I've been on Cymbalta for about 10 months. I was sleeved on 7/17. Prior to the surgery, my doc told me it would be ok to open the capsules and take it with liquid during the "no swallowing pills" phase. I tried that once and had wild dreams that bordered on hallucinations. I swallowed the capsule (a big no no), and it was fine.

Anyone else find this when opening capsules?

I had capsules for Effexor and planned to do the same thing you did. But in the hospital, they gave me a prescription for Effexor in a tablet. The doctor told me opening the capsule and taking it all would give me the full effect of the drug all at once instead of having a time-release effect. You just confirmed what she told me! Maybe you can get your anti-depressant in a tablet?

I also take medication. My doctor told me I could swallow the whole pill immediately following surgery. I did and have had no problems.

I took all of my antidepressants in pill form the day after surgery without a problem. I know my doc said nothing larger than an M&M for pills but capsules never gave me an issue. I will agree that opening the capsule would be a bad thing as the capsule itself is designed to provide a slow release of the medications once they are in your system.

I've been on Cymbalta for about 10 months. I was sleeved on 7/17. Prior to the surgery' date=' my doc told me it would be ok to open the capsules and take it with liquid during the "no swallowing pills" phase. I tried that once and had wild dreams that bordered on hallucinations. I swallowed the capsule (a big no no), and it was fine.

Anyone else find this when opening capsules?[/quote']

Cymbalta is time released. I hope your doc just overlooked that detail. I'm on Cymbalta also. I skipped it the day of surgery (7/19!!!) and have been swallowing the capsule daily since then. Mostly daily. I've skipped a few days and it's really given me a monkey-turd of a depression.

For future reference... Anything time released, extended release, etc should not be physically altered before swallowed. If it poses a swallowing problem, check with your doctor and pharmacist to see if there are any other options (liquids or whatever).

Now I'm half tempted to chop a capsule into my Soup to check out these hallucinations of yours. Lol.