Gastric Bypass Surgery Support Group

i take a number of medications for rheumatoid arthritis, pain, and depression. i was told that i will still be able to continue these medications after my wls. i was just wondering other people's experience with taking 6+ pills twice daily after getting this surgery. i have read that some people crush their pills with a mortar. how do you tolerate them once they are crushed? gross. i still remember the taste of crushed pills from when i was a kid. nothing covered that taste up except something really sweet. any suggestions for things to mask the taste? or is it even necessary to crush the pills?

i have heard (though not tried it myself) that as long as it's smaller than a tic tac you can take it. it will take time b/c you can only sip (not gulp) so you might have to space them out. it might help to have a pill cutter if they are bigger than that. also check with your doc, they may have you wait a few wks before you start taking them again! hope that is helpful!

One of the reasons I finally stopped my percocet after surgery was because of the crushing. It was disgusting and made me want to vomit. I would see what your doctor says about the meds - I personally swallow mine now and have since probably 2 weeks out. However, initially I couldn't take a big enough sip without feeling it in my stomach, so I would cut them in half depending on the size. Now I'm able to take vitamin sized pills fine. My mom had the same WLS 7 years ago and she never crushed or cut hers. As far as narcotics, though, it's similar to alcohol - it hits faster and is stronger. I never really got a 'high' off of my meds, but noticed the very few times I did, it was working in 10 mins or less and had more side effects as compared to before surgery where it took at least 30 mins to hit and no side effects. Again, it all goes back to how we absorb things now.

I did try to mask the taste with some of my pills but couldn't find something I could live with. So the ones I could do away with, I did - the ones I still take, I take whole.

HTH!

Hugs,

Dana

I started swallowing pills (Tylenol) 4 days after surgery. One at a time.. 5 minutes apart. I was fine. I even swallowed a whole multivitamin one day as I was feeling awful. No problem there either. I am sipping, but not those little sips the doc said to. I can't handle a one ounce cup and make it last 3-5 minutes. I am barely getting in enough liquids now. It depends on you and whether or not you will be able to swallow. Some here I have read have had nothing but trouble and then there is some like me, who have had no issues at all. I was on medicines also before surgery, the doc took me off all of them and now I only swallow the twice a day Prevacid and the small multi vitamins (B12 and A & D). I chew two tums a day and chew the Flintstones Complete (yuck on the Flintstones.).

Good luck. Your doctor will know which pills you need. Some may be available to be mixed at the pharmacy like little kids bubblegum flavored.. ask..

I personally would say you should be careful crushing medications. I only say that because I have done it before, and apparently, I took a massive risk because some medications are not designed to work the normal way, and some are designed to slowly dissolve in you and work all day. if you crush them up, you're putting it all into your system at the same time, and sometimes, it can make you ill. So, you need to check with the pharmacist or Dr and make sure you're ok doing that with the one's your on, before you do it.

I actually find the medications quite easy to take apart from the multi vitamins which is a little like swallowing a horse tablet =]

As long as it's not a cr, er, and there's one more I can't think of - you're normally okay for crushing meds. CR - Controlled Release ER - Extended Release and another has an 'x' in it. Your pharmacist should know. I found out about all of mine before surgery so I knew what I was good on or not.

Oh, another tidbit which you hopefully know - no NSAIDS or asprin products. I was on one for migraines and had to switch after surgery. Depending on what you're on for your RA you should talk to your doc

I spoke with the pharmacist this morning about this. You may crush anything not in a capsule UNLESS it is extended release and a handful immediate release. If you have questions on which medications can or cannot be crushed, call your local pharmacy and ask! Its what they are there for. Also -- Your orifice to the anastamosis is the size of an m & m, so anything smaller than an m & m will go through.