Question:
pills????
At how many weeks should you be able to swallow pills without crushing them? — cuppaloopy (posted on February 28, 2010)
February 28, 2010
I have to wonder...has your DR spent anytime with you? Did they give you
any paper work as to the steps to follow before and after surgery? Iam not
trying to upset you..but you ask soo many questions..that my Dr gave me the
answers to BEFORE surgery. I have seen other DRS give different info to
thier patients. Which is why you need to do just as your DR tells you to
do. Yes, we have all been thru some surgery..but at different times..things
change over time. PLEASE..ask your DR for some written directions. I do
wish you the very best..just remember we are normal people just like
you..we are not medical personal trained to handle the cases. I have seen
many on here say my DR says do ABC..but I didnt and am ok. I worry that you
are gonna follow the wrong/incorrect directions and hurt yourself. My
prayers are with you.
— tootsie52
February 28, 2010
I agree with Julie. Call your surgeons office to ask their recommendation.
I was given vitamins in a pill form in the hospital the day after surgery.
I never did the pill crush thingy.
— Caribou ME
February 28, 2010
i was told i could swallow a 4mm (1/8") pill, anything larger had to
be crushed. capsules had to be opened and taken with applesauce.
— Gary123
February 28, 2010
To Julie, my surgeon gave me all kinds of info. The reason I ask so many
questions is because I don't understand how so many people that have had
the same surgery as me have very different directions. I also like to hear
what other people have to say. Thanks for you concern.
— cuppaloopy
February 28, 2010
I took pills in the hospital At 2 monts post RNY, I take huge fish oil
capsules. I haven't had any problem. My doctor told me there was no need
to take chewable vitamins or crush pills as long as I could swallow them.
— MargaretHM
February 28, 2010
I was told crushing pills helps with absorbtion, since our digestive tracts
are shortened from the surgery, absorbtion rates differ pre op and post op.
However, at 3 months out was told I could swallow pills. So there ya go...I
am not sure they all know! I just know my labs are good and I do all
chewable pills. Best of luck to you ! hugs.,kim
— gpcmist
March 1, 2010
My DR told me I would never be able to take them whole because they could
sit and cause ulcers.I know different people have different opinions.
— davonjack
March 1, 2010
Docs really do differ on this one. I know my surgeon only recently changed
his opinion from "pills ok after four weeks" to "never use
pills again," either vitamin or prescription or over-the-counter. He
apparently has had many people he's had to remove pills from after they got
stuck, and feels it's not worth tempting fate. Personally, I'm ok with
chewable vitamins but I am wondering about a time when I may need other
meds and may end up crushing. Not looking forward to that! Thank god my
docs took me off all my meds either before or right after surgery. Still
injecting a small amount of insulin, even after three weeks (grrrrr!). I
was really hoping I'd be one of the 80% or so of type-2 diabetics who gets
completely off all meds after RNY. Still hoping that will happen for me as
I lose a lot of weight.
— Greg K.
March 1, 2010
Hi Barbara....at my pre-op support groups and info sessions, we were told
two things as "rules of thumb". First, never take any pill
larger than a pencil eraser (the part you can see above the metal); and
second, if a pill takes longer than 10 minutes to dissolve in warm water,
CRUSH IT or find a chewable alternative. I have never had to crush a pill.
My vitamins are all either chewable, or really tiny pills and capsules
(obtained from the Vitamin Shoppe). And those pills that aren't vitamins
or really tiny - well, I've either asked the pharmacist what their
dissolve-time is, or I've "wasted" one and checked it out for
myself.
— Erica Alikchihoo
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