Need to be motivated to take vitamins

ok, I know some of you are going to yell at me. But, I am just trying to make time for the vitamins. It's hard trying to make sure I get 64 oz of water, trying to find something to eat, take this vitamin at this time, take that one at another time. I just feel frustrated with everything, so I have stop taking them for about 3 weeks and I am 6 weeks out.

I asm taking some time off work to get organized , but it is so hard to be on a plan. And then it's the whole issue with the protein. I am lacking in that area too. I know that I am playing with fire,and I really don't want to do that. I feel like the challenges have reappeared that caused the weight gain and I need to find some solution to solving it because food is no longer an option.

You need a schedule. You can usually get all your required vitamins and supplement in 4 doses spaced 2-3 hours apart. Mealtimes are the easiest to remember and most things work better when taken with food.

1st dose before work, another at 10am with your snack, 3rd at lunch or early afternoon snack and last at dinner. At least this worked the best for me when I started out.

I leave some of my vits at work. I am really organized at work so I put a reminder on my Outlook calendar. :) 

I dont know but my doc says missing one dose is like getting 3 weeks behind!!! I am too scared to miss any when I do get my surgery done. 

I won't yell but I will tell you that by not taking your vitamins for 3 weeks, you are most likely already have vitamin deficiencies.  You need to get back on track and do it today.  Not taking vitamins can lead to osteoporosis, anemia, nerve damage, blindness, tooth loss, hair loss and there is more.  It is not an option, it is  a must.

Here is a list of what you need to be taking.

Multi vitamin - centrum silver chewables - 2 times per day - once in am and once in pm(can be taken with your calcium since it has no iron in it)

Calcium citrate - 1500-1800mg per day minimum - since you havent' been taking any, I would recommend you take 2000mg for awhile to try to catch up.  If you need chewables, go to either bariatric advantage or celebrate.com and call them for samples -they have lots of types and flavors.  I love the bariatric advantage cherry lozenges (500mg) and the raspberry chewies (250mg) - I take a combination of both throughout the day.  If you can swallow pills then you can use citrical - either maximums - 2 tablets 3 times per day (1890mg per day) or the petites - 10 per day - 4 doses, 2-3 at a time (2000mg)

Vitamin B12 - sublingual 2500mcg daily (higher starting dose since you haven't been taking it and you are most likely deficient by now) - can't hurt to take a higher dose but dangerous to take too little.  B12 deficiency can lead to nerve damage

Iron - Feosol but make sure the box says carbonyl iron. They are 45mg per tablet and take 2 per day.  To go with this, you need 600mg of vitamin C to aide in absorbtion. Can all be taken in 1 dose.

Vitamin D3 - minimum of 5,000 units of Dry D3 - mostlikely need alot more than that but without labs can't be sure.

vitamin B1 - 100mg daily.

Try to get your labs done as soon as you can to see where you are deficient.  You can PM me  with your labs results and I would be glad to help you further.

Missing one dose is not like getting three weeks behind. 

However, missing three weeks is not good.  Can you try making a schedule of when  to take them?  If necessary, set alarms on your phone or set up your computer to remind you or something.

Kelly

I think maybe looking at it as "trying to be motivated" may be steering your wrong. You made a lifetime commitment to take vitamins with this surgery. You have had the portion of your intestines that absorb vitamin permanently bypassed. It's not optional and it is for the rest of your life. Figure out a way to make it work for YOUR life. Different people have different ways. I've done all sorts of ways but the bottom line is..you have to take them. Something that worked for me early out was to put them all in a little baggie and chomp them through the day. It gave me something to put in my mouth.
Take care
Deb T.

First, make the schedule.

Secondly, for motivation: one of the nurses from my surgeon's office told our support group about a woman who had RNY about two years ago. She stopped taking her vitamins after the first year and ended up in the hospital with multiple problems stemming from vitamin deficiency. This woman was in pain, had no energy and was on the verge of death. You've had the surgery to avoid an early demise, so you need to be extra viligent to be sure that you follow your program!

 I had bookmarked a post from a girl who stopped taking her vitamins and almost died from deficiency. She ended up in ICU and still has some lingering irreversible damage, but I can't find it at the moment. It must be on my other computer. I am posting the symptoms of vitamin deficiencies, if the idea of some of these things happening to you, not to mention possible DEATH, don't motivate you to take them, I don't know what will.

Not trying to be mean or sound hateful, but some tough love is what you need right now. We all have needed it at some point or other during this journey. I'll also post my schedule of what I take when, if that will help you. Set reminders on your cellphone, or in your computer calendar, or like me do both. Then you have NO EXCUSE for not remembering. 

While you have the time off work, make a schedule and STICK TO IT as if your life depended on it, because it does!!

Signs & Symptoms of Vitamin Deficiencies

Vitamin B1 (aka thiamine) deficiency can lead to an enlarged heart, cardiac failure, muscular weakness, poor short-term memory, confusion, and irritability.

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) deficiency can lead to inflammation of the membranes of the mouth, skin, eyes, and GI tract.  

Vitamin B3 (niacin) deficiency can lead to diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, an inflamed & swollen tongue that is bright red, depression, fatigue, loss of memory, headache, and rash on exposure of sunlight.

Biotin deficiency can lead to depression, drowsiness, hallucinations, numbness/tingling in the arms & legs, red, scaly rash around the eyes, nose, and mouth, and hair loss.

Vitamin B6 deficiency can lead to scaly dermatitis; anemia; depression, confusion, abnormal brain wave pattern, and convulsions.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to anemia, fatigue, degeneration of the peripheral nerves with progression to paralysis. 

Folate deficiency can lead to anemia, mental confusion, weakness, fatigue, irritability, and headache.

Vitamin C deficiency can lead to scurvy ~ bleeding gums, pinpoint hemorrhages, abnormal bone growth and pain.

Vitamin A deficiency can lead to night blindness, softening of the cornea, corneal degeneration and blindness, and impaired immunity.

Vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteomalacia ~ loss of calcium, resulting in soft, flexible, brittle bones, and deformed bones; progressive weakness; pain in pelvis, lower back, and legs.  Osteomalacia can lead to osteoporosis.

Vitamin E deficiency can lead to red blood cell damage and liver damage.

Vitamin K deficiency can lead to hemorrhage.

Sodium deficiency can lead to muscle cramps, mental apathy, and loss of appetite.

Potassium deficiency can lead to muscular weakness, paralysis, and confusion.

Calcium deficiency can lead to osteoporosis.

Phosphorus can lead to muscular weakness and bone pain.

Magnesium deficiency can lead to weakness; confusion; convulsions, bizarre muscle movements, hallucinations, and difficulty in swallowing.

Iron deficiency can lead to anemia; weakness, fatigue, headaches, impaired cognitive functioning; impaired immunity; pale skin, nailbeds, mucous membranes, and palm creases; concave nails; inability to regulate body temperature.

Andrea's blog has lots more info about vitamins if you need it, WLS Vitagarten. As Nik says, 'There is NO EXCUSE for drinking a nasty protein shake!" If you need shake recipes or other easy protein ideas, check out Bariatric Foodie. 

ETA:  Here's my schedule of how I fit in water/vitamins/protein: 

I keep a 20 oz bottle of water on my nightstand and drink this throughout the night.  When I wake up in the morning (usually around 6 am or so) I finish off that bottle of water and take my 1st dose of vitamins.  Since I usually go to bed around 11 or 12, that's already my first 20 oz of water before the day even starts.  

Wake up:  approx 6 am, I have 10 oz water with:  Multivitamins, Citracal Petites 600mg, Dry D3 5,000 IU, & my Protonix

1st meal is my protein shake (27-30g of protein) on the way to work from 7:30 to 8 am

Arrive at work 8:30 am, drink 20 oz water then at 9 am take 1000mcg B12 sublingual, 2nd dose of Calcium & D, and my B-50 complex

10 am: breakfast, usually greek yogurt or cottage cheese with some fruit & either Kashi Go Lean or Fiber one mixed in.  sometimes I do eggs, but not often (15-20g protein, depending what I have)

11 am: 16-20 oz more liquid either water or a decaf coffee or iced tea. Tea interferes with calcium absorption just like caffeine does, so I try to go easy

1 pm: Lunch, either 2 oz of lunch meat & 2 oz of cheese on an Arnold thin or tuna salad with wheat thins (25-30 g of protein)

2:30pm: 20 oz of water with 3rd dose of Calcium + D

4pm: snack, sometimes just a Muscle Milk Light (15g protein) or cheese & crackers---for you I would put a protein shake here at least in the first 6 months

5 pm: leave work, I either drink water or Muscle Milk Light otw home if I didn't have it at snack time

6 pm: 4th dose of Calcium + D
So by the time I am home from work, I have already met the minimum for liquids, had all my meds except the iron, and over 100 grams of protein.  If I have the day from hell at work (and I am in customer service, so I frequently do LOL), I can just crash when I get home and I've met my minimums for the day. Or if I just want a salad for dinner, I can have it since I've hit the minimums. (Just my personal rule for myself, but it has helped me.) I rarely do that though, just explaining my rationale.

7:30 pm  dinner--varies depending on what I cook for my family, but minimum of 20g protein is my requirement

9 pm I take my Iron 720mg which is 81 mg ELEMENTAL iron, our min requirement daily is 52 mg elemental iron with 500 mg Vitamin C

11 pm Late snack, at least 20g of protein. I've developed reactive hypoglycemia so had to add in a snack at bedtime.