Importance of Vitamins!!--long!
Vitamins are VERY important to our health...especially those of us who have had RNY or more commonly called Gastric Bypass surgery.
This is my take on the importance of vitamins to WLS Post-Ops!!
Our stomachs have been bypassed and our food and every thing we swallow bypasses our stomach and large intestines and instead goes directly from our new "pouch" directly into our small intestines and then out of our bodies through our colon. According to who your surgeon was and your particular situation, some of have more or less small intestines. The less you have, the less absorption you will have.
Because of these absorption issues, it is commonly understood that we absorb only about 50% of the vitamins we take orally. When we start out right after surgery, alot of surgeons suggest chewable Flinstone vitamins twice a day, some say to take tums for calcium, and sublingual B-12. I have heard several different doses on B-12...usually 1000 mcg 2 or 3 times a week. I would like to share with you some things I have learned by reading alot, talking to alot of people who have had RNY 4 or more years ago lilke myself and their experiences, a couple of things from doctors and some things I learned when I was a OH Support group leader.
First of all I want to say that I am not a doctor, I have no medical background and this is information that has worked best for me. You should always talk to your doctor and his staff before beginning or making any changes in your vitamin regimen. Also, I can't stress enough how important I feel it is that you do your own research before you talk to your doctor so you know what you want to ask. A GOOD health food store that is familiar with Gastric Bypass Surgery or Bariatric Advantage (I am not affiliated with them and do not get any money from them, but I do use some of their products and have done live chats with their representatives online, you can also call and talk to someone on the phone, and discuss your needs. They have vitamins that are expecially prepared for each type of surgery.) or there are other online Bariatric vitamin sites, are good resources. BA does advertise and support OH.
Things I have learned:
We should not take all of our calcium or any other vitamin that we take more than one of together, at the same time each day. We should spread it out. For example...the calcium dose I take, I divide into 3 doses...morning, afternoon and evening.
Iron and Calcium should never be taken at the same time. Calcium affects the absorption of Iron so take two hours apart.
We need Calcium Citrate + Vitamin D NOT Calcium Carbonate. The latter needs stomach acids to be absorbed and ours is bypassed.
B-12 - our body only uses what it needs and what it doesn't use is excreted or fluffed off. My blood work was showing my B-12 levels as high normal so I was only taking 50mcg sublingual (under the tongue - the way we take B-12 orally. We do not absorb B-12 in pill form or through food due to B-12 needing acids in stomach to absorb. Sublingual, nasal sprays, or shots are the only ways we can absorb it.
My story about B-12 and what it did for me:
I began having problems with my left foot and leg. This was second year after my surgery I think. I had neuropathy (nerve damage from years of uncontrolled diabetes) in both feet which was in my toes mostly. That along with my excessive weight had affected me wearing heels and standing on tip toes. But now I had lost down to 150 lbs and my left leg was tingling and I could hardly walk. My left foot would flop when I walked. I would have to really concentrate to pick it up and put it back down and it would just flop. My surgeon sent me to a neurologist and I was officially diagnosed with neuropathy. My PCP had told me I had it, but I had never been to a neurologist before. I started doing some research on my own and found out that B-12 was VERY important to nerves, so I increased my sublingual to 2500 mcg daily and I no longer take the shots. I had a hard time taking off work to get them each week and couldn't give them to myself. Well that worked on my leg and the flopping foot and I no longer have the numb toes! Just a little lingering tingling and a tiny bit of numbness is
remaining and I can now stand on my tip toes and WEAR HEELS!!!
OUR BLOOD LEVELS ARE DIFFERENT THAN "NORMAL" OR AVERAGE PEOPLE!! By time our levels show that we are deficient, we are VERY DEFICIENT and it is hard to get the levels back up and a lot of damage has been done. Ask anyone on here who has had to have IRON INFUSIONS!!!
Vitamin A - I learned from my Opthamalogist (eye doctor) who I go to every 6 months because of Glaucoma and because he keeps a close check on my eyes because of my Type II diabetes which is considered "under control" due to RNY, (I no longer take any meds and my A1C is in the normal range and so are my blood sugars) they don't say it is cured! Anyway he asked me last year if I was taking vitamin A. He was reading in the medical journal that people who have had WLS were having dry eyes (which I have had problems with) and even loosing their sight due to Vitamin A deficiencies. Vitamin A is an oil soluable vitamin and since we no longer eat alot of oil, we can become deficient. Vitamin A can be toxic in high doses, so you must have your Vitamin A levels checked and talk to your doctor before beginning Vitamin A.
Biotin is good for hair and fingernails, but if you had thin hair before RNY, you will probably have thin hair after WLS unless you were already deficient in some way.
Protein is also important to hair and fingernails. We need AT LEAST 60 grams of Protein. There is a suggested formula I learned while a OH Support Grop leader. I don't have it handy and will post it later.I know this isn't a vitamin, but it's important too!
B Vitamins - all the are very important to us. They help with metabolism (speeds it up which can help with weight loss), depression, cell reproduction and many other things I can't think of now...do some research. Deficiencies include Dementia and Alzheimers (sp) in the elderly, cracked lips, dandruff, dry skin, mood swings, aggression, neuropathy, mental confusion...there are more...again, research!!
Multi-Vitamin - a good multi-vitamin is very important. Most doctors like I said above suggest 2 chewable Flinstone vitamins a day. Since those are children's vitamins, 2 would be an adult dose, right. But...if we only absorb 50%...then we would only be getting a child's dose. There are some good chewable adult dose vitamins out there.
Because of absorption issues (50% being the norm) this is what I take daily:
2 Adult strength Multi-vitamins - Morning/Night
1800 mgs Daily Calcium Citrate + Vitamin D - Morning/Afternoon/Night
3 Fish Oil Capsules (Drs orders/chol. prevention) Morning/Afternoon/Night
I use Carson's Fish Oil - Dr. Recommended as best - no fishy taste
2 Sublingual B-12 - Morning/Night
1 Biotin 5 mg - Night
2 B-50 (B-Complex) - Morning/Night
1 Dry Vitamin A - Night
1 Iron (chewable Strawberry) 18 mg - Noon
All my blood work has been good. I feel great. The only problem I have had vitamin related is the story I told above about the B-12. I do have thin hair on top, but I did before surgery and my mother did the same thing. Even though we had a lot of hair when young it thinned on top as we got older. I'm 55 years old. It did get a lot thicker on top when I started taking the Biotin and B-50. I was also eating six (6) protein bars per day @ 20 grams of protein each. That was 120 grams of protein per day!! The only problem is, they has 200 calories each and 10 grams of cholesterol each, and I was eating other stuff too and getting too many calories (I was using them as candy bars) and they were an addiction (chocolate). They were a part of my weight gain issues as well as too much cholesterol. I have worked on my food issues and am working on getting back to more protein again and hope my hair will thicken back up. It has gotten thinner again since I have cut back on protein. I am eating more chicken and turkey...real food but I do feel I need a protein supplement...I used to use Unjury Chocolate to make shakes in the morning and at night. I've just gotten too lazy in the morning and sleep too late.
I hope this has been helpful and not too long and boring. Randall's vitamin challenge set something off in me and I am adamant about vitamins and I see so many people who don't think they are that important. I know that doctors tell them in the beginning and ask them about them at every visit, but I wasn't truthful in the beginning...who wants to tell the doctor you're not doing what you're supposed to. I intended to before the next appt... Good intentions!!!
This is my take on the importance of vitamins to WLS Post-Ops!!
Our stomachs have been bypassed and our food and every thing we swallow bypasses our stomach and large intestines and instead goes directly from our new "pouch" directly into our small intestines and then out of our bodies through our colon. According to who your surgeon was and your particular situation, some of have more or less small intestines. The less you have, the less absorption you will have.
Because of these absorption issues, it is commonly understood that we absorb only about 50% of the vitamins we take orally. When we start out right after surgery, alot of surgeons suggest chewable Flinstone vitamins twice a day, some say to take tums for calcium, and sublingual B-12. I have heard several different doses on B-12...usually 1000 mcg 2 or 3 times a week. I would like to share with you some things I have learned by reading alot, talking to alot of people who have had RNY 4 or more years ago lilke myself and their experiences, a couple of things from doctors and some things I learned when I was a OH Support group leader.
First of all I want to say that I am not a doctor, I have no medical background and this is information that has worked best for me. You should always talk to your doctor and his staff before beginning or making any changes in your vitamin regimen. Also, I can't stress enough how important I feel it is that you do your own research before you talk to your doctor so you know what you want to ask. A GOOD health food store that is familiar with Gastric Bypass Surgery or Bariatric Advantage (I am not affiliated with them and do not get any money from them, but I do use some of their products and have done live chats with their representatives online, you can also call and talk to someone on the phone, and discuss your needs. They have vitamins that are expecially prepared for each type of surgery.) or there are other online Bariatric vitamin sites, are good resources. BA does advertise and support OH.
Things I have learned:
We should not take all of our calcium or any other vitamin that we take more than one of together, at the same time each day. We should spread it out. For example...the calcium dose I take, I divide into 3 doses...morning, afternoon and evening.
Iron and Calcium should never be taken at the same time. Calcium affects the absorption of Iron so take two hours apart.
We need Calcium Citrate + Vitamin D NOT Calcium Carbonate. The latter needs stomach acids to be absorbed and ours is bypassed.
B-12 - our body only uses what it needs and what it doesn't use is excreted or fluffed off. My blood work was showing my B-12 levels as high normal so I was only taking 50mcg sublingual (under the tongue - the way we take B-12 orally. We do not absorb B-12 in pill form or through food due to B-12 needing acids in stomach to absorb. Sublingual, nasal sprays, or shots are the only ways we can absorb it.
My story about B-12 and what it did for me:
I began having problems with my left foot and leg. This was second year after my surgery I think. I had neuropathy (nerve damage from years of uncontrolled diabetes) in both feet which was in my toes mostly. That along with my excessive weight had affected me wearing heels and standing on tip toes. But now I had lost down to 150 lbs and my left leg was tingling and I could hardly walk. My left foot would flop when I walked. I would have to really concentrate to pick it up and put it back down and it would just flop. My surgeon sent me to a neurologist and I was officially diagnosed with neuropathy. My PCP had told me I had it, but I had never been to a neurologist before. I started doing some research on my own and found out that B-12 was VERY important to nerves, so I increased my sublingual to 2500 mcg daily and I no longer take the shots. I had a hard time taking off work to get them each week and couldn't give them to myself. Well that worked on my leg and the flopping foot and I no longer have the numb toes! Just a little lingering tingling and a tiny bit of numbness is
remaining and I can now stand on my tip toes and WEAR HEELS!!!
OUR BLOOD LEVELS ARE DIFFERENT THAN "NORMAL" OR AVERAGE PEOPLE!! By time our levels show that we are deficient, we are VERY DEFICIENT and it is hard to get the levels back up and a lot of damage has been done. Ask anyone on here who has had to have IRON INFUSIONS!!!
Vitamin A - I learned from my Opthamalogist (eye doctor) who I go to every 6 months because of Glaucoma and because he keeps a close check on my eyes because of my Type II diabetes which is considered "under control" due to RNY, (I no longer take any meds and my A1C is in the normal range and so are my blood sugars) they don't say it is cured! Anyway he asked me last year if I was taking vitamin A. He was reading in the medical journal that people who have had WLS were having dry eyes (which I have had problems with) and even loosing their sight due to Vitamin A deficiencies. Vitamin A is an oil soluable vitamin and since we no longer eat alot of oil, we can become deficient. Vitamin A can be toxic in high doses, so you must have your Vitamin A levels checked and talk to your doctor before beginning Vitamin A.
Biotin is good for hair and fingernails, but if you had thin hair before RNY, you will probably have thin hair after WLS unless you were already deficient in some way.
Protein is also important to hair and fingernails. We need AT LEAST 60 grams of Protein. There is a suggested formula I learned while a OH Support Grop leader. I don't have it handy and will post it later.I know this isn't a vitamin, but it's important too!
B Vitamins - all the are very important to us. They help with metabolism (speeds it up which can help with weight loss), depression, cell reproduction and many other things I can't think of now...do some research. Deficiencies include Dementia and Alzheimers (sp) in the elderly, cracked lips, dandruff, dry skin, mood swings, aggression, neuropathy, mental confusion...there are more...again, research!!
Multi-Vitamin - a good multi-vitamin is very important. Most doctors like I said above suggest 2 chewable Flinstone vitamins a day. Since those are children's vitamins, 2 would be an adult dose, right. But...if we only absorb 50%...then we would only be getting a child's dose. There are some good chewable adult dose vitamins out there.
Because of absorption issues (50% being the norm) this is what I take daily:
2 Adult strength Multi-vitamins - Morning/Night
1800 mgs Daily Calcium Citrate + Vitamin D - Morning/Afternoon/Night
3 Fish Oil Capsules (Drs orders/chol. prevention) Morning/Afternoon/Night
I use Carson's Fish Oil - Dr. Recommended as best - no fishy taste
2 Sublingual B-12 - Morning/Night
1 Biotin 5 mg - Night
2 B-50 (B-Complex) - Morning/Night
1 Dry Vitamin A - Night
1 Iron (chewable Strawberry) 18 mg - Noon
All my blood work has been good. I feel great. The only problem I have had vitamin related is the story I told above about the B-12. I do have thin hair on top, but I did before surgery and my mother did the same thing. Even though we had a lot of hair when young it thinned on top as we got older. I'm 55 years old. It did get a lot thicker on top when I started taking the Biotin and B-50. I was also eating six (6) protein bars per day @ 20 grams of protein each. That was 120 grams of protein per day!! The only problem is, they has 200 calories each and 10 grams of cholesterol each, and I was eating other stuff too and getting too many calories (I was using them as candy bars) and they were an addiction (chocolate). They were a part of my weight gain issues as well as too much cholesterol. I have worked on my food issues and am working on getting back to more protein again and hope my hair will thicken back up. It has gotten thinner again since I have cut back on protein. I am eating more chicken and turkey...real food but I do feel I need a protein supplement...I used to use Unjury Chocolate to make shakes in the morning and at night. I've just gotten too lazy in the morning and sleep too late.
I hope this has been helpful and not too long and boring. Randall's vitamin challenge set something off in me and I am adamant about vitamins and I see so many people who don't think they are that important. I know that doctors tell them in the beginning and ask them about them at every visit, but I wasn't truthful in the beginning...who wants to tell the doctor you're not doing what you're supposed to. I intended to before the next appt... Good intentions!!!
Christ's peace,
Connie aka Teal Rose
Connie that is such good info. Boy do I need it. I am one that does not take ANYTHING. I do make Jimmy give me a B12 shot when I feel like I can't put one foot ahead of the other. I HATE taking pills. I am going to my PCP on Monday and I know he will want to do blood work. What should I ask for specifically? Do you take iron because your levels are low or as a prevention? At one point I was severely anemic but he did not say anything about it at my last visit (which was about a year ago).
I'll tell you what... if we can get this board back to being the support tool it is supposed to be I will do my best to get my vitamin regimen where it is supposed to be. Deal or No Deal????
I'll tell you what... if we can get this board back to being the support tool it is supposed to be I will do my best to get my vitamin regimen where it is supposed to be. Deal or No Deal????
Debbie here is the list of blood work that my doctor orders. CBC with diff, chemistry or CMP 14, Lipid panel, B12 and folate, B1 or Thiamine, TSH, T4, Serum Iron, Vit D, Prealbumin. He has added the Vit D in the last year. Also on another note we all to have a dexa scan or bone density test done ever 2 years. Hope this will help you.
DEAL!!! I'm not going to flame you. I'm holding my tongue or I guess I should say fingers...but I am VERY worried about you my friend. I HATE taking pills too, but I don't want to take iron infusions or break bones more.
The Dr. put me on Iron for low ferritin levels. They were low normal but because I have slight restless leg syndrome...he said I needed it to be higher. What he prescribed was not covered by Insurance so I started taking the Chewable Strawberry from Bariatriic Advantage.com.
I'm glad Louise posted what bloodtests you need done. I'm never sure and rely on Dr. Ledet to know. He's always done all that needs to be done.
I'll see you on Sunday and I'll try not to spank you!!
The Dr. put me on Iron for low ferritin levels. They were low normal but because I have slight restless leg syndrome...he said I needed it to be higher. What he prescribed was not covered by Insurance so I started taking the Chewable Strawberry from Bariatriic Advantage.com.
I'm glad Louise posted what bloodtests you need done. I'm never sure and rely on Dr. Ledet to know. He's always done all that needs to be done.
I'll see you on Sunday and I'll try not to spank you!!
Christ's peace,
Connie aka Teal Rose
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