What about taking pills post-op that are BIG and REQUIRED?
I am on a slew of medications, and after surgery the only one I can drop is Protonix. I'm accustomed to taking a dozen pills of varying sizes all at once twice a day. I'm going to guess that the pills would not even fit in my stomach/pouch anymore.... so does that mean I am going to have to take my pills one by one throughout the day?
Post-Op Meds (same as current minus Protonix):
Morning meds = Foltx, Celexa 20mg, Atarax 10mg x 2, Tylenol 500mg x 2, Ferrous Sulfate, Metformin 800mg.
Night meds = Celexa 40mg, Singulair 20mg, Remeron 20mg, Benadryl 25mg x 2, Metformin 800mg, Tylenol 500mg x 2, Ferrous Sulfate.
That is a minimum of 17 pills a day (sometimes more). Will I be able to take them after surgery? Or am I going to need to get RXs for liquid/chewables of as many of these as possible?
I am not worried about how the absorption will change... I take so much Protonix that I am left with little stomach acid, so my meds are not absorbed in my stomach already.
Yeah, I should have figured all this out already... but I kept on saying I'll worry about it after surgery. Surgery is on Monday, and I'm realizing my meds might be a problem I want solved before surgery :) I'm sure the surgeon/post-op team will help me figure this out during the 3-5 day hospital stay, but who knows.
Aww... and I have to add in a bunch of new chewable vitamins/supplements after, too - too many things to take!
Post-Op Meds (same as current minus Protonix):
Morning meds = Foltx, Celexa 20mg, Atarax 10mg x 2, Tylenol 500mg x 2, Ferrous Sulfate, Metformin 800mg.
Night meds = Celexa 40mg, Singulair 20mg, Remeron 20mg, Benadryl 25mg x 2, Metformin 800mg, Tylenol 500mg x 2, Ferrous Sulfate.
That is a minimum of 17 pills a day (sometimes more). Will I be able to take them after surgery? Or am I going to need to get RXs for liquid/chewables of as many of these as possible?
I am not worried about how the absorption will change... I take so much Protonix that I am left with little stomach acid, so my meds are not absorbed in my stomach already.
Yeah, I should have figured all this out already... but I kept on saying I'll worry about it after surgery. Surgery is on Monday, and I'm realizing my meds might be a problem I want solved before surgery :) I'm sure the surgeon/post-op team will help me figure this out during the 3-5 day hospital stay, but who knows.
Aww... and I have to add in a bunch of new chewable vitamins/supplements after, too - too many things to take!
I agree with Jenn. My rule of thumb from the surgeon was any pill smaller then a plain M&M was fine to swallow after the first few weeks. Anything bigger you will need to chew, crush or get in a liquid. Just check the bottles - not all pills can be crushed! You will probably ave to keep taking something like protonix for at least 6 months postop - I was on pepcid - again check with your surgeon.
You can get a pill crusher at any pharmacy, target or walmart etc. then just mix the "dust" with applesauce, pudding or a liquid depending on your "approved diet" at the time.
Best of luck monday!
Liz
You can get a pill crusher at any pharmacy, target or walmart etc. then just mix the "dust" with applesauce, pudding or a liquid depending on your "approved diet" at the time.
Best of luck monday!
Liz
Congratulations on your impending surgery! Exciting times!
Now... you need to have a heart-to-heart with your surgeon, your primary physician AND WITH YOUR PHARMACIST. The pharmacist needs to know about your procedure and to note it on their charts just as they would an allergy. Your pharmacist will go through your list with you and will let you know which meds can/should be taken "as is," crushed, or split, and which ones will have to be reformulated into a liquid or other form. They may also have guidelines for you as to which need to be spaced away from certain vitamins or whatever, and may also be able to advise on your new "pouch maintenance plan" as to which should still be taken with food, milk, or whatever.
Given the length of the conversation you'll need, I'd suggest giving them a call in the morning and asking them if there's a specific time you can make an appointment to talk to them about it.
There are a couple of meds on the list that are notoriously hard on the stomach, if I'm remembering them correctly... as with avoiding NSAIDs to avoid development of ulcers, especially early in the healing process, they may want to change up those meds, even temporarily.
But the docs and your pharmacist ALL need to look holistically at everything you're taking and manage it all proactively. It may take a little figuring out, but I'll bet it's not all that bad.
Hope this helps!
Karen
Now... you need to have a heart-to-heart with your surgeon, your primary physician AND WITH YOUR PHARMACIST. The pharmacist needs to know about your procedure and to note it on their charts just as they would an allergy. Your pharmacist will go through your list with you and will let you know which meds can/should be taken "as is," crushed, or split, and which ones will have to be reformulated into a liquid or other form. They may also have guidelines for you as to which need to be spaced away from certain vitamins or whatever, and may also be able to advise on your new "pouch maintenance plan" as to which should still be taken with food, milk, or whatever.
Given the length of the conversation you'll need, I'd suggest giving them a call in the morning and asking them if there's a specific time you can make an appointment to talk to them about it.
There are a couple of meds on the list that are notoriously hard on the stomach, if I'm remembering them correctly... as with avoiding NSAIDs to avoid development of ulcers, especially early in the healing process, they may want to change up those meds, even temporarily.
But the docs and your pharmacist ALL need to look holistically at everything you're taking and manage it all proactively. It may take a little figuring out, but I'll bet it's not all that bad.
Hope this helps!
Karen
Thank you all for the input :)
I know some of my meds have liquid forms, so those should be easy enough to deal with if I can get a new RX. But not sure who to get the new RXs from - my PCP usually refuses to give out any RXs unless I go to the office for an appointment (which I don't have time to do before surgery). Maybe they will make an exception for me if I'm going to be in the hospital. Otherwise I will likely have to have the surgeon prescribe things, which I know he doesn't like doing, and just have him give short-term supplies until I can see my PCP a week or two post-op.
I wrote myself a note with things to ask/go over with the pharmacist. I need to pick up the RX poop-juice (the liter of shtuff you need to drink to clear out bowels the day before surgery)... so while I'm picking that up, I will sit down with the pharmacist.
I think I am going to opt in the option to get injections and an IV drip weekly for awhile - until my stomach heals a bit. This way I can skip having to orally take the new/extra vitamins/supplements. My hematologist said I might have to do this anyway, so what the hell.
I know some of my meds have liquid forms, so those should be easy enough to deal with if I can get a new RX. But not sure who to get the new RXs from - my PCP usually refuses to give out any RXs unless I go to the office for an appointment (which I don't have time to do before surgery). Maybe they will make an exception for me if I'm going to be in the hospital. Otherwise I will likely have to have the surgeon prescribe things, which I know he doesn't like doing, and just have him give short-term supplies until I can see my PCP a week or two post-op.
I wrote myself a note with things to ask/go over with the pharmacist. I need to pick up the RX poop-juice (the liter of shtuff you need to drink to clear out bowels the day before surgery)... so while I'm picking that up, I will sit down with the pharmacist.
I think I am going to opt in the option to get injections and an IV drip weekly for awhile - until my stomach heals a bit. This way I can skip having to orally take the new/extra vitamins/supplements. My hematologist said I might have to do this anyway, so what the hell.
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