Post OP Vits & Minerals

I am just wondering what everyone takes as far as vitamines & other suppliments go. I have started taking Viactive (a gen. brand of it) and chewable kids vitamines. What do you all take? Chryssie

Hi Chryssie, Well I have been taking 2 Flinstones Complete and two tums every day. I did take the Vista Vitamins (which I still have a bunch of) for a month before and than a couple of months after surgery. I liked those alot and I think I had more energy with them but they contributed to my constipation issues so I switched to the Flinstones and Tums. I had my 6 month appt yesterday and I talked with Dr. Bell about that. I have decided that once I finish this bottle I will go to some regular adult vitamin as I have no problems at all taking regular pills. Linda

Hi Chryssie! When I was first post op I took exactly the same as Linda described above, now I take a Centrum without iron as I am post menopausal, if you are pre take it with iron. Then I take Calcium Citrate (horse pills) and extra potassium as I get leg cramp. Kim B did a ton of research on calcium and found out we don't absorb Calcium carbonate (the kind found in Viactiv) even though I think they are yummy. We absorb only calcium citrate. I guess I am bigger on the calcium thing now because when I was with a group of OH people that were post ops out over 1-2 years I did notice a few of them sort of hunched over a little. I am not going to let that happen to me so I force those horse pills down. I drink senna tea for the constipation issues which also plague me. Sounds like fun huh? Email Kim Bellavance for more info on the calcium I am sure she will be happy to share the info with you! hugs Cheryl

Hi Ladies - I take a multivitamin and b-12 for loss of hair. In the beginning I took liquid vitamin and it tasted horrible. I started crushing my vitamins and that didn't taste any better. I started cutting my vitamins in half and taking them whole. Have a great day, Denise

Hi Chryssie! I am taking Vita4Life vitamins and a sublingual B-12 daily. The Vita4Life have all the vitamins I need including the Calcium Citrate and I just need a little more B12 so I supplement with that. They are a little pricey - but hey as the add says: I'm worth it!! Good luck! Hugs, Carla

oops, Chryssie, I forgot, I get a B-12 shot from my hubby every month. I think he enjoys that!!! lol

Thanks everybody. I did not know about the calcium thing. That is good to know. Is there calcium citrate in Tums? I am going to start of with the kids chewable vits. since I already have them for my son. I know Dr. Bell wants us to take the B-12 shot. Where are the areas you can inject it? I take insulin now so 1 more shot 1 x a month is nothing. Can I do it into my leg or tummy like insulin? Thanks, Chryssie

Hi Chryssie, I began taking my vitamins last Tuesday (one week after my lap bypass surgery). I take Centrum chewable orange. I am especially fond of them, since they were the first thing I was allowed to lower my teeth onto after pure liquids. They seem to be packed with vitamins and my surgeon recommeded them. I also take chewable chocolate-flavored calcium citrate tablets as needed to supplement the calcium I'm getting from other sources such as plain, no-fat gogurt. Hope this helps. Linda.

I've noticed that there's sublingual B12 pills that you can take, as opposed to the shots.. really, what's the difference? Why not take a pill every day instead of getting a shot? I was just curious about this and haven't seen anything about this anywhere else. Also.. does anyone know anything about Caltrate? Does this help us all? Thanks, Michelle

Dr. Bell recommends either 2 Tums a day or 2 Viactive's a day - I love the chocolate Viactive! He also recommends Flintstones vitamins, or any other liquid or chewable vitamin with iron. I started out with Centrum chewable (orange), and now I use regular Centrum (or Walmart's brand). I've asked a diatician, Dr. Bell and his nurse Lynda about the different types of calcium, and they all concur that there is no difference. Hope this helps. God Bless, Kathy Bilodeau Lap RNY 12/3/03 -85 lbs.