So I'm have a HUGE PROBLEM with the crushing the meds. I cannot do it the meds ar horrible. Can I wait till I'm on puree foods? My surgery was 9/28/22

There seems to be a few different requirements as to whether you can swallow meds after your surgery or not & when you can start. My surgeon didn’t have any restriction on swallowing meds. I was swallowing meds in hospital 24hrs after surgery. Wasn’t the easiest thing to do because of swelling & discomfort but it certainly got easier over the next couple of days.

Otherwise, it will depend upon the meds you have to take I guess in regards to delaying when you resume taking them. If you have to crush them, make sure you mix each one in tablespoon of your shake or milk or drinking yoghurt to mask the taste a little.

Capsules are easier to swallow & thankfully my vitamins were capsules. Some, who aren’t allowed to swallow tablets use patches for vitamins

I was allowed to swallow anything smaller than a pencil eraser right after leaving the hospital - which for me meant all but two pills. One was calcium tablets, so I just got chewables. Can't remember what the other one was (it's been over seven years), but the PA at my bariatric clinic said it would be OK to wait for a couple of weeks to start taking those - and by that time, I should be able to swallow them. He was right.

My surgeon said I could take any capsules, and any pills that were the same size or smaller then a regular m&m, might ask your doctor

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If you really need to take the meds then I'd just do it. I have dysphagia (means I choke. On meds. On food. On fluids even sometimes) so I can't swallow meds at all. I have to either chop them up into teeny tiny little pieces (which is too much effort, imo) or chew them. I tend to just chew them, even if they taste absolutely disgusting. I have one particular pill that I HATE taking because it has a chemically aftertaste, but it's for my MCAS so if I have to take it I have to take it, even if it tastes nasty. My TN meds that I take 4x a day (every 6 hours) tastes spicy. Like super spicy. As in my tongue burns, but I learned a trick... if I eat a caramel rice cake right after I take it, it takes the spice away. Sometimes you learn tricks like that that help with the taste. If the meds you have are important then don't skip them just because you don't like how they taste. I mean, what would you do if you someday developed dysphagia like me (a lot of old people develop it, so it's possible. I've had it since I was 27 or 28. I'm only 35. It happens. I'm proof).

We’re you told you HAVE to crush them? I was taking my meds the day after surgery in the hospital. If you are having issues I would ask your team if you can try swallowing them.

I was told I had to crush my meds for a couple of months. (These were meds that had nothing to do with my gastric bypass.). They were absolutely disgusting, and there was no way to disguise them. I tried them in water, protein drinks, yoghurt, etc., and finally just decided the best way was to slug them down as quickly as possible. It was a very happy day when my surgeon told me I could go back to taking pills!

I was told I could take pills right away but "be careful" with anything bigger than a pencil eraser.

I'm able to take all my meds whole, even the large ones. Some people can't however. For those, cutting them in half might work.

Note that some meds you should NEVER crush or cut. Any meds that are designed to be released slowly shouldn't be cut or crushed. These are typically labeled things like ER, XR, or SR. if in doubt, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Edited October 1, 20223 yr by SpartanMaker

i second what spartanmaker says. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before cutting, crushing or breaking any meds. It can actually be dangerous otherwise.

They tried to make me take crushed meds in the hospital. Specifically my pain meds. And I could not tolerate it. So I just haven't taken any meds yet. I'm waiting a few days for swelling to go down. I actually showed the Dr all of my pills and she said all my tablets were fine to take whole. My capsules were fine to take whole. The only meds I still needed to crush were the two pain meds because their capsules can become gummy and sticky in the tummy. So I said f**k it and haven't taken any pain meds. The rest of my meds she said since I can't tolerate crushing them and I will be taking them whole to just please take them ONE AT A TIME and wait at least 5 minutes per pill to make sure they don't get stuck or anything especially with the swelling. Hope this helps!!!

I tried but really they taste like something poison. I can't. I'll be seen my doctor on Thursday for me first post op visit and let him know.

I tried but really they taste like something poison. I can't. I'll be seen my doctor on Thursday for me first post op visit and let him know.

Ask your pharmacy if any of them can be transferred into liquids!

7 minutes ago, kellyarw95 said:

Ask your pharmacy if any of them can be transferred into liquids!

Ooh good call. And if your normal pharmacy can’t do it a compounding pharmacy can I had to do this for my dog. I’m not sure if the stuff they use for humans is sugar free though that they mix it with. That could be an issue.