Post Op, anti depressants, problems with bloating, etc., help please!

I've just had my surgery Friday 1/5, and I took my anti depressants yesterday (effexor and buspar). It made me almost throw up yesterday. Has anyone else had trouble like this. I'm afraid to take it. I have no idea what to do. I feel better w/o them, if it's going to make me sick. I was up to 450 mg pre-surgery of the effexor, and 30 mg of the buspar, and 100 mg of topomax. I never knew why I was on the topomax and I haven't started that yet. Please, any advice anyone can give me, I'd really appreciate it. Also, when does the bloating/tightness/pressure go down? I think it's beginning to feel somewhat better but it still is a great bother to me. Honestly, if that was better, I'd be doing fine. Thanks. -Alyssa

Call your doctor and ask about the medications. I know that stopping anti-depressants suddenly can cause worse depression than what you had before the meds. They may need to adjust them or put you on something different. As for the bloating/tightness/pressure...I think that took about 2 weeks for me. Make sure you walk, that will help a lot! Glad to hear you are doing well otherwise. Susan

Is it a time or extended release medicine? If its gastric bypass, time release wont work. Also, my doc makes us crush our pills. Are you swallowing them whole? It might be too much for your pouch.

Hi Melinda, no, it's not an extended release med, my surgeon made me switch about a month before to Effexor pills (not capsules), non extended release. I did crush them and it was too much for my pouch them. That day I took 3 Effexors and 2 Buspars. I actually was taking 9 pills total pre-op all together. My psychiatrist (not having any experience with wls patients) said I still need to take ALL 9 PILLS, which floored me. After talking to my surgeons office, and my therapist, they said that I should start with a 1/4 of a pill or a half, cru**** and then mix it w/apple sauce. I mixed with w/pudding after I had some thing on my stomach and it was able to stay down. I hate the thought of taking it, b/c it tastes terrible! And it terrifies me to regurgitate. I may be starting back with a low dose, but it's at least something. I don't think my body will able to hold all of those pills again. I'm kind of dissappointed in my psych, b/c she doesn't seem to understand that my body doesn't operate like it once did. But I'm going to gradually work up to a does I can tolerate. I was told from my therapist and my surgeon that there are some anti depressants that come in liquid forms and it may have to be that I go one one as an alternative. Not too happy with my psychiatrist. Does anyone know of a liquid form of anti depressant?? -Alyssa

Talk to your pharmacist about a liquid alternative. I had been taking a medication that was in a waxy base that did not dissolve, the medication would leach out and the remainder of the tablet would pass through my system whole. Since I needed to take 5 of these each day and each one was about 1/4" by 3/4" and could not be crushed or chewed, they were big enough to block the stoma. I talked to my pharmacist and they found a liquid medication that provides the same desired result of the tablets. You may also ask your surgeon to provide some information to your psych. I never crushed any of my pills. When they took me off the pain pump in the hospital and changed me to oral pain management, they brought me pills. I figured if I could swallow pills in the hospital, I could swallow pills at home. I was not looking forward to taking crushed pills. I know how nasty they are. Taking your crushed meds in a spoonful of pudding or yogurt is a good idea. It's always best to have something on your stomach when taking meds unless the medication specifies taking on an empty stomach.

I did talk to my pharmacist. Their suggestion was to talk to my psychiatrist. well I talked to my psych and she was not willing to budge at all on my dosage and still expects me to take the entire regime of medications as pre-op, and not talk about a liquid alternative. I talked to my surgeon's nurse and she said that there was no liquid or pediatric form of my anti depressant. I met with my PCP yesterday (who I absolutely love! along with Dr. McDowell, my surgeon), she has me taking 1/2 crushed of a 75 mg effexor tablet only until I meet with Dr. McDowell on Wed for my post-op appointment. I mixed 1/2 of the pill down today with choc. sugar free pudding and was able to do that, but it was so hard b/c I need to make sure that I had something on my stomach before hand. Oy vey! Perhaps this is why I am going through this. I am getting my masters in marriage and family therapy at Trevecca, and maybe God intends for me to advocate for those who are going through bariatric surgery that need alternative forms of medication. Who knows...? Some good news though, I did walk last night in Sams...through the whole store and I drove yesterday, which I haven't done in a week! It did me good to get out yesterday! My PCP only wanted me to shoot for walking half of Sams last night but I managed to do the whole thing, and push the cart. I did gain 6 pounds since the surgery but my PCP thinks it's due to the bloating and gas in my stomach.