Actigall and pepcid for 6 months postop?

Has anyone else had to do this?

I guess it beats getting my gall bladder out or developing an ulcer.

But will this interefere with vitamin absorption?

I didnt think to as****il now.

I'm on actigall for the first 6 months. Ugh.. its a capsule, and I have to open it before swallowing.. nasty. But, sure beats the risk of having gall bladder problems.

Linda

I take my last Actigal tommorow!!!  Im SO EXCITED to be done with them!! 
I will continue taking an ant acid though. I still get minor heartburn

Thanks for the replies!
I have heard some others talk about the actigall and being on acid blockers, but I didnt realize that it was a routine part of the program, for atleast my doc, I guess.

I've been taking Actigall and Prilosec since 2 weeks before surgery.  Luckily my surgeon said that while he used to make his patients open the pills, he found that compliance was way higher when he let them swollow the tablets.  I was swollowing them almost as soon as I got home from the hospital.

He bascially said I need to take the Actigall until my weight loss slows to a normal pace (which is about now I think...we'll see when I see him in August) but that I should continue to take the prilosec basically for forever, unless I have a problem with that.  We're always at an elevated risk of ulcers, so the prilosec is just a precaution.  It's not that expensive and it's a small pill, so I don't really mind.  

Anyway, the last thing I want is more surgery, and pills aren't the end of the world. 

-Gillian

Actigall is necessary for the first 6months to a year while you are losing weight rapidly.  It will prevent gallstones and needing to have your gallbladder out.  The Pepcid I would only recommend Pepcid AC chewables for the first month - 2 tablets - 2 times per day. Then at one month, you need to take a PPI - protonix, nexium, prevacid or prilosec.  Pepcid isn't a PPI and isn't the best at preventing ulcers - it works differently.  PPI's work much better and need to be taken for atleast 6 months to a year - all surgeons have different requirements.  I will be on my protonix for life.  They dont' interfere with absorbtion.  They say long term use of PPI can affect your bones but if you take the necessary amount of calcium citrate and vitamin D a day, you dont' have to worry about that.

I was given pepcid and potassium for three months .  Pepcid to promote healing of the stomach and avoid ulcers.  Potassium to avoid deficiency as we eat fewer less potassium rich produce and loose more potassium with all the water we drink. 

Actually, yeah, the PPI can limit absorption of nutrients in the stomach. But, you have to weigh that against the risks. If you have constant reflux, you can get Barrett's Esophogus, which is a pre-cancerous condition.

I only stopped taking my PPI about 2.5 weeks ago. I tried to stop a few times, but I started to have constant heartburn and once I woke up feeling like I was drowning due to acid.

But this time every seems to be working out. Knock on wood!

I didn't take Actigall - mainly because I don't have a gallbladder!  Lost it years ago...

I take Prevacid.  Originally the Dr said for 6 months, but I'm 21 months out and still taking it.  I find when I stop within a day or 2 I get these "hunger pains"... which really is irritation.  So, I truly believe I'll be on it forever.  I get the disolvable ones and they taste quite good.

I'll let the others answer the vitamin absorption since I don't have a clue...

Thanks again for the replies.

Still learning.

I sure dont want to end up with an ulcer or gallstones.