Introduction and a question regarding meds

Hi guys - I've been lurking about this forum for a few weeks but haven't really posted anything yet because I feel a bit like a fish out of water.  I'm new to the RNY forum but not new to bariatric surgery.  I was banded in 2006 but I'm working towards a revision to RNY due to a couple of issues - largely I have absolutely terrible reflux that (I think) resulted from my band being too tight for too long.  It had only 1 cc in it (out of 9.75) but was still impossibly tight.  I'm currently working with my new surgeon to compile the information for the insurance company so they will hopefully approve my revision and I can tell my band to peace out!

Anyhow...my question is about medication post-RNY - Are there any medication types you have to avoid? 

With the band I mostly did chewables and liquid meds, or very small pills - anything bigger than pea-sized would get caught and make me miserable.   I'm curious if there are things one would need to avoid, and also if the absorption of meds is an issue since things won't be lingering in the stomach dissolving like they would before

Hi there and welcome to a great site . You have to absolutely never take NSAIDS ie ibuprofen . I take chewable vitamins and after the first 3 months was told I could swallow tablets the size of a m &m or smaller . Other wise they had to be crushed . Also can't swallow gelatin capsules . Yes we have malabsorbtion . Good luck with your revision . 

Our B12 needs to be a sublingual or a shot. 

Our D3 needs to be dry-not the oil filled capsules. I have found dry D3 at The Vitamin Shoppe in a chewable, and I've found it in a pill at Wal Mart. I think it's the Nature Made brand. 

I had to switch from extended release meds to sustained release.

Calcium citrate can be a pill, chewable, a powder or even a liquid ( also found at Vitamin Shoppe. It's from Solgar ) No gummies though. The chewables are hard to find in stores. I use Bariatric Advantage 500 mg chews. 

Thanks guys!   I'm especially curious about the absorption of meds being an issue because of my thyroid and antidepressant

For vitamins I'm currently taking BariActiv Calcium + D3 & Magnesium, Iron + Vitamin C, and a multivitamin - all chewable format.   The B12 I get goes up my nose once a week, which freaked me out at first but now it's no big deal.  I'm also taking a biotin supplement which I know will need to be switched to a chewable upon surgery - I'm just trying to finish out the capsules I have first 

Getting the timing of all of these down is interesting and I'm trying to get used to it now rather than later so that when I have surgery I'm prepped out the gate.  I take my vitamins after I've taken my other meds - levothyroxine, zoloft, prilosec, and montelukast.  I want to give those time to absorb before I take the vitamins, I'm not sure if they compete.

I take my calcium in the morning after I've eaten, and after 2 hours have gone by I take the iron + vitamin C, and then in the PM I take more calcium and the multivitamin.

I'm going to ask my RD about the timing of these and absorption but I'm curious how you guys time it throughout the day

Your bariatric surgeon will let you know what vitamins and other surgery-related meds you should take. You will probably add something like Protonix (ulcer prevention) and Actigall (prevent gallstones if you still have your gall bladder). The Actigall is a big capsule and I take it 2x/day. Haven't had any problems with it getting stuck. I started that 2 weeks after surgery. I take two chewable children's multivits, vitamin D3 5000 mg tablet, and once a month B12 injections. After I'm 2 months out, I start with calcium chewables. No iron for me since i'm post-menopausal. This and other forums are very helpful to get input from others but follow your doctor's recommendations - he/she knows you better than we do. Don't be shy about asking questions or sharing what you hear about on here though - my team likes to hear about some of the new and/or different ways we are all being taught by different surgeons and nutritionists. Good luck on your journey!

Thank you for sharing!  I'm happy to say that my gallbladder and I parted ways back on 2003 and I wasn't sad to see it go after several attacks and resulting pancreatitis.  So at least that's one less thing to worry about :)