Question:
What's the best Vitamins to use post op
I'm so lost, I feel like I'm in the dark. This site has given me hope. I'm having surgery soon and I want to prepare for after my surgery. — Niquediva (posted on May 10, 2009)
May 10, 2009
i use bariatric advantage multi vitiamin ( mixed berry chewable) and
calicum ( chocolate flavor) they both are available on line and very tasty.
— gogirl1960
May 10, 2009
I also use Bariatric Advantage: calcium citrate chewable in wild cherry,
calcium citrate chewy bites in chocolate, B12 in cherry and the complete
chewable multi formula with B-complex and essential minerals in berry
flavor. I had a hard time initially with any vitamins but it soon passed
and I was full force Bariatric Advantage. I am six months post op and my
labs continue come back in great shape.
— blubird29
May 11, 2009
Vitamins defs usually show up long term RNY 3-5 years post op...I was using
various different brands of vitamins and supplements all those years...but
slacked off a little on my daily routine and by year 4 I was malnourished
and anemic. So, it's important mainly to have yearly labs drawn for all
your vitamins to insure that WHATEVER you are taking is
working...Personally and after my vitamin troubles, I take the Bariatric
Advantage Multivitamins as well as their calcium citrate (after a LOT of
research into other vitamins it is my personal best choice)...But I also
alternate brands of calcium for flavor change and I prefer TwinLabs Wafers
because they have much more magnesium that I need. I use Trader Joe's B-12
sublinguals because they melt like powder in seconds and taste great and my
B12 labs are always great! Then I take Vitalady's Tender Iron (as well as
Sundown's "Perfect Iron"( if I can't get in an order on time to
Vitalady) I use Vitalady.com for all other supplements that I need
personally to raise certain lows from my labs. She has all the correct
forms of vitamins that are absorbable for RNYers as she is approx 15 year
post op Distal RNYer herself! So she knows the ins and outs of vitamins for
RNY! I personally also take a B complex (vitamin shoppe brand capsules)
and omega 3 krill oil (MegaRed by Schiff) daily...We cannot get by on one
vitamin or supplement. We need several different supps, several times a
day. We have to contantly monitor our vitamin levels and adjust intake of
specific vitamins for specific lows. In general though...For RNY...I
suggest BA multivitamins or Trader Joe's Brand Chewable High Potency Adult
Vitamin (It has the right forms of vits for RNY and the doses are slightly
lower but decent for RNY in my opinion.) I chew 2 a day when I am not using
BA...They taste WAAAAAAy better than BA too...and somedays I need a
different flavor...So I alternate vitamins constantly...Almost 6 years of
taking high doses of vitamins...you just really get sick of the flavors and
it's a struggle to chew some of them down 2-4 times a day after a while...I
hope that you understand that vitamins do not prevent deficiencies by
merely taking a certain brand or one multi a day...LABS are the MOST
important part of preventing vitamin deficiencies long term post op! Good
luck and don't forget you will need to take them seperately all day...a
high potency or 2 chewable multi vitamin, Iron w/Vit C (if you are a
menstruating woman) I would ONLY take carbonyl iron personally, B12
sublingual 1000-2500 mcg, calcium citrate with Vit D3 1000-2000 mg with at
least 400-800mg VitD3 (Take calcium citrate 2-4 times a day at 400-500 mg
each dose as that is all that can be absorbed every two hours)....calcium
and iron need to be taken 2 hours away from each other and other vitamins.
It's a lot to swallow on so many levels! But hopefully your surgeon has a
good class set up so you learn this stuff in depth...I personally do not
believe surgeons give enough info on vitamins and supps for long
term....Everyone does pretty good the first 3 years...it's later that
things go off if you are not getting all your labs done and CHECKING them
yourself by comparing yearly labs and looking for decreases...Often a doc
will not tell you that you are very low if you are within normal
ranges...and they rarely compare old labs to new ones...So you cn be in low
normal ranges and in a year drop into malnutrition...and when one vitamin
goes into a deficit...it spurs on a chain reaction that makes your body
compensate and before you know it...you have several deficiencies! That's
exactly what happened to me...It took 6 months to get well again ....2 mos
on bed rest! The weird thing...I felt fine...I barely even noticed all my
symptoms or ignored them...It wasn't until I started raising my vitamin
levels that I began to feel so much better that I realized just how bad I
actually felt...It's crazy...But it's all preventable! Practice good
vitamin schedules and routines...and DO NOT slack off because it will catch
up! I proved that myself!
— .Anita R.
May 11, 2009
I used Optisource multivitamins. You chew one citrus flavored tablet four
times a day. And that is it. No additional calicum supplements or
anything. EVERYTHING you need is in that one bottle. At first, I was
taking a multivitamin and several other seperate ones. My pouch was
staying full of pills! lol I say keep it simple, and use Optisource.
It's available at Wal-green's or online @ Nestle Nutrition. ( Just google
"Optisource vitamins.") They run around $ 26.99 per bottle.
Each bottle is a full months supply. It might seem pricey, but if you buy
multivitamins, iron, calcium, and all those others seperately then you
still end up spending that much ... if not more. Hope this helps!!! Good
Luck!
— PaulaJ
May 11, 2009
Just read the ingredients in the Optisource Bariatric Vitamins! I WOULD
NOT NOT NOT take this vitamin for RNY...You'd have to take it 4 times a day
to get the right doses anyway...and you'd still have to take calcium
citrate seperately. The first ingredient is SUGAR...The second is calcium
CARBONATE...The third is another SUGAR , but the sugar and sweetener list
doesn't end there either! It also has lactose and aspertame. There is a
buncha crap in this vitamin in my opinion, including synthetic Vit E! And
BHT to preserve the oils and hydrogenated fats in this vitamin? I avoid
anything with BHT... UGH! They use dyes, talc and oils as well. Taking this
vitamin after RNY is like waiting for multiple vitamin deficiencies to
happen ..and what's with all the extra garbage??? Here is the list of
ingredients:Sugar , Calcium Carbonate , Dextrose , Dicalcium Phosphate ,
Magnesium Oxide , Dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate , Gelatin , Natural and
Artificial Flavors , Starch , Citric Acid , Yellow No. 6 Lake , Magnesium
Stearate , Ferrous Fumarate , Talc , Silicon Dioxide , Mono &
Diglycerides , Zinc Oxide , Ascorbic Acid , Sodium Ascorbate , Aspartame ,
Niacinamide , Sodium Hexametaphosphate , Calcium Pantothenate , Manganese
Sulfate , Hydrogenated Soybean Oil , Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil ,
Acacia , Vitamin A Acetate , Pyridoxine Hydrochloride , Cupric Oxide ,
Sorbic Acid , Folic Acid , Cyanocobalamin , Coconut Oil , Lactose Milk ,
Chromium Chloride , Biotin , Phytonadione , BHT to Preserve Freshness ,
Potassium Iodide , Sodium Selenate , Sodium Molybdate , Calcium Stearate ,
Cholecalciferol , Dl-Alpha Tocopherol
— .Anita R.
May 11, 2009
I dunno about the previous opinion. I'm taking the Optisource because they
were recommended by my dietician AND my surgeon. Since it was the
professionals at my weight loss center who recommend them, I doubt that
they suck that bad. Geez!
— PaulaJ
May 11, 2009
Bariatric Advantage: chewable calcium & chewable iron
Trader Joe's: Chewable adult multi-vit & B12 sub-lingual
— dadebrito
May 12, 2009
My doctor and nut recommended OptiSource and Calcium Citrate. Then you
don't need any additional supplements or B12 shots. They taste okay and
are easy to do.
— Elizabeth K.
May 12, 2009
I've been taking OptiSource, too. I do have to take them four times a day
(twice a day ones would be much better!) but I needed to get something I
could get right away, and they were available at my Target and Walgreens.
They were between $25 and $30 dollars for one month supply.
I am also taking additional calcium and iron. Not sure if everyone would
need that, but my nutritionist wanted me to take both of those no matter
what multivitamin I was taking - I personally tend to be low in both of
those, even pre-op.
They're chewable, and don't taste bad - mine are citrus flavor and remind
me of children's chewables as far as taste.
From now on I plan to probably order from Bariatric Advantage or something
like that - I want to find something that is NOT four times a day as I
often forget to take them all.
I've heard good things about Bariatric Advantage, as far as quality and
cost. They seem to be a good deal compared to a lot of the others.
I get the iron in generic form from the drugstore (took a few tries to find
one that I tolerated well), same with the calcium (citrate!)...
Oh!! And I take a sublingual B vitamin. You can get little tablets. Next
time I'll get those - right now I have liquid in a little dropper from
Target. That was also under $10, closer to $5. I've found the little red
sublingual pills at the health food store here, you may have luck
elsewhere.
I spoke with the nutritionist both before and after surgery, and had her
write down VERY CLEARLY exactly what I needed, as far as dosage I'll need
per day, what forms of each supplement (such as calcium citrate - important
to get the RIGHT type of calcium), etc. She suggested for me to take the
iron separately. I got a non-coated form as the other coated type was just
not absorbing.
In short, you should get a very clear simply written list of exactly what
you should need.
As far as immediately post-op, I just took children's chewable vitamins. I
didn't decide this on my own - it was recommended. I ground them up, and
sprinkled on water. Not sufficient for longterm, but they were great for
when I was on all liquids. They should also tell you exactly when you can
begin swallowing pills.
— rachieo
May 12, 2009
the surgeons at Kaiser in Fremont CA suggest the cheap over-the-counter
prenatal vitamins available in their pharmacies. I am sure they would need
some supplementation, but they are high potency and very affordable.
— pshock
May 12, 2009
I use Bariatric Advantage. They have an autofill program too which works
out great so I don't have to remember to order them. If you use autofill,
then the shipping is free. I take 2/day (both at night with a B12 and a
zinc and slo magnesium). I have great labs and am 2 years out from lap
RNY.
— waferqueen
May 12, 2009
Love everything bariatric advantage. The flavors are wonderful almost like
a little treat and the autorefill makes sure I never run out. And my docs
tell me my lab results are proof that a great vitamin regimin will keep
bariatric patients healthy. I buy several flavors of the calcium, just so
I can have something different occassionally, but my favorite is Wild
Cherry. I take the citrus flavor multivitamin. The only thing I don't buy
from there is the sublingual B-12. I buy the big bottle of that at Costco,
the brand is Nature's Bounty. It tastes good and is pretty cheap. Any
vitamin is better than nothing, but if you buy quality you will have fewer
problems and better flavor.
— brindledanes
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