What about pills?? - ThinnerTimes

redinsc · 10-10-2007, 08:40 AM

Everyone keeps asking me about how I'll take the current meds I'm on, and I guess I never stopped to think about it. I take 3 pills every night, and I'm CERTAINLY not wanting to skip my Cymbalta, my family will disown me!!

How do you swallow your pills after surgery? Is it a problem?

I guess they could give me the suppository kind but my husband would want to "administer" them to me and call it foreplay. NOT!!!

cnvh · 10-10-2007, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redinsc

I guess they could give me the suppository kind but my husband would want to "administer" them to me and call it foreplay. NOT!!!

OMG, I just snorted my iced tea when I read that... BWAHAHAHAHA

Anyway, have you asked your surgeon which specific pills you can take? The only thing I was on post-op was my birth-control pill, which is quite small; they said I could take that no problem. If it's something significantly larger or is extended-release, then you're probably going to have to ask your surgeon about each specific pill-- it's not just a question of if it will fit through your new openings, but where it will do its job, if it can irritate stomach linings, etc. Many pills can be crushed and taken with pudding (not the extended-release ones though)-- a pharmacist should be able to advise you on "alternative delivery methods" like crushing, liquid versions, etc.

nextbigloser · 10-10-2007, 11:39 AM

I cant answer your question but you had me in tears!

Kim

fisher1000 · 10-10-2007, 12:10 PM

The nurses in the hospital had me taking LorTab pills just after surgery so that I could get off of the drip. Nothing happened. I broke the pills in half for a week or so, just to be sure, and now, two weeks later, I'm taking pills fine, two and three at a time even. The Metformin I take for diabetes is by far the largest, and it goes down smoothly with no problems. The nurses told me it dissolves mainly in the pouch before entering the intestine.

Nyn · 10-10-2007, 01:00 PM

The Bariatric Dept. RN told me that taking certain pills were ok, but that they had to be non-coated. She said that my pouch couldn't dissolve pills that were coated in the way they were meant to be dissolved. So if I want to take a pill I have to make sure it's a tablet that has that sort of powdery look/feel to it. I didn't think to ask her about crushing/dissolving or other methods, though.

lward76 · 10-10-2007, 03:06 PM

i take pills just fine, i dont do the e.r. though! and my multivitamin is coated and my lab on those are ok

Jeri · 10-10-2007, 05:24 PM

Hmmm my nutrionist said chewable & /or liquid after surgery...even gave me a ton of chewable vitamins, mineral samples. I guess every dr & patient is different.
I know I can't & won't give up my Lexapro or Ambien CR. They're small & non-coated so they should be fine but I'll crush them up if I have to.

MiladyB · 10-10-2007, 05:47 PM

I had to crush my pills for the first 2 weeks or use liquid or chewable. After that it was no problem taking pills. BUT there are certain pills that you should not be taking after surgery because they will either irritate your pouch, such as all pills in the NSAIDs catagory or pills that just won't be absorbed like they should. Any pills with enteric coating (kind of like a candy coating) or any extended release type med isn't going to do it's job. It will probably basicly go right on through you. If any of your meds do fall into those catagories you will want to get them changed. Those meds need the gastric juices to break them down and after RNY those juices just aren't there to do the job until well down your intestinal system which won't be enough time to break those meds down.

So basicly, you want to avoid any meds that are extended release, delayed, controlled, sustained or any medication that is an NSAIDs.

Over-the-counter NSAIDs are:
Aspirin, Motrin, Advil, Aleve, Orudis KT

Prescribed NSAIDs are:
Motrin, Naprosyn, Anaprox, Toradol, Lodine, Feldene, Indocin, Daypro, Relafen, Voltaren and Celebrex.

IF you do need to routinely take any of the above NSAIDs then PLEASE make sure you get a prescription for Cytotec/Misoprostol. Also steroids (even IV ones) will have a negative effect on your pouch without the Cytotec.

There has been studies out there that ALL it takes is ONE dose of NSAIDs to cause some kind of damage to your pouch. Yep, that's right I said ONE!! That honestly is the latest word out there people, I know I'm not going to ignore it.

If you are unsure if any of the meds you are on fall into any of these catagories talk to your Pharmacist, they will know. It isn't a bad idea to let your Pharmacist know that you are a Gastric Bypass patient. They can list it in your information almost like an allergy so that if you are ordered a med that you shouldn't be on an alert will be generated. There are ALOT of physicians out there that don't know this kind of information it is our respondsibility to make sure they are aware of it. I'm getting a lot of this info scanned on to my computer so if any one wants any I can send it there way. Just let me know.