Question:
Medications on Surgery Day and During Hospital Stay

WERE YOU ABLE TO TAKE YOUR MEDICATIONS YOU TAKE EVERYDAY BEFORE GOING TO THE HOSPITAL? WHAT ABOUT TAKING YOUR REGULAR MEDS IN THE HOSPITAL, DID YOU TAKE YOUR OWN WITH YOU OR DID THE HOSPITAL HAVE YOUR MEDS FOR YOU? ALSO, ANYONE TAKING DID YOU TAKE YOUR DAILY MEDS BEFORE GOING TO THE HOSPITAL? WHILE IN THE HOSPITAL DID YOU TAKE YOUR OWN MEDS OR DID THE HOSPTIAL SUPPLY YOUR MEDS. SEE I TAKE PAXIL FOR ANXIETY AND I HAVE TO TAKE THAT WHILE I AM IN THE HOSPITAL, DID ANYONE HAVE T ROUBLE TAKING THERE PAXIL AFTER SURGERY?    — Gale G. (posted on August 22, 2002)

August 21, 2002
Hi Gale, just besure that your doctor prescribes you the regular Paxil, and not the Paxil CR (Controled Release) our new plumbing is unable to absorb anything that is in Controled Release from. Good Luck.
   — Jennifer E.

August 21, 2002
I'm not sure, Gale if we can or not, but I also would be interested in knowing what to do. I guess I'll find out when I go to the pre-op on tomorrow (8/23/02)
   — yourdivaness

August 22, 2002
Gail, I took my meds the day before surgery but not the day of. I take Celexa which is like Paxil and they did not give it to me in the hospital and by second day I could tell. I don't think they will let you bc you can not have anything by mouth for 2 days and then you can suck on ice chips but not swallow. Also you will have to crush pills from now on for awhile. I know every Dr. is different so ask yours.
   — Becky F.

August 22, 2002
THIS WAS A BIG QUESTION FOR ME AND I MADE SURE TO ADDRESS IT WITH MY DOC AT MY FINAL VISIT...I AM ON WELLBUTRIN AND EFFEXOR -BOTH SUSPENDED RELEASE. HE SAID TO MAKE SURE I TOOK THEM THE MORNING OF SURGERY AND TO BRING THEM WITH ME TO THE HOSPITAL...IN THE HOSPITAL, THEY DISAGREED BECAUSE I WAS ON SUSPENDED RELEASE AND SO THEY USED THE REGULAR TABLETS OF BOTH (I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT EFFEXOR HAD A TABLET) THEY CRUSHED THEM FOR ME (AFTER I HAD MY LEAK CHECK) I COULDN'T GET THEM DOWN CRUSHED(BECAUSE I COULD BARELY SIP FLUIDS) SO THEY BROKE THEM INTO QUARTERS WHICH WAS EASIER. WHEN I LEFT THEY SAID I COULD BREAK MY SUSPENDED RELEASE PILLS BUT THAT THEY WOULD BE LESS EFFECTIVE AND I EMPTY MY EFFEXOR CAPSULE INTO PUDDING TO TAKE IT. MY DOCTOR SAID THAT AT 6 WKS, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE THE PILLS WHOLE.
   — Laurie V.

August 22, 2002
I was told that I should go ahead and bring my own medications with me to the hospital. I'm a diabetic on 3 kinds of insulin and Glucophage, plus Effexor, a blood pressure lowering drug, Synthroid, etc. I would HATE to pay the hospital's price for those meds! I was told by my surgeon's "office" nurse to take 1/2 my a.m. dose of insulin before surgery but was told by the nurse in the surgery ward (during pre-ops) that I should NOT take any. I'm sure I will miss the Effexor because I've accidentally forgotten to take it a couple of days in a row and that makes me tear up in a moment's notice!
   — Kathy B.