I was banded 6/30/08 and now I'm getting a sinus infection..sneezing, coughing, drainage. I'm told we are limited to certain meds. Does anyone know what I can take (over the counter) to get some relief?

If you have a bacterial infection you need an antibiotic to treat it and will need to see a doctor for that. If it's just a cold, then you just want something without aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxyn sodium (ie aspiring, motrin, and aleve) in it.

Otherwise it would depend on if you are taking any medications and what they react with.

If in doubt, safest to call your doc's office tomorrow and ask.

True, but she may be worrying about being able to get a pill down. I know I'm a little concerned about that.

Lots of "cold type" meds are available in liquid form, so it never occured to me that it would be important. Plus I can swallow any pill so far and was told by my doc that unless they were SUPER large I always would be able to. She seemed, to me, more worried about what meds (ie time released, NSAIDS, etc) were "off limits"...I figure she'll know what she can swallow. If in doubt the pharmacist can recommend liquids for her.

You know, I was scared to swallow my potassium pills. Even preband they were a nightmare because they are big and not coated. But, logically, pills (unlike many foods) are made to dissolve! so even if they do get stuck once you have a very very tight fill, they won't just hang out blocking the flow. They'll eventually melt and go on through.

NSAIDS, because they can irritate the stomach, are a no-no, and time release (because one you have restriction they DO hang around longer and you get too much med ... the time release doesn't "work) make sense but not all pills. Unless...they are enteric coated.

However if in doubt you can crush many pills and drink them down and again, a pharmacist can tell you which are crushable and which aren't.

I hope this doesn't post twice I had some technical difficulties.

Any way what I was saying is those Potassium pills are a nightmare. In the past I've taken a lot of medication and never had trouble except for the potassium. Just so you know it does come in liquid. I asked my doctor about this in the case I needed to continue taking it. So far I've not needed it. When my potassium gets low I drink a G2.

It is a gatorade product that is low carb. Being type II diabetic I can't have all the sugar in the regular gatorade.

So far I haven't had to take an antibotic but I'm sure there is one that is available that is either small enough or offered in liquid form.

I hope you get to feeling better!

My doc's (PCM not surgeon) said "there is NO liquid potassium" but I know she's wrong...DH is a nurse and I'm a student, we have drug books up the wazoo! LOL but for now I'm just taking the pill ... I can, it's no harder than pre-banding. Eventually I can stop my diuretic and won't need the potassium then anyway! YAY. Thanks though for the tip about the liquid. If I have to drag a pharmacist in there to tell her it IS available in liquid form, I may just do it (loves to prove a point!LOL)

Ah I should proofread...My doc's NURSE said there was no liquid potassium. LOL ok so much for being on my high horse when I can't even type LOL

You go get em!!!

I've been considering going back to school for nursing but I looked at that darned NET test and it is intimidating. I don't know if I could prepare enough before January's term.

Shortly before I was banded I stopped taking my diuretic because I was also taking NSAIDs to counteract what the diuretic was doing to my arthritis. The reason I took the diuretic was to counteract a side effect of Actos for insulin resistance. It was like a drug merry go round. Now I'm off my insulin, my diuretic , and the actos. I still have swelling occasionally but it's not usually anything more water won't help. It won't be too long and I'm sure you won't have to take it anymore.

Good Luck!

Thanks! I can hardly wait until I don't have to take any meds. I told my husband we are taking a LOT of medications to be essentially healthy people! (whine whine LOL) I'm only taking BP med and the diuretic and potassium (oh and a multi vitamin that has 6 pills and extra potassium and that stuff to help prevent arthritis and so on..LOL) yes it IS a pill merry go round You nailed it.