vitamins

ok- am trying to up my compliance- but i have a few questions... 1- I have a sublingual vitamin- can I swallow this whole- I mean I can- but do I have to let it dissolve? 2-I have the chewable centrums silver- HUGE!!! Can I crack this down in a pill crusher and just swallow small pieces or do I really have to chew it? My taste buds are so much more sensitive since the surgery and a lot of stuff makes me mildly nauseous. My head says the more I chew the more likely I am to absorb- so that's probly best- but wouldn't you think it could still absorb some broken pieces? OK- rereading this I am totally looking for justification- but is anyone else not chewing their vitamins? Thanks!!! Holly

Okay, I have to confess! Sometimes I don't chew my Centrum Chewable orange flavored multi either!!! And even when I do chew it , it is usually just a couple of bites to make it smaller. I just get so caught up in all of the different things I have to take and I just pop them one after another without really looking at what I am taking next. As for the sublingual...I don't know about swallowing that whole...the only sublingual I take is B complex and it's a liquid. In any case, I don't know how much it really affects the absorbtion of what we take since many people take regular vitamins without a problem. Hugs...Suz

B12 sublinguals can ONLY be absorbed in the mouth. You stomach (pouch) and intestines will never be able to absorb vit B12, so don't swallow, let it disolve under your tongue. The other alternative is weekly or monthly injections of B12. My surgeon's instructions are to chew 2 chewable Flinstone Completes every day for the rest of my life. I'm to chew them because the pouch can't/won't fully absorb the vitamins, so some of the absorbtion must be done in my mouth. Have you tried Flinstones instead of Centrum? They're yummy and I know my kids always preferred them to Centrum. Margaret

I have the same problem... I posted last week asking people what vitamins they took hoping for some better choices. I have tried 3 types of kids vitamins, and am now using the Centrum chewables. I think the Centrum is better than the Flinstones/Zippy Zoos, etc... but they still gross me out. I thought we had to take the chewables because the big pills could get caught in the stoma, but I guess it has something to do with the absorbtion, sadly enough. I just haven't found anything that works for me and I have slacked off big time. One suggestion I got from someone on the Indiana board is to try the liquid GNC vitamins that are cranberry based. Something else that I have been thinking about is doing the non-iron kids gummies and adding an iron pill(s). It is definitely the iron taste that sends me over the edge on these chewables. Another recommendation I have gotten, more than once, is the Optisource chewables or the Baritabs (I think that is what they are called). I have had some say they are more pallatable. Sorry I don't have any better suggestions! If you find something that doesn't make you want to gag, I would love to know about it! Belle

I take B12 pills which are just barely small enough to swallow. I also use chewable vitamins which are too big to swallow. My surgeon prefers Flinstone complete to centrum and those are what I am taking 2 a day. I also take an iron supplement with is a relatively small tablet and can be easily swallowed. There is a new B12 vitamin which is a nasal spray. If you have sinus infections or some allergies you can't use it. You may want to talk to your doctor about this option. Rich

Uhhhggggg I can't even begin to imagine spraying b12 up my snout....yikes. That's just me though. Here is my routine. In the morning after my protein shake I take one chewable flintstone complete and 3 chewable iron pills I got from vitalady. Most ladies take 6 but I only take 3 as I am on seasonale birth control so only have my cycle every 3 months. I also take the sublingual b12 in the morning. Then in the afternoon I put a scoop and a half (very small scooper) of UpCalD(powder) in 4oz of applesauce. In the evening before bed I do that again only use about 1oz applesauce this time and I take my chewable flintstone again. Hope this helps. Anna

do you let the b12's dissolve under your tongue?