Question:
PILLS
I'AM A MONTH OUT OF SURGERY AND WONDERING IF YOU COULD NOW SWALLOW PILLS — shorty04 (posted on January 9, 2008)
January 8, 2008
The short answer is it depends on the pills. Some pills need a lot of
gastric juices (which you don't have anymore) to break down, so that's why
you have to crush them. Others, you can cut in half. Ask your doctor
about your specific meds. If the answer is to crush them, it's probably
because you won't be getting the meds into your system otherwise.
— Shirley D.
January 8, 2008
It all depends on your doctor. I started taking pills the night of surgery
and continued ever since (pain meds and tylenol PM). If you have any
concerns call your doctor. Good luck
— Paula K.
January 8, 2008
Some people crush their pills, but they taste awful. I started out taking a
handful of pills twice daily. I found the calcium citrate to be the biggest
pills and difficult to swallow. I now use a powdered calcium citrate, that
I mix with morning hot cereal or a shake later in the day. As far as taking
many other vitmamin and mineral supplements I find that using a liquid
works much better for me. The liquid vitamin I used is at
www.bariatricliquidvitamins.com and it has other health formulas included
in the vitamin dosage also. One ounce is the daily dosage.
— Dave Chambers
January 8, 2008
i am one month out as well and i can swallow pills ,just not real big ones.
those i cut in half. i also wait about 3-5 minutes btween taking each pill.
good luck
— JACKIESMOM
January 8, 2008
My surgeons rule was/is nothing bigger than an M&M. I was taking my
pills right after my surgery, some I had to cut in half and some
"capsules" I found the best and fastest way was to open and empty
right into my throat and swallow with water. If you take "time
released" meds you might want to change those to non time-released.
Good Luck!
— Toni Todd
January 8, 2008
I was about 6 - 7 weeks out before I starting swallowing all of my pills. I
did swallow some sleeping pills from my pcp very early with his blessing as
I had a bout of insomnia after surgery. At the 6-7 week, I stopped chewing
all of the horrible pills and started swallowing them. I am almost 11
months out. I have friends in support group that are all over the place -
some can swallow anything, some have issues swallowing food - so my guess
is it is up to the individual and what the guidelines from your PCP or
surgeon are re: swallowing pills. My surgeon said 6-7 weeks out. My PCP
went with 4 weeks out. I did what the surgeon told me and all is been right
as the rain. Best of luck.
— jammerz
January 9, 2008
i have been taking pills since 2 days postop and no problems. the bigger
ones like the calcium are hard sometimes, but if you swallow it with yogurt
or sf pudding it goes down much smoother. some surgeons put you on liquid
meds or tell you to crush them, but mine said pills are fine and i haven't
had any trouble. good luck...Holly
— RNlvnCARSON
January 9, 2008
You can not take all your pills in one handful any longer. I had to take
my pills about 3 minutes apart, and with two or three extras sips of water
for each pill for the first month. Cutting large pills in half helps.
Look for chewable vitimuns and minerals as they are easier to take while
you eat. Time release drugs will not work so see your perscribing doctor
to a replacement drug.
— William (Bill) wmil
January 9, 2008
First to whomever said you can't take a handful of pills any more is wrong.
SOME of us can and still do. I take my centrum, my b-12 and my blood
pressure pill (atenolol which is the size of a birth control pill) all at
once. I also take 2 biotin pills right after taking those 3 together. I
was doing this at 1 month out and since. I'm now 9 months out. It depends
on if you were able to do it before surgery and your surgeon guidelines.
Good luck and God bless!
— crystalsno
January 9, 2008
It probably depends on your doctor. I am just a little under three weeks
and my doctor just put me on my vitamin b-12 tablets and iron tablets and
they are the swallow kind. I break the vitamin b-12 in half only because i
am afraid of them getting stuck going down. The iron tablet isn't that big.
I also am on another medication for migraines that I have to swallow that I
have been taking since the second or third day out from surgery. The rest
of my vitamins are all chewable.
— iwilllose
January 10, 2008
According to my surgeon, Yes. At four weeks out you can swallow any pills
including the giant horse pill vitamins.
— [Deactivated Member]
January 10, 2008
I take a LOT of pills and capsules each day. My instructions after surgery
were to crush the pils and take the capsules apart. YUCK!! That tasted
awful. It was so distateful that I wanted to upchuck almost immediately
after swallowing the vile tasting stuff. I decided to try taking the things
whole and see if anything negative would result. I found that I was able to
tolerate the whole, uncrushed and unopened, medications just fine. That's
my story. Hope it helps.
— [Deactivated Member]
January 10, 2008
Sexey Girl- If I were you I would ask your doctor if it is alright to take
your pills with out crushing them first before you take them whole because
you good damage the lining of your pouch. justy-ducky
— just-ducky
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