Can I crush pills?

[Bethson 6]

I am 9 days post gastric sleeve. Talked with my pharmacist about my Lotrel, which is a combination pill for high blood pressure. I have opened the capsule and there is another smaller capsule and a pellet. No problem opening the little capsule and taking the contents but the pharmacist thinks I should not crush the pellet (which I have been doing) but to swallow it whole. The pellet is tiny, perhaps half the size of a small garden pea. Am I at risk if I swallow it whole to have it get stuck in the staple areas of my stomach? I know I am not to have anything that has seeds like strawberries for some time. Any opinions or experiences will help.

[Wishfull.shrinking 53]

I have no experience in blood pressure medicine so I don't know what crushing it will do. If your asking that. But I THINK your asking size correct? If so, I had my surgery on May 26th. I take 2 colace pills and a PPI for acid every day. These are all the size of about a regular strength Tylenol. I have no problem with feeling them stuck or anything. Hope that helps.

[Bethson 6]

Thanks, yes I am asking about size. I have to crush or sprinkle everything for six weeks according to the post op program

[Bufflehead 6,358]

Definitely follow your pharmacist's instructions with respect to how to treat medications. If they say don't crush, it's for a good reason.

It's highly unlikely that anything even could get caught in your staples, as the vast majority of surgeons oversew the staple line, meaning nothing that goes in via your mouth will ever touch your staples. And even if for some reason it did, medication will dissolve in your stomach so it wouldn't be stuck there long at all, it would just dissolve away.

If you aren't already, you may want to monitor your blood pressure regularly at home. It isn't unusual for people with high blood pressure to have it resolve immediately after surgery. I had really high blood pressure before surgery and then within a week after it, it was completely normal and I've never had to be on hbp meds again.

[liannatx 897]

I was given pills for pain, and acid blockers in pill form, the day I was released. I think we avoid seeds at first because they don't dissolve, but any medication will. I would not crush or alter any prescription drugs...

[Guest Dr. Jose Trasvina]

Hello... Lotrel is combined medication (Benazepril/Amlodipine) which is designed to be slowly released once it is in your digestive tract. You should not crush the pill, because it could cause severe secondary effects, mostly intense lowering of your blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, headache. You need to swallow the whole tablet.

[NikkiDoc 312]

I second the person that said to closely monitor your blood pressure at home. I was able to come off my blood pressure medicine 1 week after surgery. If I had not been monitoring it I would have risked it going too low. I would take my pressure before I took my meds. Once it was a good number I stopped taking it and then would take it a couple times a day to make sure that it was not going up.

I probably should have been a more compliant patient and called my PCP before stopping it. Therefore, I will recommend contacting your PCP or cardiologist to figure out at when and how they want you to monitor your blood pressure and potentially wean off of your medicine.

[Bethson 6]

Thanks all, for your replies and opinions. What you say makes sense. It is indeed comforting to hear from folks who have experiences with this whole thing.