Dear Dr. Gott: I just had surgery on my right shoulder, and the day following, I began vomiting and having gas every time I ate. My doctor blames these events on the anaesthesia during my four-hour surgery. Is there anything I can do?

Reply: General anaesthesia takes a person from a conscious to an unconscious state so an invasive surgical procedure can be performed. Anaesthesiologists, nurse anaesthetists and other trained professionals determine the amount of anaesthesia to be administered, depending on the procedure to be performed. Some people remain anaesthetized for a short time during a relatively simple process and are released the same day. Others, such as yours, take substantially longer and require hospitalisation for several days following. While you didn't mention what surgery was performed, four hours is extensive and could certainly be responsible for the unwanted results.

Some people are fortunate enough not to have any side effects at all. Others can be rather debilitated by them. Side effects commonly appear within a few hours and disappear while a person is still in the recovery room. They can include dehydration, nausea, headache, joint or muscle pain, or a person may feel as if he or she had too much to drink the night before. Unusual but entirely possible side effects can include nightmares, uncontrollable shaking and chills.

Be sure to check with your surgeon if you experience jaundice, weight loss, blood in your stool or have symptoms lasting two weeks or longer. He or she will want to be assured your postoperative recovery is progressing well. Otherwise, the symptoms should resolve on their own.

To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report 'Digestive Gas'. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped number ten envelope and a $2 cheque or money order made payable to Newsletter and mailed to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, Ohio 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title.

Dear Dr. Gott: I read your column faithfully and find my work-related musings and questions addressed there. I would like to comment on your recent instructions to a woman who asked about a diuretic and a potassium pill – that large pills can be crushed in a baggie and be taken with applesauce. Potassium pills are usually quite large and should not be chewed or crushed. Sometimes they can be broken in half or dispensed in a capsule, which can be opened and sprinkled on applesauce or yoghurt for ease in swallowing. Or they may be available as a liquid. However, there are a great many pills that should never be crushed. The safety and efficacy of a medication relies on proper administration. Keep up your great work!

Reply: Generally speaking, if a medication should not be crushed or chewed, the prescription label provides the appropriate information, but I was too general in advising readers to crush pills that might be too large to swallow. Additional labelling information often includes whether to take the medication with food or on an empty stomach and the time of day to take it. It may also advise the patient not to drink or drive because of possible drowsiness. Thank you for picking me up on this. Your point is well-taken and a good one.

Dr. Peter H. Gott is a retired physician and the author of several books, including 'Live Longer, Live Better', 'Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Diet' and 'Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook', which are available at most bookstores or online. His website is www.AskDrGottMD.com. Contact him c/o United Media, 200 Madison Avenue, fourth floor, New York, New York 10016.