when can I swallow a pill

Hello all, I am still having a terrible time with my rheumatoid arthritis. It has decided that it just wants to go through an active stage right now. I had stopped taking one of my medications before surgery (with my doctor's permission) but now he wants me start back on it again. I e-mailed Dr. Aranow's office but I thought I might get some advice from you before I hear form him. Do I still need be crushing them or am I at a stage that I can swallow. They are fairly big pills and I need to take 2 of them before bedtime. I'm also wondering if they will affect me differently than before. Thanks, Carolyn

Hey Carolyn, I am less than one week out yet my own Doc(Bell),ok'd me to swallow one of my pills broken in half (size of an aspirin),prior to leaving the hospital (day2).I don't think he prefers this way but it was ok with him. He also has me taking one of the others in its liquid form.So, yep best to see what your own doc thinks,and it also depends on the med itself.Hope you get some relief soon! Carol

Hi Carolyn, Most meds. come in a liquid form - I'd suggest you get that instead of dealing with pills, since you are unsure what your surgeon recommends. Dr. Bell likes us to wait until 2 mos. before taking most pills, liquid before-hand, unless they are smaller than a baby-aspirin, or unless you cut them to smaller than a baby-aspirin. I also took some meds. right away - they were very small. Others have been liquid. I'm 2 mos. out on Tuesday, so I think I'll get the ok to proceed from there. Best advice is to call the surgeon in the morning. Hope you feel better soon. God Bless, Kathy Bilodeau

Thanks everyone. The med does not come in liquid form so I will wait to hear from Dr. Aranow today. Have a great day. Carolyn

I've been taking pills since about 1 mo. out (I'm 3 mos. out in 2 days). The ones that are small are no problem. I still break in half my one larger pill, perhaps just out of habit! I started taking a multiple-B vitamin supplement last week, and when I saw the size of it I freaked out, thinking I could never swallow it, but thank God it went down without a problem, so it definitely gets better with time, in my experience. Good luck!