Question:
Why is gel caps against the rules?

i saw that someone posted that they refrained from gel caps b/c it was against the rules. did i miss something? i have some vitamin gel caps cause i don't like the huge pills. thanks jen    — Jennifer S. (posted on February 14, 2003)

February 13, 2003
My surgeon never specifically said no gel caps, but I now have that rule for myself, and once I related my situation to my surgeon, he now tells his patients the same thing. I had a bad cold and I can't stand the taste of Nyquil but know it works well for me. I always take the liquid gelcaps of Nyquil. Wasn't even thinking, took 2 like I always did. About 30 minutes later was in agony..........one of them was stuck in my stoma! I spent about two hours writhing in pain with a heating pad on my tummy before it finally dissolved enough to pass through. I thought for awhile there I would have to call my dr and have an endoscopy to get it. I asked him about the gel caps and he said that stomach acid is what dissolves that outer shell, allowing the medication to be released. Since we have very little of our original tummies left, we have very little stomach acid.........hence, we don't dissolve them! So no more gel caps for me!
   — Carolyn I.

February 13, 2003
Gel Caps are fine. Just try to stay away from any pill larger than a m&m.
   — Linda A.

February 13, 2003
I take Gel Caps!
   — Danmark

February 14, 2003
I was probably the original poster for this issue, since I just posted it yesterday. I stay away from gelcaps for the exact reasons the previous poster, Carolyn Ingram, described. It can be life-threatening if a blockage occurs, because sometimes it doesn't pass through the stoma, and people don't seek help in time. So, if you do take gel-caps and experience an unexplainable, terrible pain, go to the hospital and get it checked out, please!
   — Karen E.

February 19, 2003
our stomach doesn't produce enough acid to break down the gell caps. I take a multi vitamin that i buy at walmart it is small, i don't have to break it or anything. they are by spring valley, the bottle says 130 tablets on it.
   — tinalivesay

February 19, 2003
Do you mean the pills with oil inside or regular capsules with powder inside? All the ones of the capsules dissolve in saliva within about 4 minutes. I don't use the oil filled ones simply because we malabsorb oils/fats (to a degree), so whatever is trying to be delivered is not predictable.
   — vitalady