Antidepressants After Surgery

[Alithinos 19]

I second asking about Lexapro - the pills are very small. However, I don't know if they can be crushed. You would want to check on that.

[keldolbeth 262]

I take Wellbutrin and Zoloft. Since surgery (Monday) I have been taking the Zoloft but not the Wellbutrin since it is a larger pill. My surgeon told me to talk to the prescribing doctor and my pharmacist to see what they recommend and if there are any other options. I feel like I'm doing ok without the Wellbutrin though, I've decreased my dosage the last few months anyway. I'm not sure how much your surgeon will be able to tell you besides "crush it." I think mixing it with pudding, applesauce, etc would definitely help. However, a side effect of Wellbutrin is actually weight loss, which is why my DR started me on that first, months before surgery was a definite.

[cudlyqt 21]

Lexapro comes in liquid form.

[aldmb2 24]

Worried about this also. I take Effexor which is known to be one of the hardest anti- depressants to come off of. If I am even 2-3 hours late in taking it (usually on wkend when schedule is different than work) I feel it big time!! It's not a capsule, so not sure about how it would be to crush it.

I don't think I would be able to go a day much less dayS with out it. I plan on getting off of it in the next couple of years, but I don't think now would be a good time to try.

This is probably my biggest fear...

I also take effexor & felt like garbage the day after surgery. Mine is an XR. My Dr. told me I could take it as normal since it is an extended release. I was opening the capsule & swallowing it with water! Yuck, but it stayed down.

[Marykatherine 38]

I am on a few meds for depression, ptsd, and Migraines. The evening of surgry I was taking my meds and I have not had to crush tabs or go on liquids. My surgeon said it was super important to stay on meds and referred me back to my psychiatrist. My psych said surgery was not the time to mess with meds and has kept me on my meds the same as the day before surgery. 20 weeks out and I am stable on meds.

Please find a good resolve to the med problem that does't include stopping. I've neer been happier.

[MOMW 71]

My bariatric team siad that it did not need to be crushed if the pill size was the size of a pencil eraser. They crushed all of my mine in the hospital and it was horrible! I could stand taking my one capsule apart, my team said as long as I could take it with no probllems then I was fine.

[Mishy 18]

Worried about this also. I take Effexor which is known to be one of the hardest anti- depressants to come off of. If I am even 2-3 hours late in taking it (usually on wkend when schedule is different than work) I feel it big time!! It's not a capsule' date=' so not sure about how it would be to crush it.

I don't think I would be able to go a day much less dayS with out it. I plan on getting off of it in the next couple of years, but I don't think now would be a good time to try.

This is probably my biggest fear...[/quote']

Me too!! I am planning to take my prestiq the evening of my surgery I take it for anxiety. I have spoken to my dr about becoming pregnant with prestiq and have done so much research on the Internet. It seems like a huge NO to stay on it. So I have tried to switch to Prozac and that was a nightmare, definitely didn't work for me so went back to pristiq and feel much much better now. But I still have the same problem that I need to switch meds in the next year or two. Anyone recommend a med for bad anxiety that is safe thought the whole pregnancy? (That isn't Prozac!)

[lessofmeismore 1,405]

I haven't researched lexapro but the switch from pristiq to lexapro was a smooth one for me.

[gingersnap70 15]

Is it really ok to open up the Cymbalta and mix it with pudding? I take that as well (3 capsules at a time) and I'm wondering how I will get them down; they are tiny though. I would like to mix it with pudding if its ok.

[tara1021 13]

I was mixing with water/juice till today and ll those little balls are a pain! Today I emptied it onto a spoon tht had some smoothie on it and it went down great! Dr. Suggested pudding and then applesauce later on.

[girlfriday 59]

Me too!! <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> I am planning to take my prestiq the evening of my surgery I take it for anxiety. I have spoken to my dr about becoming pregnant with prestiq and have done so much research on the Internet. It seems like a huge NO to stay on it. So I have tried to switch to Prozac and that was a nightmare' date=' definitely didn't work for me so went back to pristiq and feel much much better now. But I still have the same problem that I need to switch meds in the next year or two. Anyone recommend a med for bad anxiety that is safe thought the whole pregnancy? (That isn't Prozac!)[/quote']

no. there are really no safe meds to take for depression during pregnancy. I am a pharmacist. when I was pregnant in 2002, my dr put me on Paxil. Well now, Paxil is linked to birth defects such as heart problems in children. Fortunately, my child had no heart abnormalities, but does have some behavioral issues and I will always think that me taking Paxil contributed to his problems. So no, I reiterate, there are no good long term studies that indicate anti depressants are safe during pregnanvcy. I would at least find a doctor who has had many years of experience and is comfortable prescribing them but Effexor, Pristiq and Wellbutrin are all to be avoided with pregnancy. Prozac MIGHT be the only possible option and again, if I had it to do over again, I would not have even taken that drug.

Sorry to be so blunt, but this is the truth. I would find another way to cope with anxiety and depression to protect my unborn baby.

[girlfriday 59]

I do suffer from depression as well, I take Prozac and Wellbutrin. So, I do know what clinical depression and anxiety are like. I don't want to minimize that depression is a very real and debilitating illness.

[xlr8ahead 40]

Me too!! I am planning to take my prestiq the evening of my surgery I take it for anxiety. I have spoken to my dr about becoming pregnant with prestiq and have done so much research on the Internet. It seems like a huge NO to stay on it. So I have tried to switch to Prozac and that was a nightmare' date=' definitely didn't work for me so went back to pristiq and feel much much better now. But I still have the same problem that I need to switch meds in the next year or two. Anyone recommend a med for bad anxiety that is safe thought the whole pregnancy? (That isn't Prozac!)[/quote']

Citalipram or ciprilex .very good for anxiety.and u can come off it easy

[Toni Day 18]

I take Celexa and Abilify and had no issues swallowing them but I also take Depakote for Migraines and they are huge so I stick them in applesauce. The hospital suggested it while I was in there.

[angelakay2 117]

I take Paxil time release and my surgeon said it was ok to hae immediately after surgery since they are tiny. I was also told that its dangerous to crush a time release. Good luck!!