OK, so I feel like a nursing home resident...I feel like I spent half my day drinking some sort of dissolved pill or swishing some pill around my mouth waiting for it to dissolve. I even went and bought a pill crusher that had a picture of a male model who clearly is NOT part of my demographic (he had a combover and was wearing a turtleneck...oh boy). I've been taking:

1) Nexium

2) Biotin

3) B12

4) Chewable multi

5) liquid calcium/vitamin D

6) Birth Control

7) Pain reliever before bedtime

Since I can't just swallow a pill like I used to, these take up literally hours of my time. Plus some of them, like the Calcium supplement, have to be taken several hours before or after another pill, so I have to space them all out.

Please tell me how soon it's ok to start swallowing small pills whole! I feel like my entire day is centered around shuffling to the kitchen and back to grind and swallow my pills. The only thing I'm missing is a hand-knit cardigan and a walker (already have cats).:frown1:

My doc prescribed a tiny PPI pill that I've been taking since Day 3, along with an Rx Vitamin D gelcap and Levothyroxine (Synthroid). I crush my Lorcets because I had problems swallowing them even pre-surgery but I don't take those every day so it's a not a problem. The Chewables don't bug me (Centrum MultiVitamin, Calcium Citrate) and sublingual B12. I take everything in the morning except I don't take the Centrum and the Calcium at the same time--absorption conflict there. I usually take the calcium in the afternoon and at night.

Somewhere in my written info is an actual pill size that I'm not supposed to exceed but I forgot what it was. I'm taking about 8 pills fewer now that I was pre-surgery so I'm happy.

Just an update - I'm taking everything whole now. I have liquid calcium, chewable multi, and sublingual B12, but I take my biotin, BCP, and iron whole. Seems to be fine.

I asked about this (taking pills) at my one month postop appt as my Dr had stopped my arthritis pain med and antidepressant. All I could take by mouth was the liquid lortab, xanax as needed, and chewables. What the physicians asst told me was not to take any pill bigger than the little finger. I'm through with lortab and back to pill. Its fairly large so I break it in half before taking. Have no problems

What the physicians asst told me was not to take any pill bigger than the little finger.

I'd sure hope so...:lol0:

QUESTION?? How do i know exactly how much of Vitamins....iron? b12? any of it ...i should be taking? Is there a chart somewhere?

thanks in advance,

Randa

Did your surgeon or nut not give you an indication? Just curious. Here's what my surgeon's office recommends:

Multivitamin (Gastric bypass 2 servings/day, Lapband or Sleeve 1 serving/day) - Take with meals to prevent upset stomach (1 at Breakfast 1 at lunch or dinner), must have Iron in multivitamin (18 mg/serving) i.e. Centrum kids chewable, Flinstones kids chewable, liquid Multivitamins

Iron if you have a history of anemia or menstruating women take daily, 65 mg elemental iron per day (good types of iron: ferrous fumerate, carbonyl iron, polysaccharide iron), take with meals, AVOID ferrous sulfate (most constipating form) i.e. Bariatric Advantage, Vitamin Shoppe, Vitron C (66 mg/tablet) only when able to swallow pills

Calcium all patients take calcium citrate, calcium citrate is best absorbed after surgery, avoid calcium carbonate (Tums, Viactiv chews), 1500 mg calcium citrate/day, your body only can absorb 500 mg at a time so 500 mg 3 times a day, take separate from multivitamin and iron, liquid (Vitamin Shoppe, Costco), Chewable (Bariatric Advantage lozenge or Vitamin Shoppe) powder (UPCalD, Bariatric Advantage calcium crystals), DO NOT EXCEED MORE THAN 2500 MG/DAY, should have magnesium (keeps stool soft) and Vitamin D (increases calcium absorption), 8 oz milk = 300 mg calcium

B12 needs to be sublingual (under the tongue), 1000 mcg once a week, not necessary for daily B12, but won't hurt if taken daily, Trader Joe's Bariatric Advantage, or other health food store

Vitamin Schedule:

Breakfast: Multivitamin and Iron (if necessary)

2 Hrs Later: Calcium Citrate

Lunch: Multivitamin (& Iron)

2 Hrs Later: Calcium Citrate

Dinner: Calcium Citrate

B12 anytime during the day

Sorry it is a bit much. Vitamins are to start after staples removed (2 weeks after surgery). I can't find it but I think I was told after 4 weeks I can swallow things whole.

I'm hating crushing pills. My celexa tastes horrible. My Benicar isn't so bad. I also take synthroid and a birth control pill. I start my vitamins either tomorrow or Friday.

Hey BBJ,

I was having the same issues. Add the extra blood thinner and it was so annoying trying to get them all down. And then there were the three meds they added when I went back to Dr Campos to treat my pneumonia and partial atelectasis. I felt like all I was doing was taking gross tasting meds all day.

So here's what I do now: (blood thinners are done finally! Only 10 days of them.) I start out the morning as soon as I get up melting the nexium mup in 15cc orange G2 (low cal gatorade). Once it's melted, I swig it down, then rinse with another 15cc of pure Water. Half hour later I have my Protein drink, and 1 oz of the calcium liquid I buy at Walmart. It's calcium citrate and creamy orange flavor liquid. No pill to crush.

Then I bought some kick ass multivits at costco, called Eco-Drink. I mix one packet of those in a bottle of water and sip on it for a few hours. I haven't tackled the Biotin yet, but there is some biotin in the eco-Drink vits. No pill to crush. I figure I will start the biotin gel tabs once I start squishies next week. I am trying to do everything I can to ward off the diahrrea. I noticed the calcium liquid helps to firm things up so to speak. A true blessing after 3 weeks of not being able to trust a fart.

And I found out that Costco has choc flavored calcium chews, so I will start on them once my liquid calcium is done. I am really not good at taking pills. So anything I can drink and be done with really trips my trigger.

Restaurant week is coming up in Phoenix soon, the week after I go on regular food. It's a time when all the finest restaurants offer a price fixed dinner for $29 or $39 per person for some of their fancier gourmet stuff. There are a couple places we wanted to try since we are foodies. My husband I decided we would order one meal and maybe a side bowl of Soup so as not to tick off the waiter. Then I will eat one bite of each food he gets and maybe a little soup. That we we can still try the food at these 4 and 5 star restaurants, and save some money. Places like Morton's steak house, Ruths Chris and French restaurants are on the list. I am going to learn to eat like a Frenchman!!! Just a few bites of some really good stuff. No wine though. I'll behave.

gg

I am 3 weeks post op, and am taking naxium in the capsule form. Whatever my doctor gave me in powder/liquid form, I would throw it right back up. So I told him I wanted to try it in the pill form. He said ok, try it. I put the pill in the back of my throat very gently, then I swallow it like I did before surgery. Then I just sit and take tiny sips of water till I think its gone. For me its working out better then the powders/liquids/chewables.