Post-op pills - do I really have to crush them?

[Bookgirl 0]

Hi all - I am now 5 days post-op and feeling great but a little guilty! I was told to crush all medication (or dissolve it). On the plane ride back home, I got a headache but I had packed my dissolvable pain meds - so I bit a Tylenol into 3 pieces and took that with a lot of liquid and didn't have any problems. Have since taken my allergy med without crushing and tolerated that just fine too. Is there some hidden risk to not crushing the pills? Won't they will dissolve anyway as they are meant to do? I am worried that I am being a little to lax with the rules but I haven't suffered any consequences... :thumbup:

[OrchidFan 0]

Hi all - I am now 5 days post-op and feeling great but a little guilty! I was told to crush all medication (or dissolve it). On the plane ride back home, I got a headache but I had packed my dissolvable pain meds - so I bit a Tylenol into 3 pieces and took that with a lot of liquid and didn't have any problems. Have since taken my allergy med without crushing and tolerated that just fine too. Is there some hidden risk to not crushing the pills? Won't they will dissolve anyway as they are meant to do? I am worried that I am being a little to lax with the rules but I haven't suffered any consequences... :scared0:

You rebel, you!

I don't know for sure, but I imagine it's to protect the staple line..

Didn't the tylenol taste *&^% horrible? My asthma pill tastes so bad I haven't taken it since surgery. :001_unsure: Yea, I'm dead when my pcp finds that out.

If you don't want to buy a pill crusher, wax paper and a spoon works perfectly well.

Ivy

[Malaika 50]

Hi all - I am now 5 days post-op and feeling great but a little guilty! I was told to crush all medication (or dissolve it). On the plane ride back home, I got a headache but I had packed my dissolvable pain meds - so I bit a Tylenol into 3 pieces and took that with a lot of liquid and didn't have any problems. Have since taken my allergy med without crushing and tolerated that just fine too. Is there some hidden risk to not crushing the pills? Won't they will dissolve anyway as they are meant to do? I am worried that I am being a little to lax with the rules but I haven't suffered any consequences... :001_unsure:

I would email Gaby and ask her - tell her what you've been doing. I don't think it will hurt you -- I know I that everytime I crushed my pills and mixed them with Water, I threw up. I started crumbling them intead of crushing them and taking them with just a tiny bit of yogurt or applesauce (this was about 10 days out). I know others have swallowed their pills since the day after surgery.

I think it best to go to the source and ask Gaby (or Nina or Renee) and see what they have to say.

Let us know.

[DownInSocal 12]

The short answer? Yes.

Most pills settle at the bottom of your stomach and disolve. You don't want to irritate your staple line right now. I never had problems with being sick to my stomach if I ate some Jello and then took crushed pills. I don't even bother with the crusher now. I just chew them. Yeahhh I am that hardcore :001_unsure:

[Malaika 50]

I don't even bother with the crusher now. I just chew them. Yeahhh I am that hardcore :001_unsure:

Ewwwwwwwwwww:svengo: Heck, I'm almost 4 months out and I still have trouble swallowing pills - it's a struggle every morning to get my 40 mg. Prilosec down without it getting stuck in my throat and risking throwing up. The pharmacist did tell me the other day that I could open the capsule and eat it with some applesauce.

[Bookgirl 0]

Wow - thanks gals - I emailed the office to ask for advice - will post when I get a reply. I never had a problem swallowing pills but don't think that I could chew them - gag! My theory was that after seeing the xray of the liquid leaving the new stomach so quickly, the pill would be washed into the small intestine to be dissolved/absorbed there. Will keep you posted.

[Bornagainbabe 4]

I was given pills to swallow whilst in hospital straight after the op and also took them when I came home and had no problems. I did check it out on here though and and after that took dissolvable where I could whilst still popping some whole and I have been ok.

[cajun 46]

Gaby advised me that Dr Aceves prefers no whole pills until 3 months from surgery. I crushed mine this morning and swallowed them in some Water. No problem. I would rather be safe than end up with a leak. or an ulceration in my new sleeve.

My vit D is a capsule so am going to find out if it can be opened and taken in water.

[Malaika 50]

My vit D is a capsule so am going to find out if it can be opened and taken in Water.< /strong>

Cajun -

I was told by the pharmacist as long as it isn't an extended release capsule, like effexor that it can be opened and mixed with something like applesauce or yogurt.

[OrchidFan 0]

Cajun -

I was told by the pharmacist as long as it isn't an extended release capsule, like effexor that it can be opened and mixed with something like applesauce or yogurt.

Funny you should mention that....I take effexor extended release, and was told that as long as I didn't chew the little specs inside the capsule, opening it and mixing with liquids was fine. :thumbup:

Ivy

[learned2bskinny 81]

I have been swallowing my pills whole for about a month now. I am just under 3 months post-op. I have had no problems. And I,too, take Effexor XR. Funny, huh? I couldn't stand crushing then taking any of my meds, even with pudding or applesauce...yuk! And the nexium mups...eeewwww! If anyone wants them, I have 40mg tablets that I only used one or two.

[JudyJudyJudy 7]

Wow - thanks gals - I emailed the office to ask for advice - will post when I get a reply. I never had a problem swallowing pills but don't think that I could chew them - gag! My theory was that after seeing the xray of the liquid leaving the new stomach so quickly, the pill would be washed into the small intestine to be dissolved/absorbed there. Will keep you posted.

I was really wondering about this...I have 3 huge horse pill I have to take every day for my ulcerative colitis. I have no idea how they'll taste crushed. But they are BIG.

[nana2three 0]

I would email Gaby and ask her - tell her what you've been doing. I don't think it will hurt you -- I know I that everytime I crushed my pills and mixed them with Water, I threw up. I started crumbling them intead of crushing them and taking them with just a tiny bit of yogurt or applesauce (this was about 10 days out). I know others have swallowed their pills since the day after surgery.

I think it best to go to the source and ask Gaby (or Nina or Renee) and see what they have to say.

Let us know.

I have found that crushing them and putting them into dark choc. pudding works great. It kills most of the bad taste of the meds.

[*susan* 1,709]

Nana, I had never thought of doing something like that. I am far enough out now, that I don't have any problems taking my pills. But, that would have been great four or five months ago. I dissolved mine in Water, held my nose and took them that way. Needless to say, it wasn't a very pleasant experience.

[Malaika 50]

I have been swallowing my pills whole for about a month now. I am just under 3 months post-op. I have had no problems. And I,too, take Effexor XR. Funny, huh? I couldn't stand crushing then taking any of my meds, even with pudding or applesauce...yuk! And the nexium mups...eeewwww! If anyone wants them, I have 40mg tablets that I only used one or two.

You are so lucky - I am 4 months out and still struggle with my prilosec and Effexor XR (in fact last night, up it came after I took it). You know you can swallow the mups without dissolving them? That is how Bearded takes his now. Am sure though that if you don't want them, we would buy them from you.