New Vitamin for Bariatric Surgery

Hi Folks: I went to a Bariatric Support group meeting on Wednesday here in Iowa. Our Bariatric center brought a new vitamin for us to try and it was really good. Walgrens makes it and it is chewable, and specially formulated for use after bariatric surgery. The best thing about it is that the Vitamin b12 is 2083%. I'm hoping it keeps me off the shots. You take this vitamin 4 times a day - bfast, lunch, dinner, and betime. They said we don't absorb vitamins like pre surgery and that is why we need to take this one 4 times a day. Just wanted to pass on the info because it's been a great help to me. Anybody else found a good vitamin source to share? Eileen

What is the name of the vitamin and is it a multiple vitamin or specifically for the B in it?

Hi Mary: It's called OPTISOURCE, it's a multivitamin/mineral supplement. You can get it at Walgreens, if you don't have a Walgreens they have web site www.resource.walgreens.com or you can call them at 800-828-9194. I don't know much about vitamins so I've typed out the label infomation for you. Hope this helps. The % is the daily value. Hope all is going well with you this week, Eileen Here are the lable contents: Serving Size 1 tablet Calories 5 Total Carbohydrate 1g,

Found it on their site ... Total Carbohydrate 1.0 g 1.0% % Sugars 1.0 g % % Vitamin A 37.0% % Vitamin C 15.0 mg 25.0% % Vitamin D 25.0% % Vitamin E 417.0% % Vitamin K 40.0 mcg 50.0% % Thiamin 375.0 mcg 25.0% % Riboflavin 425.0 mcg 25.0% % Niacin 5.0 mg 25.0% % Vitamin B6 500.0 mcg 25.0% % Folate 200.0 mcg 50.0% % Vitamin B12 125.0 mcg 2083.0% % Biotin 75.0 mcg 25.0% % Pantothenic Acid 2.5 mg 25.0% % Calcium 250.0 mg 25.0% % Iron 7.5 mg 42.0% % Phosphorus 50.0 mg 5.0% % Iodine 37.5 mcg 25.0% % Magnesium 100.0 mg 25.0% % Zinc 7.5 mg 50.0% % Selenium 17.5 mcg 25.0% % Copper 0.5 mg 25.0% % Manganese 0.5 mg 25.0% % Chromium 30.0 mcg 25.0% % Molybdenum 18.75 mcg 25.0% % Sodium 5.0 mg % Thanks for the info. Mary

Ooops sorry I thought the information would scroll down. Just email me if you would like the lable contents. Walgrens may have it at their web site. I havn't gone there yet, but maybe I'll check it out tommorrow. Eileen

My surgeon told me that it was very important that I take my b12 either sublingually or by injection - since our body can't absorb it properly after surgery. I know that every doc is different - but just curious if anyone else's doc might have said the same thing. These vitamins sound great & I would be interested in trying them; however I just want to make sure that I do everything right - lol . . . I'm so paranoid Thanks for the tip though Eileen ~Amanda

Hi Amanda: Thanks for your posting, I agree that you need to do whatever your surgeon reccomends. I've heard that some people need the b12 shots and some don't. I havn't been tested for deficiency's yet, I'm just hoping that this may help. I can say that I seem to have more energy since being on these, or maybe it's the impact of the weight loss. Keep on shrinking and loosing, Eileen

Hi, In regards to Vitamin B12, My doctor also told us we need to inject the vitamin to have it absorb correctly. There is an enzyme in the stomach that is called the intrinsic factor, when we have the surgery we don't have enough of this enzyme to aid in the absorption of Vitamin B12. Not everyone who has this surgery develops a Vitamin B12 deficiency but if you do it can cause irreversible nerve damage.

Hi Eileen, I've been taking them since surgery (after surgeon approval of course) and feel good. I seem to be able to handle the taste of these much better then other chewables.