I'm scheduled to have my ESG next month and I reached out to my primary care physician to see about if my BP meds can be crushed for the first 8 weeks and she said they cannot be (they are extended release) and she is not willing to change my meds since I have been on these since I have been 16 years old. I'm not sure what to do... I'm sure there have been others who have had surgery with this issue??

Did your surgeon tell you that you would need to crush your meds? It wasn't a necessity for me from my surgeon.

If it is a requirement of your surgeon, then I would get your PCP and your surgeon talking. They undoubtedly can work it out if they both desire it to be so. If they can't work it out, figure out which of them is being inflexible then get a new one of those.

As a note virtually every time released medication started out it's life as a non-time released medication, and the non-time released versions are generally still available as there are innumerable situations where time-released are problematic.

Good luck,

Tek

Edited February 12, 20233 yr by The Greater Fool

Tek, Thank you for your response. I was also curious if my pharmacist might have some insight on this as well.

our clinic originally said we had to crush meds for the first four weeks, but when I asked the PA who worked there, he said if the med was the size of a pencil eraser or smaller, it was probably fine to swallow them whole - so I did. There were two that were bigger than that. One was a calcium tablet, so I either split them in half and took them that way, or else I had a calcium chew. I can't remember what the last med was, but the PA said I could probably go a couple of weeks without that one, so I did. At that point, I was able to swallow it whole.

so long way of saying - I never had to crush mine. Thankfully.

Edited February 12, 20233 yr by catwoman7

Have to admit I’m very surprised by your PCP’s attitude about this. If your post surgical plan says not to swallow meds or take slow release meds for a period of time, you would expect your PCP to be supportive. The main reason slow release meds are avoided is because of possible absorption issues (more common with bypass but can happen with sleeve). Many, many people successful change their meds to non timed release. It is possible.

What will your doctor do when you need to reduce your BP dosage as you lose weight??

I’d ask my pharmacist too about alternatives so you’re more informed about options when you go back to your PCP. As @The Greater Fool said it’s highly likely your meds were first formulated as non time released.

?UPDATE! My upcoming ESG surgeon's PA just changed my BP meds to a medication that can be crushed! I'm nervous as I have been taking the same BP medication since I was 16 years old. But- as @The Greater Fool and @Arabesque previously stated, my meds will probably have to be changed once I start to lose weight.