I should know this...

After surgery I took chewable vitamins and crushed any prescription drugs that I needed. Now that I'm 5 months out I am just swallowing any vitamins and pills. Yesterday I bought vitamin capsules that contain vitamin C and vitamin E. The bottle is dark brown and I couldn't tell in the store how large the capsules were. Now that I've opened the bottle and taken a look at them, I'm hesitant to take one. They are gel caps and I guess would dissolve rather quickly but I'm paranoid about something getting stuck. I know there are chewable vitamin C's available. I just hate any chewable vitamin or medicine. Has anyone's doctor given any rules about what pills may or may not be okay? Mine never said anything to me. Thanks! I hope everyone is having a good weekend. Linda -73

Hey Linda - my surgeon had me swallowing all kinds of pills from day one of my surgery. I was never on anything chewable. The calcium tabs (of which I take two) are huge and have never gotten caught. I don't eat and swallow pills at the same time. lol

Thanks Debra! That's good to know. I tend to over worry! Linda

Hi Linda, I have taken the chewable for about 4 weeks and then went to all pills that are swallowed.I have taken tylenol # for the pain in my knees and they are round small pills, not as small as my iron but smaller than my multi-vit. They got stuck about 3 times and each and every time i cut them in half or even in 3's but they did get stuck. I think it is because they are not coated.I stopped taking them for fear of getting sick again. I got the tylenol gel caps now and will take them tonight and I hope they don't bother me. Good luck....Marion

hmmm...I didn't know we could ever take whole pills of any kind again. Then again I've never asked him...I just assumed we would always have to crush, chew or cut em up. See---that's why this message board is so important Stacy -83

Linda, My surgeon had me wait till I had been on solid food for at least two weeks before being able to do pills and capsules (so about 10 weeks out). Large pills I still break in half and my capsules are standard size. So far no problem. Be careful tho if the capsules are really large. They could get stuck. Mary