Question:
At my 5 week checkup, my doctor says that all pills will have to be crushed, forever!

So does that mean I will be on Flintstones vit's forever?! He explained that it was not because of the stomach opening-it is because we won't get the full effect of the medication. So even anti-biotics will have to be crushed or in liquid form. Any idea of how many vit's a day to take? I have been taking 4 Flintstones daily. 2 in the am and 2 in the pm. I have just added calcium- Viactiv- pretty good! Makes you feel like you're having a treat! Any other vit's I should be taking? Thanks guys!    — Cindy K. (posted on February 24, 2001)

February 24, 2001
Cindy, take 500 mcg. daily of B12. This is very important. I get mine at GNC and I chew them (no taste). You can get the kind that melt under your tongue -- but they cost more and they break my tongue out so I don't use that. I tend to put some weight on what your surgeon said, cause so many times I've read articles about how some of our medicines go right through us and come out the other end -- and since we (RNY) patients don't have much stomach acid (especially those of us with vagotomies- which almost stops the production of the acid in the transected 'old' stomach), then I don't know where or how these vitamins and medicines would get broken down unless we crush them before swallowing. I'm not a pill taker myself much, but those I do take, I crush or chew. Others don't, they swallow them -- but I wonder . . .
   — Cindy H.

February 24, 2001
Cindy, I am 4 months post-op and I take 2 Flintstones Complete multible with minerals, 4 Citracal Calcium Citrate caplets + D (my surgeon said calcium citrate is the only calcium we should be taking) and 1,000 mcg B-12. I just went for my four month check-up and he added Chelated Iron which I haven't gotten yet. I also take a gram of Chewable Vitamin C a day but this is not required by my doctor. I like taking the chewables better but my doctor didn't say they had to be chewables. I hope this helped. Helen
   — Helen C.

February 24, 2001
I do not have to crush anything. I would question the reason. I just have to make sure pills are not super huge.
   — Lisa B.

February 24, 2001
I went to WWW.Vitalady.com (Good advice; good prices on pre-digested protein and vitamins.) I have B-12 dots, Iron, Citrate, D, E, C, Multi, Zinc, Potassium and will use a pill crusher. Take iron and C together. Make sure you leave at least 1 1/2 hours between the iron/C and other vitamin. While different persons need different dosages and should check with their surgeons, I will have my pills split into 4 times taken daily. Am, 2 iron w/1 c. Mid-day, 1 calcium, 1 e, 1 multi. Evening, 1 calcium, 1 zinc, 1 D. Bedtime, 1 calcium, 1 multi, 1 potassium. Sounds like a lot, huh?! Thank god for the pill crusher! Each person may need different dosages, due to type of surgery and how much bypassed. GNC is a great store, but spendy. Michelle at Vitalady has pretty good prices. Good luck to you!
   — Dhelynn

February 24, 2001
I've never crushed my pills and I am extremly distal. Crushing them doesn't change the absorbability--depends on where in the gut they were intended to be absorbed and do we even still HAVE that part of the gut any more? Some meds are not good to be crushed or split. As long as it dissolves within 15 min in WATER, it's as asorbable as it's going to get. The things we need to watch are timed release (what time will it release?) and anything oil filled. Because we are malabsorbing our fat/oils, this will pass right through without benefit. Viactiv make a great candy, but the calcium in them is useless to us. Stick with calcium citrate + D + Magnesium, 1500mg a day MINIMUM. We are high risk for osteoporosis because of the massive wt loss AND because we will have difficulty absorbing calcium.
   — vitalady

February 24, 2001
Thanks for all the input!! Regarding the calcium in Viactiv not helping us at all- Michelle- can you tell me why? My doctors nutritionist/dietician suggested them as did my doctor. I don't take B12 right now because my level (taken twice in the last 6 weeks) was almost three times the norm. But I do want to stay ahead of the game with my vitamins. Should I still take the Flintstones twice a day (4 tabs?). Thanks again to all of you!
   — Cindy K.

February 24, 2001
You absolutely do need to take chewables or liquid. I met with my nutritionist (which is required by my surgeon) and she said that will be a lifelong thing because of the absorption issue. Best of luck to you.
   — Sharon R.

February 24, 2001
My surgeon said that I could swallow pills up to the size of a plain M & M. Anything bigger than that should be split or liquid. He said time release medications were fine - but if in doubt, to call him.
   — [Anonymous]