Swallowing pills???

Thread Starter  

I am on 2 daily meds. 1 small pill and one medium sized capsule. I cannot not take these. I asked the surgeon today about it. He said crush or use
liquid when I can. So I asked the nurse. She said cut the pills up as small as you can get them with a pill cutter and open the capsules to mix with
applesauce or pudding. How are all of you post-banders doing with this issue? I cannot imagine not being able to swallow a pill. Just how small is the hole it has to pass thru? I also take seasonal sinus pills as needed. Just wondering if this will always be a problem for me.

I take daily meds and vitamins and although I am fairly tight, I am still able to swallow them, but I have to put one pill in my mouth, take a drink of water and then swallow, wait a few seconds to make sure it goes down, then do the next one.

I tried the applesauce trick and let me tell you, it was so gross I almost threw up. If I have a large pill, I cut it into quarters and take it.

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Banded Oct. 18, 2006
Dr. Hadar Spivak
I believe in happily ever afters !

I swallow small pills and cut up medium or large ones. I don't take any capsules so I don't have to worry with that. I've never had any problems.
Angie

Pills no bigger than the size of M&Ms go down fine. I'm surprised you can't take your small pill. I sometimes do use a crusher for 1 of the tabs but recently its been going down fine. Just make sure if you move to liquid that the med isn't time released. You have to make sure you can do liquid.

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Julie
banded 6/6/06
Dr. McKeen, San Jose CA

320/213/goal 199. Almost there!

I have never had any trouble with pills... no matter what size.

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Banded 5/2/06 :rockon:
Port replacement 11/2/06
Dr Kirshenbaum
H289/S280/C205/G170 -75 pounds!

http://www.myspace.com/drewslou

Thread Starter  

Thank you for all the replies and info. I will try and get doc to switch my one capsule to a tablet so I can cut it rather than open and mix with something.

I had the bad habit of biting them in half until I broke a chunk of tooth off!

I have to crush mine up too. Ive started doing it the Mary Poppins way, with a spoonful of Splenda or whatever...takes off some of the aftertaste. I just crush teh pill, put it on a spoon, a packet to half a packet of Splenda over it, then add water to fill up spoon..bottoms up!

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22/24 jeans.now size 10!...oops now 6!
myspace.com/haveuseenwaldo

ugh, the taste of my many crushed pills make me yack

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Banded on : Sep 5, 06
Number of fills to date: 2
starting weight before pre surgery-diet(high weight): 252
Weight Day of surgury : 244
height 5'7

244/214/ Goal # 1 200

I take liquid Benadryl and liquid Tylenol for allergies and headaches,,,which isnt often. I crush my Metformin and have adjusted to the nasty taste. I just drink something after to make sure it washes through and to get the taste out of my mouth. I dont want to ever take the chance on getting a pill stuck. I had to have antibiotics last year for a sinus infection and my regular MD prescribed liquid, bubble gum flavor, lol.

Apparently getting the pills down is not the only problem. I was told that if they sit in the pouch to dissolve before passing through the stoma that there is a chance of irritation to the stomach lining that can lead to erosion.
Darn sure don't want that, so I crush and use applesauce and one of mine is really disgusting. I don't think there is anything that can kill the taste. But I decided it is a small price to pay.

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Mary
1/31/07 Dr. Spivak
237.5/227.5/158
Initial visit/surg day/ goal
3/1/2007 First Fill 1.5 cc saline (0 was left on 3/29)
3/29/07 Second Fill 2cc Omnipaque

What about right after surgery? My surgery was today and I even crushed my birth control pill just because I wasn't sure and didn't want to take any chances? Is this necessary? It is very small.

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Mandi
Surgery 9/27/2007
Dr Richard Benavides-Dallas, TX
7 fills+1 unfill=7.5 cc's

Mandi,
My doctor's office told me I could take the pills whole, just to space them out. I have not had any problem even with the large pills.

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Kelly
Banded 9/24/07

Luv2Blab,

I understand your trouble with Pills. I want to help you. In 2001 I had to watch as my former spouse and mother of my son went through all sorts of stages with the Band. Read my story here http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f18/i-want-help-ronnie-sipgel-biz-41945/ . If you would like to know more about me and my support for those who are going through this life changing process please stay in touch. I feel that if someone knows a solution and does not share then everyone is missing out. I pray you have better luck with nutrition than we did starting out. When we had it done the US was not as advanced with places to purchase and still people are having difficulty. I here Flintstones one a day and one at night are good :) . Agel MIN tastes just like a Flintstone and is a Gel. My Son loves it Frozen. It's like a popsicle.

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Cheers to the new you!

Ronnie Thompson
www.sipgel.biz

918-269-3599

Hi everyone! One thing I've learned is to never take all of your pills at once. I've had horrible burning and nausea from doing it in the past... I don't know if it's because I threw a new chewable vitamin in the mix, but it wasn't pretty :cry

By the way, does anyone have advice for a good band-friendly vitamin? I've found that the chewable Centrum tastes sick, the kids vitamins don't seem to have as many nutrients, and the normal adult one are huge. Thanks for the help :D

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itsjustducky