Question:
How long did your surgeon say to wait before taking meds in pill form?
My surgeon does not want his patients to take whole pills until 6 months out. What do other surgeons say? Just wondering. Will they let you take a capsule apart and put it into food? and what about softgels? — geneswife (posted on May 20, 2006)
May 19, 2006
I just went for my 4 week check and was told I could take any meds in pill
form now. I dont know about softgels. But you should lisiten to what your
surgeon says. Itll just be easier to follow their rules that way you know
you are doing the right thing.
— jenzstory
May 19, 2006
I was sent home from the hospital w/ a scrip for pill Lortab. I was told
it was ok to take pills at that point. However, I'd listen to your surgeon.
— RebeccaP
May 19, 2006
My surgeon also advised me not to take any type of pill form. Instead
everything liquid, crushed or chewable. Even the vitamins. However, there
are some pills that cannot be crushed as per their specs. I just went
through the flu and had to get all of the Tylenol products in liquid.
Another thing I found, the other brands have corn syrup and Tylenol has
sucralose (splenda) or sacharin (sweet & low). Also, my surgeon told
me not to take anything that contains aspirin, only Acetaminophen. As
everyone else advises, follow your doctor's advice.
— mavila07
May 20, 2006
I had the same thing with my surgeon - 6 months. All my pills or vitamins
had to be crushed, liquid or chewable. I did have a capsule that I took
that I was able to pull apart and take the beads.
— ChristineB
May 20, 2006
I took pills before I left the hospital, had no problem.
MaryLyn
— Kriola
May 20, 2006
30 days, rule of thumb, or whenever we wanted. Never had a problem with
pills of any size. HOWEVER, soft gels? What's in 'em? If oil inside, you
will not get the full benefit of the content. If rx, see if you can get it
changed to a dry form or liquid. If a vitamin, there already exists a
non-oil form of it. We can melt the "shell", it's just gelatin,
but we malabsorb a certain % of fats & oils.
— vitalady
May 20, 2006
I was taking pills before I left the hospital. Not all meds come in liquid
form. I was taking huge pills, about 4 pills 2x a day, no
problems........
— Amy Hoffman
May 20, 2006
My doctor gave me percocet tabs on discharge from the hospital for pain-
and told me to either take them or tylenol if I needed something for
discomfort- at 2 weeks he told me I could take capsules as long as they
weren't the time release ones.
— dabby
May 20, 2006
Did you know that even people that have not had surgery have pills in their
colon that are not even close to being dissolved? It is not really that
much of an inconvenience to crush your pills. My surgeon says that I
should at least split any pill larger than a pea. But, I crush them all.
Actually, at this point, I chew them. I am pretty much immune to the
taste. I am now 19 months post op and I feel it is better safe than sorry,
so why risk not getting the full benifit of the medication. Also, sr... or
slow release tablets do not work with us. I had to go to regular ones
more often per day, but its ok... because it is just something I have to
live with since I was so lucky to have this surgery.
Good luck.
— septembergirl73
May 21, 2006
I was allowed to take pills after my two-week checkup. You should be
careful about opening capsules, though, because some are supposed to be
time-released, and that would give you all the medication at once. I was
told not to take time-release meds.
— Novashannon
May 21, 2006
Two days after surgery, I was given percocet pills (whole) in the hospital
for pain. I took them several times a day, everyday for 8 weeks to control
my massive pain from surgery. But every person is different and every
surgeon says differently. Good luck.
— KDFJones
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