8 days away from revision surgery. Help!!!

I am trying to prepare myself for surgery and I'm a little lost on when I need to start my vitamins after surgery.  I have been reading everyone post and it seems to be different for everyone.  I want to follow the vitalady regimen but I'm not sure if I will be able to start right away.  Please help.  I need a break out of what I need to take and how much I need to take right after surgery.  Should I wait a month after or start right away?  Please help DS vets.

 I had my revision with Dr. Roslin in July.  He says to crush for 6 weeks, but I started swallowing mine whole at 4 weeks and did not have a problem.  It's different for everyone.  This is the schedule that came in my packet at orientation.  It's on page 8 if you have it.

1.  Complete Vitamin (Centrum or Flintstones Complete) Take twice a day.  Start first Sunday after surgery .

2.  Calcium citrate with vit D.  Citracal.  Dissolve 2 tablets in water twice a day.  Start first Sunday after surgery. 

3.  B12.  1,000 mcg.  Take once a week.  Start first Sunday after surgery. 

4.  Vitamins A, D, E, K in dry form.  Vit A:  10,000 IU to 30,000 IU.  Vit D:  800-2,000 IU.  Vit E:  100-800 IU.  Vit K:  120-450 mcg.  Start 3 WEEKS after surgery. 

5.  Iron.  Do NOT take with milk, tea, coffee, calcium supplements or antacids (wait 2 hours).  2 iron tablets a day each containing 50-65 mg of elemental iron or 300 mg per day iron guuconate or iron sulfate.  Start 3 WEEKS after surgery as prescribed.


Keep in mind, these are the recommendations from Dr. Roslin.  I am now on Vitalady's regimen as well, but it does take you a bit of time to work up to all of these vites.    Hope this helps!

Sandy

Hey Sandy

How are you going so far?  I have that package and will review it again.  When did you start the vitalady? 

Congratulations on your up-coming surgery.

About a week out I started back on my chewable multivits. At about a month I gradually changed over to the Vitalady plan. It probably took me a couple of weeks to totally implement the whole thing.

Hi Gail

Thank you so much.  Im so nervous and excited at the same time>

Very excited for you.  I hope to get some good news myself this week.  Go for my UGI tomorrow morn.

 Will be thinking about you on your surgery.

And in case you dont already know - that vitamin schedule is nowhere near enough.  Dont worry about the vitamins early on - fluids are the most important, but once you start taking them you're going to need more.

When I was at my 18 month visit with Dr Roslin his PA was saying how great my labs looked, and complaining that she does nothing but write Vitamin D Rx's all the time.  Duh.

Aww thank you Joanne.  Frankie is my angel so she will giving everyone update on how im doing.  I dont understand if the information they give us is lacking why dont they change it.  I plan on following it until one month out and then im following vitalady plan. 

 Very few DS surgeons and their NUT's give out the correct advice.  I think some of it is they're in a "wait until it's broken until we fix it" camp, and the rest of us are "keep our levels up from the beginning" camp.

The advice they gave isnt as bad as some that I've seen.  Truth be told, I dont take EVERYTHING in the Vitalady plan, but darn close to it.  The idea is to monitor your labs and trends, and make adjustments as you go.  You will really have to be your own advocate in this area, since few, if any, medical professionals will get it.  

I think you're going to do great.  It's a full time job keeping up on the fluids for the first few weeks, and it sounds like you're prepared.  

I'll look forward to seeing Frankie post about you, and let us know if you need anything.

Hi Joanne,

I will be calling her twin sister on 9/19 and I will stop by on 9/20 to visit with Vonnett.  I will definitely post and let everyone know how she is doing.

This a great post regarding vitamin intake as I will be revising on 9/26 and need to make sure that I take my vitamins as prescribed. 

Frankie