Medicine Question

[Daisynwv 3]

I'm due to have sleeve surgery in May. My hubby has a friend whose mom had gastric sleeve and couldn't take her meds after surgery and had 4 strokes. He said it was due to her small stomach.,.got too full. I have 20 capsules I take daily plus 10 other pills, daily. My surgeon knows of all my meds. Has anyone heard of not being able to take their meds or has anyone experienced this? I plan on asking my surgeon, but my next appt isn't til next month.

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

People's meds change regularly post-op for various reasons.

I would indeed consult the surgeon and your family doctor, since we couldn't say how your meds might change.

[sleevinpops 303]

This is a question you need to ask your primary care physician, they met change the amounts and times, but ask them directly.

Mine were cut in half at first, now I am off them altogether

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

23 minutes ago, sleevinpops said:

This is a question you need to ask your primary care physician, they met change the amounts and times, but ask them directly.

Mine were cut in half at first, now I am off them altogether

That's my hope as well..

The meds i've been taking:

- Hydrochlorothiazide (25mg) once a day (water pill/bp)

- Metoprolol (75mg - 3x 25mb tablets) 2x per day (day/night) (heart rate/bp)

- Lansoprazole (30mg) once a day

- Metformin (1000mg - 2x 500mg tablets) 2x per day (day/night) (fast-acting for elevated blood sugar)

- Forxiga (10mg) once a day (fast-acting for elevated blood sugar)

- Escitalopram (Cipralex) (10mg) once a day (night-time anxiety attacks associated with apnea)

After talking to doctors/surgeons, I expect the following:

- Immediately ceasing hydro/metoprolol.

- Within a week or two ceasing metformin/forxiga

- Slowly dosing off Cipralex (don't think they want anyone getting off meds like this cold turkey)

- Possibly upping dosage of Lansoprazole if not adding/changing some type of related PPI medication

How it pans out will be seen next month.

[Navigating the Wilderness 824]

First, and it cannot be stated enough, talk to your doctor/surgeon about your meds, which it seems you have.

My surgeon has told me repeatedly that capsules do not cause issues with the sleeve, and thus can be taken without issue. I'm sure there are exceptions to that rule, but that is what he said.

The pills I take that are non-capsules need to be crushed and taken, oh so delicious.

For those pills that cannot/should not be crushed for medical reasons, finding them in liquid form is the way to go.

Any way you look it though, you and your surgeon should be comfortable with a post-surgery plan for medications.

While I'm sure there are some out there, I can't imagine a surgeon carrying out this surgery on someone who has to take pills to live that will not fit in your sleeve/pouch. It seems like an open door for negligence suits.

Edited March 21, 2017 by Navigating the Wilderness