Depression Meds?

I had my final preop appt. yesterday had the teaching session and such. I have to do a 4 day liquid diet, the first 2 days I can have a protein drink as long as it is not milk based. The last 2 days include bowel prep and liquids only then the nothing after midnight. A week from Today I will be in surgery!! I was told all medications post op have to be liquid, chewable or crushed. Is anyone else on cymbalta or wellbutrin for depression. I can't seem to get a definitive answer on crushing them after surgery. Cymbalta is a capsule so I think I can open it. It is time release so my shrink put me on a lower dose that I take twice a day. Same with wellbutrin. But when you crush them are you supposed to dissolve them in liquid or just try to hack back all that powder with a water chaser? I am open to suggestions! Thanks Jenny

Hello Jenny - I don't know the ramifications of crushing or breaking up either of those drugs since Ive had no experience of ever taking them. I can tell you what I do with ALL the vitamins and script drugs that I do take. I'm almost four years post op and even NOW, I still won't take a "whole" pill. Although Im sure I can, it's a habit I developed from early out and logic kinda dictates that if we can break up the pill before swallowing it, our intestines have a better chance of ABSORBING it before it's flushed out. I'm too lazy to use a pill cutter (although I did at the beginning). I find that MOST meds, if crunched lightly and quickly between the teeth, will leave very little after taste. LOL, now Im not talking the ol crunch crunch crunch munch munch munch, swallow. Nothing that severe -- more of a light cracking several times, to slightly break up its wholeness. I take about 25 types of pills/vitamins/etc a day and if I had to hand cut or hand crush all of 'em, I know me, I'd give up outta sheer laziness. Tossing them in my mouth and using my "born with cutters" my teeth works great. As far as the capsules? I bite those too, lol! I take a Niacin that comes in Capsule form - I use the ol' vampire fang (tooth) to split it in half, not actually breaking it in half or emptying it in my mouth, just cracking it open, then I swallow BOTH halves of the capsules with the meds still inside each half. This way the NASTY powder stuff barely hits your tongue/tastebuds. Even in my early early stages I never pulverized or crushed a pill - it just tastes too nasty and even with a water chaser, it's hard to remove the bitterness. Not to mention as an early post op, the definition of water chaser was about an ounce of water which was all I could hold at any given time. Good luck -- Lei

Good Morning Jenny!!! Congrats on taking back your life!!!!!!!!!! OK, now. I had issues with my anti-depression meds too. Started with the capsules. Took them apart and put the powder into apple sauce. Can you say GROSS????? I have to say I went off the things for over a month cuz it just made me want to HURL. I had a long talk with my pharmicist and he found a generic form of the drug that is in a tiny tablet form, easy for me to take. (I take Sarafem.) I don't crush them or chew them, and it works wonderful. You may want to talk with your pharmacist/doctor ahead of time, to see if there is any form that is easy to take for you. My surgeon said capsules were OUT period. He said I could open them, but agreed with me on how GROSS the powder was and how most people post op could not stomache the taste. ALSO, something I learned along the way. While your tummy is digesting food is when you should be taking vitamins.............it's when your tummy will be working the hardest to break the pills down. Maybe take right b4 with just a swallow of water? This is how I do it and my levels have always been right on target. I hope this helps and makes sense to you. You need to listen to your surgeon, and your PCP, ask questions, and work with your pharmacist too, to get it all worked out. BEST OF LUCK GIRLY!!!! Sharon

I'm on an assortment of meds and I had a terrible time working it out. For wellbutrin, you have to go off the XL, no time released meds will work. They do have regular Wellbutrin and the co-pay is way better. However, all those pills have to be crushed. I also take Seroquel, Lamictal, and Buspar. It was so awful I had to go off my meds for a bit (don't ever do that!). We finally were able to comprimise. I'm on Liquid Paxil for 3 more weeks (instead of Wellbutrin) I take each Lamictal and cut them into 4 parts and swallow them whole (I'm only on half my regular dose). I nixed the Buspar because its optional, and I cut my Seroquel into parts as well. I just couldn't crush them. NOTHING, and I do mean nothing hides the taste. Its the worst and it was making me nausea 24/7. You do what you have to do. Its just 8 weeks and I can't wait the three more till I can get back to normal. I recommend you talk to your P Doc NOW about liquid meds. Good luck to you!!!! A

Thanks for the reply to this post Amber. I am on Wellbutrin XL now and was wondering if there was a form of it I can take post op. It has done wonders for my depression where the SSRI type of med failed. I was not looking forward to going off of it immediately before surgery and not having it post op. Take Care. ~Ellen

I know this doesn't help you before surgery, but I am on Wellbutrin (the regular - not the XL version). I stopped taking it for awhile after surgery and then about 3 weeks later I just fell apart - a total crying, sobbing, depressed mess - I started taking it again immediately (lesson learned). I have not crushed any pills - ever - I chew up my Children's Complete Vitamins - I take one Wellbutrin pill at 5:30 AM and the other at 10:00 AM - swallow those whole (never had a problem) - I can take Tylenol (fast release) whole and the only thing I do break in half is my calcium because those things are huge. I know this is not much help - sorry, Andrea

Is it the same for band patients? I intend to have the band surgery and want to know if I can expect to have to go back on the regular wellbutrin or if I'll be able to stay on the XL? Every other medication I take is a fairly small pill, and I am hoping I won't need blood pressure meds once I have this surgery! ANyone with experience with the band and antidepressants? Going off of them is NOT an option.

I have no idea about band patients - great question though. Maybe somebody on the Lap Band board will know or ask on the main board. I hope you get the answers you need and I hope you get to get off the bp medicine too - I am glad I got the surgery when I did because my PCP told me I was well on my way to having to take antihypertensives and possibly even diabetes medicine. Andrea

My understanding is that the reason that RNY patients can't take the Welbutrin XL is because it's extended release. It's flushed from our systems before it is fully absorbed. RNY patients need the regular, non extended release variety. Band patients don't have to worry about that, just that it can get through the smaller opening. Hope that helps. ~Ellen

my shrink kept me on xl welbutrin. but i had to take one in the am and one at night they were do tiny i never had to crush them.. but not everone is the same . some people had to crush theres.