Pills after surgery
Can anyone tell me what the typical protocol is? I know right after surgery you have to either grind up your pills or find a liquid form. After a period of time can you resume taking your normal medications and vitamins?
I know the final word on this comes from your surgeon but I was wondering what your experience has been.
TIA for any feedback.
Luckily I only had to take prilosec - which, if i remember correctly, I took right from the start with no trouble. Once I accidentally swallowed a cherry pit - and had no adverse affects. I used to have a lapband so I was completely panicked but apparently it digested (or didn't) with no discomfort.
VSG on 04/28/2014
I was given whole pills to swallow as soon as I woke up from surgery. While I did take chewable vitamins for several months, I was also taking other meds in pill form. You don't actually need to crush your pills post-op.
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on 3/16/18 8:28 am
I take medications for bipolar, and I was able to take them in normal form immediately after surgery. I had to split the larger one into small pieces, and I couldn't toss them all back in a single handful the way I do now, but I had no trouble taking small pills one at a time with a tiny sip of water.
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My surgeon didn't want us crushing any pills that would fit through a standard size wedding ring. Any pills larger than that, we were directed to our pharmacist for advice on whether to crush, find a liquid replacement, smaller pill size replacement, etc. He was very strict about not altering the form of any medication without preapproval from a pharmacist.
I didn't have any trouble swallowing pills, and was swallowing them within a couple of hours of coming out of the recovery room.
on 3/16/18 1:09 pm
I take meds for asthma and arthritis that come only in pill form. took my pills morning after surgery - granted - one at a time. The only thing I had trouble with at first were my vitamins because they were huge - I would cut them in half and do them a half - wait a bit and another half. Now (20-ish months out) I pop the whole handful in just like pre-surgery.
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Diana
HW 271.5 (April 2016) SW 246.9 (8/23/16) CW 158 (5/2/18)
My surgeon required all meds to be crushed or in liquid form prior to surgery, then at my 1st checkup (I believe at 2 weeks) I was released to swallow pills whole. I can swallow a slew of vitamins at one time to include two horse looking pills.
They will tell you what pills are crushable and which are not, and prescribe you liquids accordingly. I only took levothyroxine and it was crushable.
I was able to swallow pills ("smaller than an M&M") from day one post-op. So it was never an issue for me.
VSG with Dr. Salameh - 3/13/2014
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Age 42 Height 5'4" HW 319 (1/3/2014) SW 293 (3/13/2014) CW 149 (7/16/2017)
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