Protein shakes, vitamins, etc.

Hi, everyone! My surgeon has wanted me to start taking the vitamins and using protein shakes before surgery. Have recently started taking Calcium with D, Iron, B-12 and a chewable multivitamin. Even threw in Vit E for good measure . For protein shakes I am using CIB, the one that is 0gms sugar carbs added. Note that it doesn't say it does not contain sugar, because it has 12 gms/serving...just that it doesn't add any sugar carbs. Couldn't find one that was sugar free. Question is... 1)What kind of protein shakes do you use? Where do you get them? 2)Vitamins? What kind/brand do you use? And again , where do you get them? Is there a true sublingual B-12 out there? The one I have looks like a small chewable vitamin that instructs you to place it under your tongue for 30 seconds then swallow. Okay...well after 30 seconds it has not melted one bit so I end up chewing it and THEN swallowing. I don't know about you, but in nursing I have learned that sublingual means "melts under your tongue". Thanks in advance to all *****ply to my questions...and as always Take care!

Hi.. good luck on your upcomming surgery...I loved the vitamist.. I was able to get it at Wal Mart but they quit carrying it. Curves has a liquid vitamin that I am going to try.. At the moment I just have some left over one a day vits.. I am going to use all of them before buying more.. I dont think we absorb those as well.. as far as the sublingual b... I get mine from GNC.. It is in liquid form... I drink the slim fast low carb diet drinks.. they have 20 grms of protein. There are lots of different items to choose from . Just remember that your taste may change after surgery. Mine did.. The only ones I have found that I can tolerate is the Slim fast .. the Atkins drinks and unjury... I have found the Slim fast and the Atkins drinks are cheaper at Wal mart.. Don't forget to drink lots of water tooo... Sondra RNY 8/25/04 362/242

My favorite protein is a powder made by Champion Nutrition. My favorite flavors are Banana Scream and Cocoa Mochachino. I mix 1 and 1/2 scoops of protein with 6 ozs of water. I drink 3 shakes each day. I really don't think CIB is very good for WLS patients. I take 2 adult chewable Centrums a day. Walmart sells 100 for $9.96. I take Twinlab sublingual B-12 once a week. I take Calcium Citrate capsules made by Vitamin Shoppe. There is a local Vitamin Shoppe not too far from my house. I take a B-50 capsule also made by Vitamin Shoppe. I also take iron, but you shouldn't take iron unless a doctor tells you to take it. You can email me if you have any questions @ [email protected] Lynn J., lap RNY 9/29/04 -125 lbs.

Congratulations on your upcoming surgery! You must be very excited! I tried every protein under the sun and the ONLY one that I like is the GLADIATOR from Smoothie King! I'm surprised about the vitamin E. I recently had Plastic Surgery and my doctors told me NOT to take it 2-4 weeks prior to surgery as it can cause additional bleeding. I also take the Cal-Mag-Citrate that is sold at Smoothie King b/c it is the right kind of Calcium we need and also has Magnesium and Vitmain D which helps you to absorb the calcium. You shouldn't take your multi-vitamin or any vitamins with Iron with your calcium vitamins. I take a B-12 sublingual and it melts under my tongue with no problems. Are you sure you have the right thing? As a multi-vitamin, I take Stuart PreNatal Vitamins. I have been taking them for 6 years so I decided not to switch. It's a long story but I had a few losses and finally a healthy baby last January (which is why I was on them so long). It's a good vitamin. I like it and I tolerate so I didn't want to disrupt something that was working for me! I hope this helps! Again, congratulations! ~Vanessa

Thanks for the response! Just to clear things up a little...I have not been approved for surgery yet. My surgeon puts everyone who is planning on having the surgery on the protein drinks and vitamins so that when we do have the surgery our bodies are well nourished and heal much faster (hopefully). Now, I am hoping I will have approval soon......... Can't wait for that! The B-12 vitamins that I have say sublingual and that they should melt under the tongue. Got them at Wal-Mart...they were the only sublingual B-12's available at the one I went to. I guess I need to go somewhere else for my vitamins. Take care!