Hey banders! There are probably threads discussing this already, but since I haven't been able to locate them I thought I'd ask the question... how do you swallow pills after being banded if everything is supposed to be chewed really well? I'm really curious about this. I don't take many, multivitamin, calcium, occasional tylenol, but it just occurred to me that it could be difficult to do that in the future.

Anyone had a problem with this??

Thanks!!

JB

Some people have trouble and some don't. Multivitamins, calcium and Tylenol all come in liquid form; Multis and calcium come in chewable form as well.

Some drugs are time released and you can't break/crush/chew them. Get as many meds as you can in liquid form and DO NOT break others down without talking to your doc.

Example, some drugs are designed to last over 24 hours. If you break it you get the whole 24 hours worth of medicine in one sitting, it could potentially be fatal. So just check with your RPh before breaking anything.

I can't stand most liquid drugs so when possible, I break mine up in small pieces and swallow that way.

I broke my breakable pills for the first 2 months after banding. Since then I have been able to swallow everything without any problem. You can always take with warm water too, which helps. I just steer clear of the largest horse pills.

Funny you asked! Just the other night when I was taking my medicine I had a little 'incident'! One of my little bp capsules just kind of 'floated' back up! VEry interesting!

What did I do about it? I just grabbed my water and sent it right back down! LOL!!!:bounce:

Post-op, I did everything liquid, and vitamins chewable, and couldn't take my beloved Prilosec (time release).. I was nervous to start back on my meds.. But about 1.5 months later, I started taking pills again and I have no problems. Today (After 3 fills darn it, this irritates me!!) I took 2 horse pills at the same time, with no problem.

Thanks for the info Everyone!!

Jill

I dont have any problem with them, well no more than usual. I tend to gag at the best of times when taking pills, band or no band.

I take 9 pills every morning. I take them one by one with warm water.

I gave up taking any though the next day after a fill. I have thrown up

pills the next day after every one of my 3 fills. I just got another one today, and don't think it will hurt to skip one day. I may try in the evening when I am more open and see how it goes. I'll try the most important one first.

The trick is to take them with plenty of warm water and drink drink in between pills.

I crushed my pills at first, and took away the bitter taste by chewing my chewable vitamin just after. Now I just take my pills whole one at a time. I throw my chewable vitamin and chewable calcium pills in my blender with my ice, fruit and protein shake for breakfast. I use EAS CArb Control shakes because they have around 100 calories and around 20g of protein.

I have to crush anything that can be. Now gelcap tylenol I have noticed I do not have an issue but I request liquid form in anything available.

Yes, just to be on the safe side, I request liquid on any Rx I get.. but I've found 80% of meds I take don't come in liquid.

I can take pills just fine.

It could be because I dont have a fill yet.

Hi --

I had a fill last tuesday (11/6). I wasn't have any trouble. I was feeling a really good amount of restriction but nothing troublesome.

Probably a little TMI but I started my period 2 days ago and ever since then I am having trouble swallowing my pills. They are tiny tiny pills. I have never had trouble before. At first I thought I drank too much Water with them. Tonight I tried just a sip and i am still having trouble.

It is a strange burning in my throat. I get a little slimy nothing major and my stomach knots up and I get waves of pressure in my throat.

Does anyone else get this? What helps? What am I doing wrong??

my doc says that all pills should go down relatively easy. they want us taking chewable Vitamins because...well you know, you've seen those things.

my docs said that if it is a capsule that is time release, i can open the capsule and put it in applesauce if i ever have a problem, but he said if it is a tablet with a enteric (sp?) coating on it, that i would need to either get a new medication, or ask for it in liquid form.

he said the main difference is where the pill is made to be absorbed in the digestive tract.

My surgeon says to crush pills (that are allowed to be crushed) for the first month. After that we're allowed to swallow them normallly, although I think I'll break mine up into a few pieces just to be on the safe side. I also bought chewable multivitamins, etc. My thyroid and birth control pill I just chew. Sounds gross I know, but it doesn't taste bad and it saves me the trouble of crushing them everyday.