Bariatric Surgery & Medication: Understanding Drug Absorption After Weight Loss Surgery

Bariatric surgery refers to any operation performed to help a patient lose weight, such as adjustable gastric banding (lap band), gastric bypass, vertical sleeve gastrectomy, and duodenal switch. Different types of bariatric surgery affect the way patients absorb certain medications.

NSAIDS

• NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) include medications like ibuprofen (Advil) naproxen sodium (Aleve) and acetaminophen (Tylenol). Doctors advise patients that have had lap band surgery or gastric bypass to avoid these drugs due to an increased risk of ulcers.

Extended Release Medications

• Extended release medications are drugs designed to be released slowly and absorbed into the system over time. Doctors usually advise gastric bypass and duodenal switch patients to avoid such drugs since they have shortened intestinal tracts.

Vitamins

• Bariatric surgery affects the way patients absorb certain vitamins, too. For instance, gastric bypass patients are advised to take calcium citrate, not calcium carbonate, because calcium carbonate requires a fair amount of stomach acid for absorption and gastric bypass patients produce little stomach acid.

Oral Contraceptives

• Some doctors advise gastric bypass and duodenal switch patients against using oral contraceptives because they may not be absorbed well and therefore may not be very effective. Those patients should consider other forms of contraception.

Liquid Medications Versus Tablets or Capsules

• Some doctors recommend that bariatric surgery patients use liquid or chewable medications rather than tablets or capsules that are swallowed. They believe these will be absorbed better.