swallowing pills! when to start...

Megan_SF · January 12, 2010

i'm almost a week post op....and dissolving my nexium is gross :-( i haven't even attempted to take my multi Vitamins....they're in those big gel tablets.

anyways...when can i swallow them!?!?!? safely!

Malaika · January 12, 2010

I would definitely wait until you are at least on mushies. I thought they were gross, too, so Nina suggested that I cut them up really really small (I bought a pill cutter) and swallow them that way - it was better than dissolving them in Water. As for your Vitamins, if you feel you really need them now, buy some liquid; otherwise, once you're on mushies or soft solids, you can start taking them - I can't take large pills yet so I take adult gummy vitamins. If you have trouble with the large gel pills, you might want to try the gummies - I got them at costco.< /strong>

MidwestGirl · January 12, 2010

I was told to crush mine until 4 weeks out but for now I'm just taking birth control, a betablocker, and 4 of those "pre-op" Bariatric Advantage chewable vitamins every day. I would go with what Vegas said, and I may have to check out those chewables when I get to choose my own multivit. Guess that wasn't probably very helpful, but that's my story. :001_unsure:

attitudefree · January 12, 2010

I waited about 4-5 weeks for pills. I still do the chewable or Gummy multi Vitamin. Sorry it's not sooner

Shontel · January 12, 2010

I swallowed my prilosec from the get-go. I had 40 mg capsules my doc gave me from Mexico, my doc told me to swallow unless I had any problems, I didn't. Same for my pain pills, antibiotics (had an abscess I had to deal with) I have not tried to tackle Multivitamin though, I got the chewable (cringe) I also have chewable Calcium (calcet creamy bites)

bigtex52 · January 12, 2010

I have crushed mine and mixed with a spoon full of applesauce since day 1. They are REALLY bitter and I can hardly stand applesauce at this point, but progress has it's price. The Centrum chewable vits are not half bad. Same with the Pepcid AC chewables. My surgeon recommends 6 weeks before swallowing hard pills. YMMV.

Tracy46545 · January 12, 2010

I'm 4 weeks out. I continue to dissolve my Nexium in about a tsp of warm Water and follow it with a couple sips of water. However, after my torn ACL incident last week, I've been taking Vicodin which is a rather large pill. Thankfully they are scored so I take a 1/2 at a time with water, without dissolving them. They go down just fine.

I'm not taking any multi-vitamins yet. I know I should be, I just haven't figured out what and when.

DownInSocal · January 12, 2010

My first thought is follow what your Dr. says.

I have seen many schools of thought. I still don't swallow pills unless I have to. I crush, get liquid, or open them (if the pharmacist says it is ok). I take the Flinstones complete chewable everyday. I use liquid Tylenol if needed. I don't take ibeprofin.

My personality is overly cautious though. I hated the feeling of pills sitting in my stomach before surgery so I doubt I would like it now. I don't want to risk irritating my stomach anyway. We get along fine. No need to rock the boat.

barbannn · January 13, 2010

Megan,

It is tough, huh? I was so bugged by it, I felt like I was going to toss my Cookies, which is no good cause there goes the protein! So my doc said, if I cut them so they are smaller than a baby aspirin, and I take them over an hour or so. I only take on med which I cut in 1/2 so it is not too bad. Good luck!