B-12?

For those of you who are taking B-12 shots and/or are taking B-12 pills...is this something that you were lacking in when you had your preop testing and they told you to or is it something that you have added yourselves? I am confused as to how to know If I should be taking any? This week at Meijer they have their BOGOF(Buy one get one free) vitamin sale. I picked up 2 small bottles ($2.99) of B-12 pills just incase I need to be taking them, but I will wait until I have bloodwork at the three month visit...but then again I don't want to cause irreversible nerve damage either..... PLEASE SEND HELP

Your body no longer produces B12 after gastric bypass. You really need to be on the shots and they will be lifelong. I gave myself my first one last week, it was a little weird, but it turned out ok. Your body also no longer produces B1, and you should be supplementing with that. Sue

My surgeon told me I did not have to take b12, but if I wanted to, it certainly wouldn't hurt me. I have been told not to take pill form, to take sublingual or shots....some say sublingual is just as good as shots. I am doing the sublingual until I see bloodwork that says otherwise. I am a proximal rny (75cm bypassed, I think), possibly with this short version perhaps my surgeon does not think I am too bypassed for the b12, I don't know. He only told me I had to take multivitimin and calcium. I am doing flintstones until I run out then I plan to switch to a adult formula since I can swallow now. I have researched the net, many surgeons sites and they all say something different! LOL teresa open rny 7-29-05 237/208/145

the deal is that B-12 is absorbed in the upper part of our small intestine and that's been bypassed. Because of that the pill form will not be absorbed. You need injections or sublingual (absorbed by the small blood vessels under the tongue). You should probably call or email your nutritionist/dietician and they'll be able to tell you what you need.