Question:
How soon postop can I try swallowing vitamins and medications?
I am just over 3 weeks postop and am getting very tired of crushing and mixing my meds in my food. I get so little anyway it just tastes bad. I am so scared to try swallowing a pill or even part of one. Can anyone respond as to when you tried. I am currently on full liquids and some pureed foods. Thanks. — Dot W. (posted on October 14, 1999)
October 14, 1999
The only advice I had after surgery, was to wait 6 weeks before swallowing
pills and then they needed to be smaller than an M&M. I am 16 months
post-op, and I am still afaid to take a large pill. But I do take a
mult-vitamin that is small. I'm with you, though. I hated crushed up
pills!! Good Luck to You!!!
— Heidi H.
October 14, 1999
My patients can certainly swallow aspirin sized vitamins by two
weeks after surgery. It probably depends on the exact nature of
your surgery. Ask your surgeon.
— Bruce B.
October 14, 1999
Hi--I also had an open RNY 3 months ago and I began swallowing whole pills
the day I left the hospital (postop day 6). I do take chewable vitamins,
but have always swallowed (according to dr's orders) other pills whole.
HOpe this helps--
— charlene M.
October 14, 1999
Hi--I also had an open RNY 3 months ago and I began swallowing whole pills
the day I left the hospital (postop day 6). I do take chewable vitamins,
but have always swallowed (according to dr's orders) other pills whole.
HOpe this helps--
— charlene M.
October 14, 1999
Hi--I also had an open RNY 3 months ago and I began swallowing whole pills
the day I left the hospital (postop day 6). I do take chewable vitamins,
but have always swallowed (according to dr's orders) other pills whole.
HOpe this helps--
— charlene M.
October 14, 1999
Hi Diane,
I just went fir my 4 month checkup with my nutritionist and he said I can
start swallowing my pills whole now. I would guess that doctors disagree
about the amount of time to wait but I don't have to take children's
vitamins anymore either. I can now take real adult vitamins. Hope this
helps. Cheri
— Cheri H.
October 17, 1999
Go ahead and try to swallow capsules if it feels like it gets stuck than
you know that you need more time. The feeling should go away in about 5 to
10 minutes as the capsule skin disolves. I used natural apple sauce and
mixed the powders from the capsual in. It went down really well and the
taste was pretty good. Friends of mine were able to take the capsule with
no problems from day one, so you may be able to also.
I get my vitamins from vita4life.net it is a complete source of vitamins
and minerals that are needed for people who have had this surgery. They
are great. Good luck Anna
— Anna D.
October 18, 1999
Hi, Diane, Just am getting around to answering questions that are close to
home for me. I couldn't stand the grit and taste of crushed pills,
especially the Flintstones vitamins!!! It seems like I started taking my
one a day vitamin within about 3-4 weeks post-op. One thing you might try
is crushing the tablets up and disolving them in orange juice, even one at
a time if that will work better for you. OJ really does cover up the taste
of bad things. I had to use it to take the liquid potassium and it worked
great. I now use it, as does others in my support group, to put my protein
powder in. My mouth does not like grit or strange tasting things in it. I
hope this will help you a bit. Good luck. Thinking of you, Linda
— Linda P.
January 6, 2000
I know every situation is different, but I was swallowing pills in the
hospital! On the third day, I was able to take my Zoloft and they removed
my epidural so I was swallowing pain pills. I was scared at first and even
questioned the nurse. I thought I would have this NARROW tube and not be
able to swallow any pills for a long time, but had no problems.
— Jeannie W.
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