Pills

Hi Everyone, Can anyone tell me if they are swallowing pills yet? I am 5 weeks post op and I can't stand crushing my calcium and deal with the chewable vitamins but I can't stand the crushed calcium I would rather swallow them whole. Thanks, Andrea

Andrea, I am eating the chewable calcium citrate. I found a brand I like. "Solaray Calcium Citrate Chewable". I was on the Twinlab Calcium Citrate Chewable, but, really hated them. The Solaray aren't bad at all. Since I have to chew 4 a day, it needs to be tolerable. I can't say I'm happy with the Centrum Chewable multi vitamin that I'm on, but, it is only once a day. I'm also on my 5th week out. Lori

I have no problem swallowing them. My surgeon said take them one at a time (one per hour) and I should be fine. Well, I have too many to take one per hour! My question is, are they dissolving properly and doing their job? I don't know.

Good question Joe, I have not seen any research out there yet regarding pills and the pouch. I have been told the medical profession is uncertain how much one takes into the blood stream from the medications absorbed in the pouch. Also, does the medications stay in the pouch long enough to absorb or do they start moving into the intestine? Will the medications absorb if it is passed into the intestine? As a nurse practitioner I am very interested in the process. It will assist me with prescribing medications to my own gastric bypass patients. If you should hear of any news on this please let me know As for taking whole pills, I have found calcium citrate with mag and vit. d in capsule form. I am able to get it down and only have to take three of them a day Dawn

Since day 5 I have been taking my pills whole - I never crushed them. My biggest pill is a Hair Skin and Nails Tablet from GNC, but no problems.

Hey Carol, What is the name of the hair skin and nail tablet from GNC?

GNC Women's Hair, Skin & Nails Formula Here's the link to it: http://www.gnc.com/productDetails.aspx?id=297222&lang=en

I got my vitamins in liquid form, its flavor is orange vanilla. I mix one ounce with a cup of half orange juice and half water. Between the flavor of the Vitamins and the Half cup of OJ you would never know it was watered down at all. Between my Vitamins and my meals i get enough calcium, but when i dont i eat a tums with calcium. My iron is Blah tho, its in liquid form too. Tastes good for a few seconds but the aftertaste is like having a bloody mouth. So i fill the syringe (sp) to its lvl, shoot it into the back of my mouth then follow with a SF pop chaser to kill the taste before it hits me.

I've never had to crush pills, but then again the only semi-large pill I take is a cod liver oil capsule. The rest are either tiny or chewable. There are several chewable calcium options out there; my surgeon recommends Caltrate to his patients.

The rule of thumb I received from the surgeon's nurse was "if it's the size of an M&M or smaller, go ahead and swallow it." Good luck. J