Will we always have to crush pills or break them open? Or do we eventually get to swallow them, if so how far out can we start swallowing them?

I swallowed my aleve last night. I am 3 weeks out.

I swallow my pill form vitamins first with a small amount of water then I chew the chewable ones as I figure that saliva and such will help the first ones go down more.

After 10 days, I started swallowing my thyroid....a little long narrow pill. I cut my heart rx in half. It was very small, too. Dr. approved me doing it. I couldn't tolerate the tastes smashed.He said, just not much bigger than that for now. He said it's very painful if it gets stuck. I've had no problem.

I am three weeks post-op and saw my surgeon for follow-up today. I asked him this very question. He said, a general rule is that if the pill is smaller than your pinkie finger nail, go ahead and swallow it. But, if its bigger, at least cut it into smaller pieces. I want to make it clear though that I have not had any trouble swallowing or keeping anything down, so your situation might be different.

After 10 days, I started swallowing my thyroid....a little long narrow pill. I cut my heart rx in half. It was very small, too. Dr. approved me doing it. I couldn't tolerate the tastes smashed.He said, just not much bigger than that for now. He said it's very painful if it gets stuck. I've had no problem.

I started back on my thyroid pill at day four, I believe (the first day home from the hospital). I was terrified of it, so I broke it in two.

I cut up any pills and take the pieces maybe 10 minutes apart.

I am three weeks post-op and saw my surgeon for follow-up today. I asked him this very question. He said, a general rule is that if the pill is smaller than your pinkie finger nail, go ahead and swallow it. But, if its bigger, at least cut it into smaller pieces. I want to make it clear though that I have not had any trouble swallowing or keeping anything down, so your situation might be different.

Never cut a time release pill. It can be very harmful.

hi all

my regular pills can not be crushed for various reasons (not sleeve related) I had problems swallowing, but within a a couple of weeks, it was easier taking them

DOS 12/15/11 - I can take all 12 of them finally, but 1 every 15 minutes. Oh well - don't have to crush and they stay down.

kathy

I am on medications that could not be crushed. On day 3 (the day I was released from the hospital), they started me back on 3 of my medications. I didn't have any trouble keeping these down and one of the pills is rather large. I spaced them out about 15 minutes in between.

I have thrown up a few times when taking meds or Vitamins too close together or on an empty stomach. Before being sleeved, meds on an empty stomach never bothered me. Now I have to take them with applesauce, yogurt, or a Baybel cheese. I can't take them with my actual meal since we aren't supposed to drink while eating.

With the Vitamin additions, I have to carefully balance my pills out. Especially to ensure that the Iron is spaced from the Calcium. I feel like I'm taking something every 2 hours.

I started talking my regular meds and pain tabs day 4 post op with no problems.

I did use chewable multivitamiins for the first couple of months, before going onto regular ones.

Most of my vitamins are chewable or sublingual. I do take a fish oil in gel form that I do not crush or chew. It is big and I don't have any problems with it. I am 53 days out.

Great question... Great responses

I am 3 weeks out on Friday and I swallowed a Prilosec pill

I am 5 weeks out today but I have been taking chewable vitamins and disolvable B12 pills since day one. At about 3 weeks out I started taking mini-soft gel capsules of Fish Oil. I take two of those a day since they're mini so I just spread them out throughout the day. It was hard to swallow them at first, but I don't have any trouble with them now. I never threw up because of them.

I am 5 weeks out today but I have been taking chewable vitamins and disolvable B12 pills since day one. At about 3 weeks out I started taking mini-soft gel capsules of Fish Oil. I take two of those a day since they're mini so I just spread them out throughout the day. It was hard to swallow them at first, but I don't have any trouble with them now. I never threw up because of them.