Hi all I'm a Disabled US Marine never really had a problem with my weight till about 10 years ago when I was having more medical problems. I know this won't be a cake walk by any means sorry about the cake. Plus I'm a single Dad but I was wondering like after surgery do you ever get to sleep on your tummy again? And what's up with all the liquid vitamins don't tell me we can't take regular pills??? As I think at last count I think I take about 27 pills a day. I know I won't be taking them all together anymore but I thought at least one at a time maybe? Thanks in advance for any info. or advice.

My doctor suggests taking meds in liquid form whenever available otherwise they shouldn't be any larger than an aspirin. I don't know what meds you are on but as you lose weight you should be able to eliminate some of them. As for sleeping on your belly....I really can't answer that. I used to all the time but haven't been able to since my first pregnancy 23 years ago.

Hi! I'm a belly sleeper! I sleep on my stomach all the time and have no problems. As for pills, I think that it all depends on how tight your band is. I have no problem taking pills, though I have tried a really big pill yet (there hasn't been a need for it). And vitamins, I take chewable vitamins. Like Cindy said...depending on what you take different meds for, if they are weight related, you should be able to eliminate some of them as you lose weight.

:seeya: Hi, welcome to LBT! And , btw, Thank You for your service!:patriot:

I am a stomach sleeper. I started sleeping on my stomach again about 10 days or so after surgery.

You will hear many different ideas here about taking pills. My surgeon told me of a patient that had to have a stuck pill

removed surgically. That was all I needed to hear. I have not taken a pill whole in over 2 years. After all, what is the point in chewing our food well if we can take a pill the size of an asprin, or as some say, an M&M. I take all my vits. in chewable, sublingual, or gummie form. The best thing you can do is talk about this with all your docs.

Best of luck to you on your journey.

Good morning all and thanks for your sentiments and all your words of encouragement and all your valuable information. I see what your saying about the pills, and looks like taking my daily meds may be an adventure all of it’s own. The last thing I want is a stuck pill or stuck anything else. I do have a pill cutter and I guess I can try and chop and chop again to try and get them small enough so hopefully I don’t have a stuck pill. I’m thinking eventually I will be able to get off many of these meds I’m on which will be great! Only problem is trying to get from here to there without having a stuck pill. And unfortunately the VA is really cheap like if you have a script for a med that is 10MG then they send you pills that are 20MG and you have to cut all of them. So I would say they probably don’t have liquid meds I could get. So I guess I’ll be doing a lot of pill chopping until I can get off of most of them for good!

I noticed a lot of people on here were on a liquid diet for two weeks before surgery is that really necessary? I was just wondering sense my doctor has me starting a liquid diet one week before surgery and a clear liquid diet one day before surgery. I mean if it’s worth it I could always start a few days early. Thanks for all your help I really appreciate it very much.

All the pre-op diets are not the same. My pre-op diet was 2 weeks of Atkins.

Some meds can not be cut or crushed because they are time release. You really need to go over your list of meds with both your PCP and surgeon.

All the pre-op diets are not the same. My pre-op diet was 2 weeks of Atkins.

Some meds can not be cut or crushed because they are time release. You really need to go over your list of meds with both your PCP and surgeon.

The pharmacist at my Dad's VA center was very helpful when he had troubling swallowing towards the end, telling us what could be crushed or cut without risk. Bigger pills could also be taken with pudding or yogurt to help them slide down, but Dad didn't have a band to navigate, so I don't know if that would help you. He ran away at 16 to join the Marines, so he could support his mother and siblings. Ended up in China in 1944, but never talked about it.

I haven't been banded yet, so I don't have anything more to offer but encouragement. This forum is very good place to find answers.

Best of luck to you.:patriot:

Robbie

Well ahoy from a retired/disabled US Navy Senior Chief!

Quit whining about the pills... how's that for a start?

No seriously... I screwed around with this decision for some time, actually like two years. Now, I'm one month post surgery, and the difference is absolutely night and day.. no joke!

It takes about 4- weeks to COMPLETELY heal from the surgery. first 10 days I slept in my recliner because upright with legs up was much more comfortable than bed.

Last week I started back at the gym, hitting an elliptical machine for 30 minutes.

My doc DID require the two week preop diet, and the main reason for that is to build up Protein in you for recovery and to shrink your liver as much as possible since they have to fish around it during surgery. It sucked, but I made it. Now, one month after surgery, I'm down 50 friggin' pounds and am thrilled with how good I feel!

Pills... I use a pill cutter; no biggie. keep this in mind when it comes to pills: probably the first week or so after surgery, they'll need to be REALLY small because your innards will be swollen. One month out from surgery but BEFORE your first fill, the swelling goes down and with that, so does most anything you swallow. Once you start getting fills, things need to be about the size of a chiclet piece of gum. My doc reminded me that they sell these plastic tubes for parents to check pills with that's supposed to like model a two year old's throat. If your pill goes through that, supposedly you should be able to swallow it.

I think that's enough for a start... PLEASE feel free to email me direct if you have questions.. links' on my profile. In the meantime... good luck jarhead... you can do this!!!

All the pre-op diets are not the same. My pre-op diet was 2 weeks of Atkins.

Some meds can not be cut or crushed because they are time release. You really need to go over your list of meds with both your PCP and surgeon.

Actually, there's no need to go over it with your doctor. The rule is this--if it's scored it can be crushed or cut. If's it coated it cannot. Capsules can be opened and just the inside taken, although it usually tastes horrible.