What vites and how many do you take?
I decided to look up the topic you posted that you were referring to. Hmmm either you need to go back and READ what people replied OR you flat out lied!
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/4449040/Monthly-cost-of-supplementation/
NOBODY ever said they only spent $35 a month for supplements with a DS! Even my initial post quoted $56 but that was before my supplements have changed recently...and I quoted the lowest price initially!
I'm not trying to give you a hard time, but just a realistic expectation of what to expect or you will find yourself with serious health issues later. No point in trading one set of issues (related to obesity) for another.
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/4449040/Monthly-cost-of-supplementation/
NOBODY ever said they only spent $35 a month for supplements with a DS! Even my initial post quoted $56 but that was before my supplements have changed recently...and I quoted the lowest price initially!
I'm not trying to give you a hard time, but just a realistic expectation of what to expect or you will find yourself with serious health issues later. No point in trading one set of issues (related to obesity) for another.
Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is.
DONT BE AFRAID TO FAIL......BE AFRAID NOT TO TRY!
highest weight 313/ surgery 255 / current 185 / goal 135 Height 5'6"
DONT BE AFRAID TO FAIL......BE AFRAID NOT TO TRY!
highest weight 313/ surgery 255 / current 185 / goal 135 Height 5'6"
The thing that you seem to be ignoring is that you CANNOT PREDICT IN ADVANCE what you will need, and it will also change over time. What I take does NOT indicate what you will need or not need. You must be prepared to take A LOT OF STUFF if you end up needing it, and this will change over time too. It may get more expensive over time.
Also are you listening to what people are saying about other costs - specialists, dexa scans, iron infusions, prescriptions, high protein diet, etc ? Can you afford all of that? Are you sure you will always have health insurance coverage - can you afford COBRA if your coverage terminates?
Vitalady's DS starter kit is a very good guideline as to what you will need to start with.
Her prices are competitive - also you have to be sure you are taking things in the correct form, and enough.
There are a lot of smart and experienced DSers here. If many of them are telling you that vitalady's program and costs are the way to go....you can ignore that advice at your own peril.
As one example - you can't just shop around for "iron" - you will probably have a hard time absorbing oral iron, and only certain types will maybe help keep your levels up. And like many DSers, at some point no matter what type of iron or how much you take, it will not be enough.
Will your visits to the hematologist be covered? Will iron infusions be covered? If not, can you afford to pay all of that out of pocket?
How about GERD that many DSers get - will your insurance cover a PPI or will you have to pay for omeprazole out of pocket - that can get expensive, if you need 20 or 40mg every day for the rest of your life (as I do).
Living as a DSers is not cheap. If you can't afford it, don't do it.
Also are you listening to what people are saying about other costs - specialists, dexa scans, iron infusions, prescriptions, high protein diet, etc ? Can you afford all of that? Are you sure you will always have health insurance coverage - can you afford COBRA if your coverage terminates?
Vitalady's DS starter kit is a very good guideline as to what you will need to start with.
Her prices are competitive - also you have to be sure you are taking things in the correct form, and enough.
There are a lot of smart and experienced DSers here. If many of them are telling you that vitalady's program and costs are the way to go....you can ignore that advice at your own peril.
As one example - you can't just shop around for "iron" - you will probably have a hard time absorbing oral iron, and only certain types will maybe help keep your levels up. And like many DSers, at some point no matter what type of iron or how much you take, it will not be enough.
Will your visits to the hematologist be covered? Will iron infusions be covered? If not, can you afford to pay all of that out of pocket?
How about GERD that many DSers get - will your insurance cover a PPI or will you have to pay for omeprazole out of pocket - that can get expensive, if you need 20 or 40mg every day for the rest of your life (as I do).
Living as a DSers is not cheap. If you can't afford it, don't do it.
Give me a while and I'll pm you a list of what I take. Just keep in mind I do buy in bulk and look for sales. I currently spend about $70 a month and that includes my probiotic...not my prescription costs. I did a LOT of research pre-op. Remember I am a new DS'er so the amounts I take may change after I get my labs done in 2 weeks. That is something to keep in mind. You may start out around your goal of $50 a month but realistically that could be much higher if you malabsorb more than expected.
Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is.
DONT BE AFRAID TO FAIL......BE AFRAID NOT TO TRY!
highest weight 313/ surgery 255 / current 185 / goal 135 Height 5'6"
DONT BE AFRAID TO FAIL......BE AFRAID NOT TO TRY!
highest weight 313/ surgery 255 / current 185 / goal 135 Height 5'6"
as a medical person... BA Vite's will put your labs in the CRAPPER !!!
It must be dry and more mg/per pill not combined in one
buy.............. AE>K..........separately !!!!
I have a mini tribe in my home to include 4 kids, 2 with severe medical needs, as in trach, feeding buttons, apnea, o2 and all,,, trust me my money is VERY short,,, but I do not skimp on my vitamins
I take three centrum, 6 calcium, 1 -A, 2-D,1-E,1K-1 , 1000 -B12, 1-50mg zinc, 2 -iron,with C, 1-Biotin,2- folic acid, and my ppi ... and I do add a probotic ...........
especially if I am going to be a bad girl and seek out a carb ..LOL
Some are lucky to still get a script and get it reimbursed by flex accounts, but our hospital has now refused to do so even with a Dr script for a medical necessity.
if I averaged it out for me, buying my d, iron with C, A, E, K and my calcium from her, I can get the rest by amazon, Walgreen's, Sam's club, vita cost, depends who has the sale. In three months supply it is about 55 to 70 dollars. Not including protein if I need to replace it.
It must be dry and more mg/per pill not combined in one
buy.............. AE>K..........separately !!!!
I have a mini tribe in my home to include 4 kids, 2 with severe medical needs, as in trach, feeding buttons, apnea, o2 and all,,, trust me my money is VERY short,,, but I do not skimp on my vitamins
I take three centrum, 6 calcium, 1 -A, 2-D,1-E,1K-1 , 1000 -B12, 1-50mg zinc, 2 -iron,with C, 1-Biotin,2- folic acid, and my ppi ... and I do add a probotic ...........
especially if I am going to be a bad girl and seek out a carb ..LOL
Some are lucky to still get a script and get it reimbursed by flex accounts, but our hospital has now refused to do so even with a Dr script for a medical necessity.
if I averaged it out for me, buying my d, iron with C, A, E, K and my calcium from her, I can get the rest by amazon, Walgreen's, Sam's club, vita cost, depends who has the sale. In three months supply it is about 55 to 70 dollars. Not including protein if I need to replace it.
vitamins are NOT something you can skimp on. Yes, certain things can be cheaper if you shop around, but you can't just 'not take' one or the other. And honestly, I really don't think that going by the 'average' is a good idea. Look at Julie. She couldn't have had any idea that she would be a severe malabsorber. Luck of the draw. What if that's you? You need to look at 'worst case scenario' - hopefully you'll get off easier, but you can't count on it. You can't plan what deficiencies you might have. You need to go by what your body does and how it reacts. For awhile I needed iron infusions and had to give myself injections of B-12. Again, this is absolutely not optional supplementation.
Furthermore, things like probiotics are VERY expensive. but i'm physically much more comfortable taking them - less digestive trouble.
Something else that's important (and I'm not familiar with Bariatric advantage) is to make sure that the ADEKs that you take are in DRY form. We don't absorb fat.
I do get the bulk of my vitamins from VitaLady. Sometimes a couple from Cost**** and B and Iron are sold there, I think). You can find some things cheaper at vitacost, such as copper and B-12. I did find (tender-type) iron (i think) on amazon once cheaper... but with shipping and hassle of multiple places.... i find a quick drive to Vitalady's much more convenient (she lives just a couple miles away).
Furthermore, things like probiotics are VERY expensive. but i'm physically much more comfortable taking them - less digestive trouble.
Something else that's important (and I'm not familiar with Bariatric advantage) is to make sure that the ADEKs that you take are in DRY form. We don't absorb fat.
I do get the bulk of my vitamins from VitaLady. Sometimes a couple from Cost**** and B and Iron are sold there, I think). You can find some things cheaper at vitacost, such as copper and B-12. I did find (tender-type) iron (i think) on amazon once cheaper... but with shipping and hassle of multiple places.... i find a quick drive to Vitalady's much more convenient (she lives just a couple miles away).
I was watching the other answers (and thank you guys). It's important to note that the multi ADEK is not equal to a multi + A, D, E, K
Iron is not adequate for a DS at 1 per day. Tender is cheaper than BA.
Probiotics made me miserable, personally, and yes, I tried cheap right on up the ladder to expensive, about 4 weeks each.
A multi = to Centrum (regular, not gold or silver or premium or whatever) x 2
vit C, ordinary ascorbic acid, cheapo kind
calcium citrate, pick how you want it. Tablets at 200-300mg each or caps at 300 each. The BA plan offers the wafers? at 400mg each, that's only 1200 per day, about half what you need.
Not all A D E K are equal.
So, compare how many days at what dose you get. Then you'll be comparing apples to apples. Some bottles last 6-9 months, not monthly. Most last at least 90 days.
So don't just compare the name "vit D" one to another. Note the dose, note the form (BA are also dry D3, but only 5,000), and so on.
If I thought there was a better cheaper way, I'd be on it myself.
B12 is available anywhere.
Iron is not adequate for a DS at 1 per day. Tender is cheaper than BA.
Probiotics made me miserable, personally, and yes, I tried cheap right on up the ladder to expensive, about 4 weeks each.
A multi = to Centrum (regular, not gold or silver or premium or whatever) x 2
vit C, ordinary ascorbic acid, cheapo kind
calcium citrate, pick how you want it. Tablets at 200-300mg each or caps at 300 each. The BA plan offers the wafers? at 400mg each, that's only 1200 per day, about half what you need.
Not all A D E K are equal.
So, compare how many days at what dose you get. Then you'll be comparing apples to apples. Some bottles last 6-9 months, not monthly. Most last at least 90 days.
So don't just compare the name "vit D" one to another. Note the dose, note the form (BA are also dry D3, but only 5,000), and so on.
If I thought there was a better cheaper way, I'd be on it myself.
B12 is available anywhere.
Michelle
RNY, distal, 10/5/94
P.S. My year + long absence has NOTHING to do with my WLS, or my type of WLS. See my profile.
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