Question:
Having trouble taking meds

Hi, I am 4 days post op Lapriscopic GBS. I am confused. Can we take capsules i.e. prilosec without opening up the capsule? I tried to take the prilosec capsule opening it and putting it on pudding. I practically choked myself breathing it in!! Some say capsules are fine/others say you need to wait- what's your experience. Thanks! BTW-I feel so great considering I'm only 4 days out! Looking forward to the future!    — imalmost40 (posted on August 17, 2009)

August 17, 2009
Hi Dana, Glad your doing well! Per my Dr. I was to open capules...I have heard others say no. Check with your own DR. I had to get Prevacid..which dissolves on my tounge. Opening the caps was not working for me either. They gaged me no matter how I tried to get them down. Best of luck!
   — tootsie52

August 17, 2009
ASK YOU DOCTOR BEFORE DOING ANYTHING. My doctor wants all of his patients to wait almost 6 weeks before taking a pill that is not crushed and dissolved in water. Good luck.
   — Elizabeth_Ann

August 17, 2009
I switched to Rantidine which is about the size of a baby aspirin, per my doctor, it works as good as prilosec for me. But again, only 4 days out?... check with the doc. I used as many liquid meds at that point as I could and anything that could be broken in half. You can't do this tho on anything that is time released. Time released meds don't work so good for us, I have found! They just go thru too fast. Perhaps there is a liquid med you could use in place. But don't do anything without the docs orders!
   — lesleigh07

August 17, 2009
My doctor had me taking prilosec from day one. Did not open them. If memory serves me well. Still take it 5 years later. I take all my meds with a teaspoon of applesause. Slides down well.
   — smparker2

August 17, 2009
Congrats on your surgery. My doctor had us take Nexium for the first 2 months for healing. Yes we were to open the capsule, some swirled it in a tiny cup with an ounce or two of liquid. I couldnt stand that so I used the 2 spoon method. The first spoon take a small spoonful of SF pudding or yogurt and make an indentation in the middle of it, then dump the little insides of the capsule into the dent then with the second spoon take another small spoonful and holding it upside down scrape it over the first spoonful this kind of covers all the little nasty bumps and then just swallow the pudding. I hated getting that stuck in my teeth and finding them later. After the first month I asked to be switched to I think it was Previcid as insurance covered it and it came in solutab form. Good luck but it is very important not to skip this as gross as it is. Good luck! Toni
   — ToniLee