Medications

[Rosebud2 26]

:eek: I've screwed up. I should have talked to my PCP before the surgery about my blood pressure meds.

The first days after the surgery I didn't take them in the hospital as my blood pressure was normal to a little under and I didn't want it to drop.

Since I've been home I've dissolved the tablets and taken them. WRONG. My blood pressure is through the roof. It has never been this high.

I went to the pharmacy and spoke to the pharmacist and she said I should never have dissolved them. This morning I just cut them in half and taken them. I'll see if that helps. She is not sure about it as it should be released slowly.

Her suggestion is to monitor it the next day or so and if it still remains high to go to PCP and have her prescribe one that I can take 3 - 4 times a day until I can go back to taking my pill whole.

So, my advice is to check with your PCP before your surgery to see if you need to make adjustments to your meds the first 30 days after surgery.

[Elisabethsew 50]

Time released medications can't be dissolved or cut in half. I took my meds with Water and swallowed them with no problem. Call your MD and see if that's OK. If not, you'll need another Rx. Do NOT risk letting your BP get too high!

[Rosebud2 26]

I showed them to Aceves and he said it was OK to crush them. It is not one of those capsules that are time released. It really is not a large pill. Much smaller than an M&M so I don't know why I can't take it whole but he is the one who told me to crush it. I didn't know if it is because he thought it would harm the staple line. I'll be a week out tomorrow.

[Rosebud2 26]

Cutting it in half seems to be working. The blood pressure is dropping.

I've decided that tomorrow I am going to take half in the morning and half in the afternoon and see how that works.

[MacMadame 81]

After my surgery, I was told to stop taking my meds and to monitor my blood pressure. It did jump around like crazy the first week, but then it slowly came down to normal.

You really need to talk to your PCP about this as it's a situation that needs monitoring.

[Rosebud2 26]

I've been checking it every couple of hours and it seems to be adjusting. This just started happening yesterday. I'm giving it until tomorrow to see if this new method works or I will call her.

[Malaika 50]

I've been checking it every couple of hours and it seems to be adjusting. This just started happening yesterday. I'm giving it until tomorrow to see if this new method works or I will call her.

Curious Rosebud2, what BP medication do you take?

[Rosebud2 26]

I take Diovan. It is still going crazy so if it doesn't normalize by morning it is off to the PCP. The pill is very small and I'm going to take it whole in the morning.

[Elisabethsew 50]

Diovan is tiny and you shouldn't have a problem taking it whole. It IS a medication that can be dissolved or cut in half. Are you sure you're absorbing it? If you're having diarrhea, that might be the reason you're BP is not responding to the medication.

[Rosebud2 26]

That is a possibility. But it is only about once a day so I was calling it very loose stools. Not eating anything I didn't expect well formed stools.

I am going to see my PCP as soon as the office opens. My reading this morning was 170/115. I has never, ever been that high. The reason I am on the meds is because it was creeping up to 140/90. I'm afraid I'm going to stroke out.

Any suggests to tell her?

Edited June 3, 2009 by Rosebud2

[Rosebud2 26]

OK, I'm not having a stroke. :-)

First, my BP machine at home was reading high. It is high right now but not nearly as high as my machine was registering.

Second, she told me to stop crushing the pill and to take it whole. It is not a large pill so it is going to be OK.

Dr. Campos just returned my call and he said it was ok too. I think in the early stage they are afraid of it getting stuck going down. I have no problems with that at all. I can swallow just fine.

[learned2bskinny 81]

RoseBud, I'm glad youre okay. I will definately talk to my PCP before my surgery, as I take two BP meds and I hadn't even thought of the possibility of not being able to take them during the first post op period. Is it just a matter of getting the pills down, or is it digesting them? I take meds for other issues too.

[Rosebud2 26]

I think the doctor's concern is getting them down your new pipes. So talk to your PCP and find out for sure if you meds can be crushed or if there is a liquid you can take in the beginning.

[Elisabethsew 50]

I take synthroid and that isn't supposed to be crushed (not the generic levothyroxine). Since I could not take it the AM of surgery, I took it at 10 PM the night before surgery. The day after surgery, I got the OK to take the synthroid and it's about the same size as diovan... maybe a tad bigger. For those going to Mexico, remember to bring any meds you need to take with you.

Rosebud, I'm glad you got it all worked out.