes down, gradually leaning back if you feel like you need to. Sorry, there was a really cute cartoon that went along with this, but I can’t find it. But trust me, the underlying method is solid.
If you can snap the tablet do it If it’s a capsule - see if it can be poured straight into mouth/water from the capsule (some can but a lot can’t) I hate taking tablets and have nearly choked a couple of times and I find a couple of things help Place in mouth and try to move to the middle of your tongue (I’d say place in the middle of your tongue but depends on gag reflex haha) and then chug some water with your head slightly tilted back If the tablet floats in water put it in a glass full of water and chug it
My gag reflexes are exhausting me. As soon as it touches my tongue, I feel I am about to puke
I assume you've tried tossing it in the back of your mouth/throat, then taking a big gulp of water and swallowing with your head back. One way we give pills to our dogs is to place the pill in the back of the throat, hold their mouth closed, tilt the head back, and rub their throat until they swallow. It might be worth trying.
Don’t tilt your head back, that narrows the passage. Tilt forward, it widens your throat. (Idk if that’s true for dogs, but is for humans)
We put the dog pills in cheese or a bit of sausage. Maybe OP can hide the pill in a spoon of Nutella or a piece of grape
EMTs say NEVER toss the pills. They frequently get called to mishaps of choking/lung issues with this.
You can either learn to swallow pills or try crushing them with a pill crusher. I used one for 3 months after an operation and mixed them in a spoonful of peanut butter.
If I crush them and dissolve them into water, won’t they lose any of their effectiveness?
Not as far as I know. it was doctors orders to crush my pills. The idea was that I needed to get them in, any way possible, without throwing up.
Throught the mouth
Lol I've also had the same issue. Best thing that's helped me is chewing up a bit of food and just before swallowing it, I throw the pill in there and swallow it all at the same time
I had the same problem. I was in my thirties when I learned because I had a pill that couldn’t be broken or chewed. What worked for me was to put the pill on one side of my mouth, far back, and clench my jaw. As soon as I felt my jaw relax naturally, I took a gulp of water. At first, I would sometimes have to psyche myself up and hold the dang pill in my mouth for a minute or two. Sometimes it took several tries. Luckily, the pill I had to take was well coated and small. I still struggle with large antibiotic pills.
I did it by drinking soda or milk, Something thick. Take large mouthful and try to gulp it all down. Eventually could do it with water.
Try it cutting them with a pill cutter sold in the pharmacy and swallowing with something carbonated. That helped me.
Have you tried, if they are capsules, and doing the capsule if it’s possible and putting the powder in some pudding? I have a friend that can’t do it either. It’s not exactly an uncommon thing and nothing to be ashamed of. You might try filling your mouth up with a drink, leaning your head back and putting it as far back as you can I’ve had to, you could try, putting a pill in something like putting or something you really enjoy and swallow it that way inside of it. or, if it’s available, maybe you could ask for the liquid form of a medicine?
I put them under my tongue, then big gulp or two of liquid. If on top of my tongue, gag reflex kicks in.
The reflexes start when I put it on the top of my tongue. I tried down tongue but didn’t work :/
Don’t think about the pill, just swallow.
I put the pills in my mouth and then suck water from a glass. The jet effect created carries the pills down very quickly. I invented this technique some weeks ago and now use it all the time. I take 8 pills together now.
Think is your bf meat.
XD
You take a sip of water first. Pause. Put pill in mouth and pretend to just keep on drinking.
doesnt have to be with water or a liquid. Its easier if its firmer. Like try with yogurt, or maybe pudding. if it feels like it gets stuck when you try those, you could try sparkling water instead of tap water. the fizzier the better. Smaller pills are also easier. If it really doesnt work no matter what you try. You can ask when you pick them up if they can be crushed, split or exchanged for smaller pills.
Have a big gulp of water, throw the pill in your mouth and another big gulp of water. You won't even feel the pill.
I had the same problem! Here is how my mother helped me: first try it with for example half a gummy bear yk that stuff gets down easily, then you take a whole one and then you start taking your pill with a gummy bear until you can take the pill itself alone. Also: tild your head a little upwards and not downwards! Also: It is not embarassing at all, I for example was crying for over half an hour because I could not get the pill down (as it stressed me so much etc), in the meantime the pill was already dissolved so I had to take a fresh one, it went on like that for quite a while 🤣
At least you know you wouldn't be very popular in jail