How Do You Take Pills Post Op?

[NJsharon 119]

I am thinking I normally gulp down Water when taking a pill, but thinking I wouldn't be able to do that post-op. So then how do you take pills?

I am on 3 medications, plus a Multi-Vitamin (huge pill) plus D3 gel caplet. So wondering how I will swallow all of them!

[MINI-Me 196]

I had no problems.

Some people switch to liquid medication for the first few months or buy ones that can be split into smaller portions.

A good rule of thumb (unless instructed otherwise by your doctor) is that you can take anything the size of a regular M&M or smaller. Too bad they don't taste like M&M's!

[Jswilbur 42]

My husband blends all my pills up for me in my morning Protein Shake.< /p>

[mrsnate 55]

I was told I need to take my prescriptions to my pharmacy and ask if they can be crushed or taken in liquid form. Apparently meds that are extended release cannot be crushed. Anyway, it's on my "to do" list now!

[teamthin 7]

I take them the same way before. Gulp of Fluid and then the pill. My doctor has me on one powdered medicine and some really small pills. I had to use a laxative the size of a m&m and I had No problem with it.

[stellarchickgr33 3]

Everything should be crushed up until 3 weeks post op. your body won't break down anything quick enough otherwise. You also shouldn't be gulping anything. That'll create air in your stomach and become very painful. All of my Vitamins are chewable and everything else will get smashed in my pill crusher.

Remember you aren't eating "real" foods because your stomach is healing. Everything should be treated that way.

[NJsharon 119]

Okay, if you crush it... still how do you get it down then? You can't swig/gulp Water, so how do you get it down. Figuring it will taste nasty if I just try to sip water to get all my crushed pills down!

[NJsharon 119]

Oh & I do mail order pharmacy for our insurance... so cannot really see if they will do liquid medicine instead.

Anyone found a good liquid or chewable multi-Vitamin? That pill is the worse for me as it is huge.

[JayhawkJess33 25]

I can only comment on the Vitamin part as I don't take any medications other than that and calcium chews. I use Centrum chewable Multivitamin - its big but since it is chewable, it doesn't matter. I just kind of nibble it and make sure it is chewed up really well and it is an orange flavor. My surgeon ok'd this vitamin and said it was just fine. Calcium chews are the same way but I take half in the morning and half in the evening as my nut told me my body would absorb it better in small amounts more often. The nut also suggested if I needed to take anything else to find out if it was ok if it was crushed and put it in a little applesauce to take it. You might try that if your pills are crushable.

[UK Cathy 977]

My op is Tuesday, I brought crushable tablets (vits, calc, iron) and hope to take them in a spoon of yoghurt

[teamthin 7]

I can "gulp" Water just fine. It's not like I ran and drank a bottle of water. I drink enough to get the pill down. I'm one of those people who thinks they are gonna choke on everything..lol... I should also mention that I'm healing extremely well and was allowed soft foods the day after I left the hospital. But you will find out what works for you. I never had the gas pain everyone talks about.

[traceyc 89]

I got a pill crusher that basically turned my prevacid into a powder that I mixed into a spoonful of chocolate sugar free pudding. I didn't start swallowing it whole until week 3. My Vitamins are chewable including a Gummy Vitamin D. My doctor said not to swallow any pills larger than my pinky fingernail.