Medications: Crushing versus Swallowing Pills Whole

[Prestonandme 107]

I'm three months post-RNY surgery and have been crushing my non-WLS medications since surgery (and opening capsules). I take three pills in the morning and four at night.

Yesterday my nutritionist said I could try swallowing the capsule I take, but should now chop my pills into little pieces. I guess I'd rather just keep crushing them because it's easier.

For those who are taking daily medications, how long before you were able to swallow pills whole? Did you feel nauseous (one poster wrote she felt sick for two hours after swallowing capsules)? Or are you not having any problems?

[bodycando 43]

I was personally never advised to crush pills... even the day after surgery my nurses gave me whole pills. (I had the sleeve though, not sure if it's different with RNY.) My only issue was with tolerating the Iron in Multivitamins, so I use vitamin patches now. I would of course suggest to follow your nutritionist's advice and ask their office for clarity if you don't understand their instructions. With that said I'm surprised by the crushing advice.

[catwoman7 11,274]

I started taking whole pills as soon as I got home from the hospital. There were only two that were too big to take - those giant Calcium tablets and one other one that escapes me, but the PA at the surgeon's office said it was fine to wait a couple of weeks before starting the "other one" (for calcium, I just took a chewable one instead of the big tablets). So in summary, I never crushed pills.

[Briswife15 890]

I crush my psych meds, sleep meds per my psychiatrist. I take a PPI twice a day, and swallow them whole with no problem. I also take Crestor and swallow that whole. I crush the psych meds to aid in absorption.

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[Orchids&Dragons 9,047]

I swallowed pills whole 2 days after surgery. No problem.

[Colorado Cowgirl 170]

Initially I cut them in half with a pill cutter and waited 5-10 minutes between pills. Now at 5 months I can swallow them whole but still space them out

[KishaG 61]

As well as others as soon as I got home I was taking whole pills. My dr approved it for me as it was the only way I was getting my medicine in me. I'm glad to see the others do too.

[ANewStart4Me 20]

I had an RNY, the same night as my RNY I was taking all my meds without crushing. First day I could only swallow one tablet or capsule at a time, that lasted about two weeks. By two weeks I was swallowing all 4 of my daily meds in one go. Yesterday I switched from chewable vitamins to tablets and I am only swallowing them one at a time.

[ahillig 136]

I had RNY and was given protonix the first day and that fricken hurt so they made all my liquid except the Tylenol. They wanted me to try Norco for long term pain but I know how big those are and said no way because the protonix hurt. They sent me home with hycet (liquid Norco) for pain but I think now I'd be ok to take whole pills.