Question:
Can anyone be perfectly honest? Do you HATE taking your required daily suppliments?
I am 15 months post-op and am very happy with the results, but now that I've lost the weight, I wish I could stop taking the suppliments. A part of me wishes just to move on with life and totally forget about the surgery, and the suppliments are a constant daily reminder. I know it was part of the deal, but I can't help felling angry. Do Lap Band patients have to take suppliments? — AB B. (posted on January 17, 2003)
January 17, 2003
I am prepared to take vitamin supplements the rest of my life! I am darn
sure happier to take them than 2 blood pressure pills, 4 - 500mg Glucophage
XR pills, a pill for lowering cholesterol, etc. every single day. Not to
mention, the supplements are way cheaper than the medicines. I hope this
is what you mean. If you are talking about some other supplements, please
clarify! It doesn't make me angry at all. I was taking several vitamins
before surgery and I have continued taking those. I work in an office with
what seems to be the sickest people on earth, and I haven't had a cold in 2
or 3 years. I think I am probably healthier than a lot of folks who seem to
be in "good health". Count yourself as lucky.
— koogy
January 17, 2003
I don't hate taking them ANYMORE but I did go thru lots of different types
of calcium before I found one I wouldn't "forget" to take. I have
a problem with swallowing horsepills, heck, any pills. I finally settled on
One-a-day type vitamins (small and round), liquid B12 under the tongue
(sublingual tablets took TOO dang long to dissolve), and liquid or capsules
of calcium citrate. I don't do protein supplementation anymore as I get
plenty from my diet. Keep trying and you'll find something that works for
you. It really is a small price to pay for being healthy. I look at my
parents and see that they have to take 20-25 pills a day because of all the
health problems they have. Maybe if I keep taking my "big three"
and eating healthy I won't end up taking more medication.
— ctyst
January 17, 2003
Alice,
I can understand your feelings about the supplements. I am only 5 months
out and some days it's a little inconvenient but honestly they have become
a part of my daily routine now. I don't think about it any more than I do
brushing my teeth. I am able to take my supplements whole now though. I
know that in the beginning when I was crushing them and cutting them up,
that was much more of a hassle. I now just use one of those day-of-the
week pill containers. I empty one day's worth into a small clear pill cup
(like they use at the hospital) and put in on the window sill above my
kitchen sink. That way I see it all day long and don't forget about taking
them. I take 1-2 every 2 hours or so until they are gone. They are usually
gone by 2 in the afternoon, then I don't give it another thought until the
following day. I hope it gets better for you. Just remember you didn't
make that long journey to improve your health only to develop osteoperosis
or other problems caused by deficiencies. Good luck!
— Laurel C.
January 17, 2003
Hate them?? I would not go that far. They are a little inconvenient at
times, but I do my best to remember them everyday. I do this for me. It is
important. As important as taking my asthma medication before surgery was.
And I was sure to never miss a dose of that preop. So, it is just part of
the whole process. Just like making sure that you get in all of your
protein needs. Try to figure out why your angry and work through that. Why
do you want ot "forget about the surgery"? Did you have problems
post op? You need to remember where you came from so that you do not go
back. Forgeting about the surgery could be a bad thing. Obesity is a
disease. ANd you have not been cured, you have found a treatment modality
that works for you. Supplements are necessary to keep it working. I hope
that you learn to make them your friend, and not your enemy.
— Vicki L.
January 17, 2003
I will be totally honest. I am two months out and I HATE taking my
supplements. The vitamins taste horrible because I have to take chewable
ones. Plus I am a very forgetful person. If my husband does not give them
to me, I will forget. I know I should but I really don't like to take them.
I am going to try to find a smaller multivitamin to swallow whole. Good
luck.
— Melinda_AL
January 17, 2003
I am glad to be taking pills that actually help my body with nutrition
instead of all the pills for obesity-related ailments -- high blood
pressure, acid reflux, depression, etc. I'm sure those people who were on
multiple units of insulin for diabetes are thrilled to be able to replace
that chore with popping a few vitamins! I don't view this as anything
abnormal. Plenty of healthy non-WLS people I know take vitamins and herbs.
Are you sure you're not angry about other issues related to surgery instead
of supplements? - Anna LAP RNY 7/3/02 -104lbs.
— Anna L.
January 17, 2003
No one is making you take the supplements. You do not HAVE to have the
supplements. It would be beneficial to you to have them. Your body would
function better if you took them-but, you do not have to take them. Maybe
instead of telling yourself, "I HAVE to take my suppplements" say
"I am GOING to take my supplements". Do you see what I am saying?
It is something small that I just learned and I am finding makes a big
difference in my attitude. Best wishes in your process.
— Heather N.
January 17, 2003
hiya...i am looking beyond your question about supplements and concernced
about your "hating" to take them, them being a "daily
reminder", "forget about the surgery"....and the anger.
we go through soooo many emotions post op, our lives changed radically,
people treat us totally different, we feel/think differently about
ourselves -- it is quite the rollercoaster and all the emotional issues we
had pre op are still living within us - and what can be worse is that we
can't EAT TO DEAL WITH EMOTIONS...we can't bury our heads in the cheesecake
so to speak.
i have gone through periods of intense anger tho mine was primarily
directed at the male species who for years ignored me and now suddenly
wanted to carry my groceries - puleeze!
i've been with a counselor prior to surgery and plan on continuing a few
times a month because FOR ME it is so nice to have an impartial 3rd party
to bounce my life off of...
i highly recommend you consider some counsling to help you adjust to your
new life AND the baggage of your life pre op.
you had this surgery to LIVE LIFE and part of what goes along with living
today is taking supplements -- if you stop them or take them haphazardly
you put yourself at risk of malnutrition, osteoperosis and even
death...yes, death. did you go through the surgery only to allow your body
to deteriorate now?
i have to think of the fact that when i was 268lbs, i was literally killing
myself with food and now that i made the choice to change my life, change
my body so that i can live HEALTHY i must keep to certain commitments to
KEEP MY NEW BODY HEALTHY...
i don't think you had this life altering surgery only to be so unhappy, did
you?
feel free to email me anytime...
{{hugs}}
kate
open rny 6-14-01
pre op: 268lbs
goal: 135lbs
current: 124lbs
www.geocities.com/katebme2002
— jkb
January 17, 2003
I hated taking the pill form supplements, but I take SeaSilver now and I
just take it before I brush my teeth in the morning. One swallow and I'm
done - it even tastes good. (I don't sell it, but I love it!)
— Scarlett A.
January 17, 2003
By supplements, are you referring to the vitamins/calcium/B-12 that we take
daily or are you including protein supplements too? If so, then by eating
enough protein you can eliminate the protein supplements. Being honest, I
do not hate taking the vitamins and calcium, but I don't enjoy it. It is
one of the trade offs I signed up for when agreeing to this surgery, that
it would be a lifetime of taking additional vitamins to keep me healthy,
along with blood tests, which I do admit, I hate!! I hate having my blood
taken-have always been squeamish, but do understand it is necessary, along
with the annual dexascan etc, etc...I wish taking the supplements did not
make you feel angry. Think of it this way-those with high blood pressure
take medication for life, and those of us with WLS, take our medications
for life.
— Cindy R.
January 17, 2003
Hi All:
Thanks for your hefty responses on this site and my personal email, it has
truly been a wake up call. I forgot to mention that I did not have any
health issues with the exception of obesity & didn't take any
medication before the surgery. I realized that I had WLS for the wrong
reasons (cosmetic), and now that I have gotten the results that I
wanted...I feel like I just want to get on with life as it was before. I
know there is no turning back, and will probably seek some form of
counseling. I don't regret having WLS...I just feel trapped. I have not
been open about the surgery, the only person that knows is my husband. I
think the supplements are a reminder of my secret.
— AB B.
January 17, 2003
I've been doing them for 8+ yrs. We actually sign a contract with our doc
stating that we will. Although I took a bazillion meds, all with icky side
effects, pre-op and didn't like it, I signed anyway. I have a fatal
disease. I can deal with the disease (see above) OR I can deal with the
treatment. There is no going back & NOT having the disease. I always
figure it this way: I lost 150lbs, I can take 150g protein (reqd by my
surgery & doc) and 150 pills (no, I don't take that many) to keep my
disease in remission. I take my vites with food, food with my vites. No
pills, no food. Very simple. Food was NOT my friend. I do not WANT to be
food focused, so freeing me up this way is a freedom I never enjoyed. I was
stuck with pills ANYWAY, and the gastric reflux--don't get me started. So,
taking my choc shakes (which I love) and my pills is very natural to me
now. I see 2 schools of thought. "I feel so good that I don't need
protein & vites" OR "I feel so good BECAUSE of my protein
& vites." I fall into the 2nd category. The minute I think I am
"normal" is the day my health & weight head back to where
they were the morning of Oct 5, 1994.
— vitalady
January 17, 2003
I took vits, high bp meds, antidepressants and celebrex every single day
prior to surgery, Now I only take vits. Am I lucky or what to have this new
body and energy. lots of people take vitamins that did not have surgery,
just to be as healthy as possible.
— **willow**
January 17, 2003
Alice, I am almost 11 months post op and understand what you say by not
liking to take the vitamins. I take 14 pills in the morning, consisting of
medicine for depression, thyroid disease and BC.. the rest are vits,
calcium and I choose to take biotin, zinc and a pill with chromium... I
know just heard I have to take iron due to low hemoglobin .. lets say I
just make that the first thing I do when I get up. There is always a big
sigh.. but I make my decaff tea and use that time to read my book (LOVE to
read) while I drink and swallow pills.. it helps.. I have not ever
forgotten to take the suppliments and plan to do it for life.. it's just
something to accept. I don't want the consequences of not taking them.
— Gail S.
January 18, 2003
I'm 13 and a half months post-op, and I'm with you - I hate taking the
supplements. I agree - they are a constant reminder of what I did to
myself (I have some serious regrets about having WLS). Also, my surgeon
told me I had to take ONE multi-vitamin a day. That was it! It was from
this web site, I learned that I have to take Calcium Citrate, not the
calcium carbonate in my multi-vitamin. After having serious problems with
constipation, I learned I had to take my iron separate from my
multi-vitamin. Because of mal-absorbtion issues, I learned that only one
multi-vitamin might not be enough, so I had to start taking two a day.
When I had hair loss, my doctor told me to take additional zinc. And of
course, there's the daily sublingual B12. That's 11 pills a day, not one,
and I have to spread them out because of absorbtion issues. I tell no one I
had the surgery, and I'm currently involved with a new man, who doesn't
know yet about the WLS. I feel like an idiot when I talk about my vitamins
to him, and he has no idea how many I take. My boss will walk by my desk
when I'm laying out the current dose, and joke about me being a junkie. I
take them, because my health is important to me, but I don't like them.
— Cyndie K.
July 3, 2003
This is another late response, but I just had to post. I take 4 sugar free
bugs bunny vitamins and two Viactiv calcium chews....they are a treat to
me...like legal candy. It satisfies my sweet tooth. Have a positive
outlook on it. It'll keep you healthy.
— MedTrans
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