Pill Absorption After Bypass??

Hi everyone! I would like to hear from people who were taking medication such as antidepressants (Zoloft, Prozac, Effexor, etc) prior to gastric bypass surgery. After surgery, and as you have lost weight, have you went back on them? Same dosage? Same form? If so, how has it affected you? Does the medicine that helped you before seem LESS effective now? After discussions with my doctor, I have found that there are no real studies about pill absorbtion in post op patients and would like to hear from anyone willing to share their experience(s). I am putting together an informal sort of study to see if this warrants a more national study. For example, I have been taking Zoloft for years and after surgery I have noticed that it does not seem as effective as before. The question has come up about pill absorbtion and if the pills we are used to taking are now not working as well as prior to surgery because the body is absorbing them in a totally different way. I am actually switching to a liquid form of Zoloft to see if this alleviates that problem. I am very interested to see if this has affected anyone else. Please email me at [email protected] and if at all possible, please use the header "PILL STUDY" in the header. You may or may not use your real name. It is up to you. I appreciate your time! Thanks! Kathy

What choices are there for those meds after surgery? I mean do the pills get crushed ? Effexor is extended release and that's what I take. I have to talk to the surgeon about what will happen to my grocery list of meds that I take. I guess liquid meds would be ideal. Is it only zoloft that comes in liquid? Stephanie

Kathy and Stephanie.. I was taking Paxil CR 25mg before surgery. I was taken off of it a month before due to the fact that it was time released. I was told that after surgery I could no longer have time released medications due to the malabsorption I would have. I was elated to be off the meds. However at about 3 mos after surgery I was dealing with major rollercoasters of emotions. So I was put on Wellbutrin. The dosage is 350mg. I was extremely upset about this until I foud out that my doctor made the dosage higher in order for my body to absorb more of it. As far as liquid antidepressants go.. I do know that Paxil is available in a liquid form. Karee

Kathy, I guess we're all different. Prior to surgery (for years) I took 300 mg Wellbutrin and 40 mg Prozac. Now I am only taking 40 mg Prozac and doing wonderfully. Oh, and I also use a SAD light for 30 minutes in the a.m. I was on liquid prozac immediately after surgery, but now I am back on the capsule and didn't notice a difference between the 2. Good luck with your study Dru RNY - 11/10/05 253/204/145

Hi Kathy, I will put my 2 cents worth in also. Before wls, I was on Wellburtin 300mg. I had been on it for 2-3 years and prior to that, I was on Prozac 40 mg. After wls, I went back on Wellburtin 100 mg 3x perday. I found it did not do the trick. Back to doctor, he put me on liquid Prozac 5 mg per day. in 2 days I was a new person. I am still on the same dose, however with the problems going on in my life, I may increase. I also find, all "pills" are not as affectives as liquid for me. If I need a pill form, it must be crushed, UGH! Marla