Question:
Worried about taking all meds after surgery.
Right now I take 13 different medications daily, some more then once a day. It's a handfull in the AM and a handfull in the PM. How am I ever going to be able to take all those pills after surgery? Pills are for high BP, high cholesteral, gastric reflux, depression and diabetes. — Glenn O. (posted on September 6, 2004)
September 6, 2004
Well the GOOD NEWS! You will likely be off some or most of those pills
shortly after surgery. Diabetic meds espically must be watched closely.
Post op eating so little your sugar will drop like a rock and you can have
troubles with low blood pressure. If your getting the RNY threres a
excelent chance your GERD will be gone:) Cholestrol normally drops too.
Mine was 275 pre op, dropped to 143 some months post op and at 3 years has
settled wonderfully at 153. My wife had severe asthma it left completely as
the weight dropped:) They will keep your depression meds going even the day
of surgery. All this happens in cooperation of your PCP, surgeon and other
docs. Congrats! My wife went from 23 meds 18 of which she took daily to
just 3 within a couple months. 2 of 3 for allergies. Dont do any of this on
your own. But do keep close eye on blood pressure and blood sugar so they
dont get too low. My BP dropped to 85 over 58 and I had trouble standing
up. I LOVE being off all the prescription meds. I ONLY talk ith the
pharmacist on a social basis:) He erodically asks hopw I am doing:)
— bob-haller
September 6, 2004
Glenn,
Depends on which surgery you're having. Different surgeries have different
outcomes in terms of the ability to swallow pills and the like. With some
of the different forms of WLS it's advisable to move to a liquid form of a
medication. If your medication can be crushed and added to a liquid, that
might be an option, as well.
For me, because I have the DS - not a gastric bypass - I still have a fully
functioning stomach, so taking meds as a post-op is not changed at all.
Well, except for the fact that I used to take 23 prescription meds, and now
I take none. I do keep a stash of pain meds on hand because I have
degenerative joint disease - these are monster sized pills! - but I take
them just as easily as before surgery.
Be sure to ask your surgeon what his/her opinion on this is.
Blessings,
dina
— Dina McBride
September 6, 2004
You will be off some, if not all of your meds eventually. You may need to
make a schedule and take them 1-2 at a time to avoid getting sick from a
pouch full of meds. Check with your MD about any meds that need to be taken
at a certain time. Most meds give you flexability with time--just need to
be consistent from day to day. I take Celebrex and vitamins but only take
2-3 pills at one time. If I fill my pouch with pills it makes me nauseated.
Good luck. It will only get better.
— dianne E.
September 6, 2004
I can only say for *myself* I was able to go off diabetes meds, cholestrol
meds, bp meds, and thankfully all the gastric reflux meds I was on..Best of
luck to you..
— Kathy S.
September 6, 2004
I had the surgery almost two years ago and so did my husband. We both took
handfuls of meds both am and pm. We haven't taken most of them since. I
lost 120, he 125. So many of the symptoms we had prior to surgery have
disappeared. We are sooo blessed. May you have a good experience and God
bless. Have a great journey and remember to take "before" and
"after" pics. It helps to keep a journal either in a book or on
your computer.
— Martha P.
September 6, 2004
I had the surgery almost two years ago and so did my husband. We both took
handfuls of meds both am and pm. We haven't taken most of them since. I
lost 120, he 125. So many of the symptoms we had prior to surgery have
disappeared. We are sooo blessed. May you have a good experience and God
bless. Have a great journey and remember to take "before" and
"after" pics. It helps to keep a journal either in a book or on
your computer.
— Martha P.
September 6, 2004
Consult your doctor first Glenn. My PCP told me to stop taking my
cholesterol med (Lipitor) about a month before surgery--his reason, that
surgery would bring down my cholesterol--it has. I was taking over the
counter Zantac for acid reflux 2 or 3 times a day before surgery--haven't
even had a hint of reflux or any acidity in my stomach since surgery. My
sister (RNY 9/3/03) was on diabetes meds and has not taken one thing since
the day before her surgery--her blood sugar has been normal ever since.
It's all very individualized, but it's most important to talk with the
doctor who has prescribed these meds for you. Good Luck to you.
Terri
— greeneyes1961
September 6, 2004
AMOS MOD NOTE:<P> Isnt it WONDERFUL seeing reports like these!
<P> Anyone on time released pills need to talk to surgeon and the doc
who perscribed it. The RNY effects absorbtion of time released pills.
— bob-haller
September 6, 2004
Glenn talk to your surgeon and your PCP about this my meds were changed
when I left the hosptial and within 8 weeks I was taken off everything
except my antidepressant. My PCP did blood work at 8 weeks and cholesterol
was down 90+ points and down 180+ on triglycerides (making these normal
levels) and glucose was down also. When I had my 6 month blood work all
still in the middle of normal range and A1C levels are now 5.7 and say NON
DIABETIC which is great since I went from the maxium dose of glucophage and
actos and insulin 2X a day the day of surgery to just get my levels low
enough for surgery to no meds now for 5 months. I was also taking prilosec
2-3 times a day before surgery my reflux was so bad my esophogaus was
bleeding and my surgeon has you take something for the first 30 days after
sugery and now nothing and my gastro Dr can't believe the results I eat
spicy and no reflux where as before even water would send me into pain.
Good Luck to you ...Nancy
— nefish
September 7, 2004
Glenn, I know I'm a day late, howeve, I also took alot of pills. I took a
total of 17 pills per day, I had gerd, acid reflux, diabetes type 2, manic
depression, bipolar, etc, etc. I got shots of insulin in hopsital after wls
for 3 days, no signs of diabetes since it's all gone, I of course no longer
had the gerd, and most the depression went away rapidly with the weightloss
and my self esteem. I now take 2 pills a day for my bi polar and my
vitamins, that is all. Good luck to you. Patricia 9-30-03 314/162/162 past
goal.
— pateblkbrn
September 7, 2004
Glenn,
I was taking 24 medications a day before my Open RNY a little over 2 years
ago. When they discharged me, I was taking those 24 medications a day plus
the pain medication, my vitamins,etc. The nice thing is that shortly after
surgery (about 2.5 months out), they started to take me off all the
medications. By the time I was 3 months out, I was off all but one of the
medications! You will be able to get off a majority of them when you lose
the first 10% or so of your excess weight. Until then, if you have pills,
you can swallow them! I did and I was fine. My doctor simply told me to
stagger them throughout the day.. I did and I was fine. Talk to your doctor
about your concerns. You will do great!
Hugs,
Kathie in Hawaii (Open RNY 08/07/02.. Down 200 Pounds)
— KathieInHawaii
September 8, 2004
I also took over 13 pills a day for Type II diabetes, heart problems,
arthritis pain and depression. My surgeon told me that I would be off of my
diabetes medication by the time I left the hospital. I was sceptical but
it was true. The last medication I took for diabetes was on Jan. 6th,
2004. I had my surgery on Jan. 7th 2004 and my sugar has been within
normal range since my surgery. My heart medicine has been cut back also. I
now only take 4 pills a day and I have no problem. Usually the day after
your surgery a doctor will come and talk to you about all your meds and if
you can take them or they might have to change some to make them smaller
than a M&M candy. I do not regret having the surgery because I am now
down 115# and I am no longer a diabetic from what the doctors say. Good
luck.
— patticake222
September 13, 2004
My advice is to check with your surgeon pre-op. I was able to get some of
my meds in liquid form when I was in the hospital. Others could be crushed
and put in clear capsules I bought at the pharmacy. Good luck.
— Esse
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