Bi Polar and having trouble with my meds.

I had my rny on 3/7/11. I have not been able to get back on my meds since then. I stopped right before surgery and since then I have tried to take them but they are so awful now. I have to crush them. I have tried using pudding, yogurt, crystal light, and water. They hurt my stomach and the side effects that I had before seem to be worse. I am on Lexapro, klonapin, lamictal and lithium. I feel like I'm going to be in trouble soon if I don't get some help. Any suggestions. I am going to see my pcp on monday but my psyc is not available.

I notce people don't post here often. I hope someone can help.

When I had my RNY, I was on Lexapro, Buspar and Risperdal.  I was given it in the hospital right after I had my surgery.  The nurses cut them in half, or quarters with a pill cutter, and I had no trouble stomaching them post op.  Can the pills be cut?  If so, you might be able to handle that, as they would wash through your pouch, into your stoma, and be dissolved in your small intestine. 

Why is your psychiatrist unavailable?  Mine is always available to talk to on the phone in cases like this.  If some of them cannot be cut, see if your psychiatrist can switch it to a similar med that can be cut.

I am now on Cymbalta, Geodon and Buspar.  The Cymbalta, and Geodon are in capsule form, which I swallow whole.  I think the capsule dissolves in my pouch, because I have no problem with it. 

I have been crushing them. I have tried taking half the dose and I am still having problems. I talked to her today and she doesn't feel like she wants to deal with liquid meds. I think they told her she has too. She also is out of the office for a while next week. My pcp will see me on monday and he will give me liquids at least he said he would. He won't change anything though and I talked to my phsyc today about going off of the Lithium. I have had bad side effects from it but it has worked. I don't think I can stay on it anyway. I'm also not sure which ones are hurting me as I crush them all together. My surgeon said I can only take them crushed or liquid no halfs. Thanks for listening.

 Are you taking your supplements crushed at this point as well?  You are taking some supplements, right?  mulit vitamin, calcium, B12,  iron???

You are almost 6 weeks out, I would call the surgeons office and see if you can take half or quater pills.

Also can you spread the doses out more?  I.e. a quater of each regular dose but take them 4 times a day?   Less in your stomach might be better.   or taking half a dose of each one but only taking one kind every hour?  Means you are taking a half pill every hour but it might be easier on your stomach?

CNC

My bet would be on the lithium being the cause of your tummy troubles.  Lithium does come in liquid. 

There are two formulations of lithium-- lithium citrate and lithium carbonate.  Typically, lithium carbonate is easier on your stomach but it really is an individual thing.  Depending on which one you are on currently, you might want to try the other if your doctor won't give you the liquid.

 Our WLS does affect how our bodies react to any of our meds-including ones for depression or manic-depression.  Alsthough you can get general advice about what type questions you should ask your medical professionals, you should not follow medicine recommendations from us.  Any changes have to be done by your doctor because your conditions and medication affect you uniquely.

I had a major problem following my RNY revision ( I had a staple line disruption with the original and needed a new RNY) .  I had depression following the 2nd RNY and didn't lose as much weight as the surgeon's office thought I should.  I stopped going to follow-up visits and finally realized after a couple months that I was in a sustained depression and that my meds weren't helping me.  I asked my shrink to change them, but he said I was getting the maximum dose already and would have to be weaned off of that med and put on another.  However, because of my RNY, he couldn't do that until I was 9 months post-op.  I didn't have a deep depression.  My biggest problem was that I was still eating comfort food and didn't lose much after that.  By the itme I got the change in meds, I was albe to lose a little more.  I had to go to an outpatient treatment center for a month while my meds were being changed.  By the way, I amd back down to my lowest weight since my original RNY--top weight of over 570 and current weight around 335.  I've been maintaining a 240 lb weight loss for a few years now.  I am able to get adjustments to my current anit-depressant if I start feeling depressed.  Unforutnately, we sufferers are usually the last to know that we are slipping downhill.  I've asked friends and family for feedback if they think I'm going down that dark slippery slope.

Update....Thanks for all of your responses. I did finally get liquid Lexapro, disovable lamictal and quick dissolve klonapine. They also gave me liquid lithium which I refused to take. After the symptoms I had before I know I can't take them again with my surgery. I am looking into Zonegran. It seems to have less side effects or at least side effects I can handle better. Everything else seems to cause weight gain and such. Not fun for us. I am feeling like I'm becoming manic and thats bad for me. I know where that will lead me. So I am working with my nurse and dr to get this under control. If anyone has had any luck with Zonegran please let me know.

I had issues with my BP after surgery (they didn't give me my flipping meds while I was in the hospital for 5 days) and this and that - long story short I was off my meds for 5 days, then on half my meds for 8 weeks til I could see my pdoc.

I'm on Seroquel and Lamictal - my wonder team. When I was on my spiral my pdoc had me grind my meds up and ever since I've been stable (for me lol)

Don't change your meds or your dose or anything til you see a DOCTOR. I'm not a doc and I don't play one on TV.

Psych med adjustments suck - hang in there. It does get better. I thought I was losing it but I'm back on track.

Binda