Hi lilfox,
We'll be happy to welcome you to our Wrapped Club next week!
I know exactly what you are feeling concerning meds. The strange thing is that surgeons often send people home on liquid or soft diets, then give them tablet, rather than liquid pain meds. I tried my best to be released with liquid (elixir), but no luck. You might want to call your surgeon's office and be proactive. Let them know that you prefer a liquid pain med. See if they can prescribe it before the surgery, so you can get it filled and have it ready for when you get home. Also, be sure to get some liquid Motrin or Tylenol, because you won't be using the narcotic pain med for very long and will want to switch to one of those.
The first two weeks will be the most difficult time, because your wrap is so new, and there will be increased swelling that continues to get worse until Day 14. After that it starts to subside.
As far as pills, I can share with you how I handled it.
I switched to liquid calcium, and take flaxseed oil out of a bottle. If you want to know where to get the calcium, let me know. There is a chewable type, but I went with liquid.
Also, once the healing is in full swing, you'll be able to handle a small One-a-Day type vitamin. Vitamin D 400iu is easy to swell in the gel cap. Any small pill isn't a problem once you're healed.
I asked my allergist for the smallest antihistimine he had, and he switched me to xyzal, which is very tiny, and no problem to swallow even in the early days.
While I was healing, I had to take steroids due to lung issues and past steroid use (I needed a boost during surgery, and they continued it for a while after due to the stress the surgery caused on my body. I stopped taking them by a month or two after surgery--the surgery successfully cleared my lungs) Anyway, I asked for 2 5mg, rather than 1 10mg. Whenever you can, you should get the smaller dose, then double it. Just ask your doc. Right after surgery, I cut the tablets into pieces.
Any capsules that have powder inside can be emptied into a spoonful of applesauce or yogurt and taken that way.
Whenever I have to take something, I remind the doc of my wrap (to this day, I avoid large pills. My experience is that they get hung up at the wrap site and are irritating). I either cut or crush if it's not contraindicated.
So, there's my experience...hope it helps your plans, and relieves your mind.
Good luck with your surgery! I'm glad you started a new thread so you can ask your questions and share your experiences more easily!
Take care,
Denise
Post Edited (dencha) : 4/7/2011 5:40:58 AM (GMT-6)