Vitamins

I don't  take vitamins, but im about to start.  The Dr. said get chewable mulit vitamins and chewable calcium. My question is "Do you continue the chewables forever or can you goto vitamins you can swallow???

My doc and nutritionist said I should continue to take a chewable bariatric vitamin.  I choose Optisource, which I found at Walgreens.   I think it's the best tasting and the most reasonable in price of the bariatric vitamins.

Do you have to order them from Walgreens or they sell them at the store? I take Bariatric Advantage chewable right now but it seems to be hard on my stomach.

My Walgreen's carries them in the store.  Right by the other vitamins.  They are in a white bottle with a green label.  If they don't carry them, ask the manager, as they may get them for you.

I warn you, you have to take four a day, spaced throughout the day. I set my alarm on my phone to take them at 10, 12, 2 and 4.  I'm used to it now, but it was a pain in the beginning.  I find them less harsh on my stomach than some of the others too.  I also feel they taste TONS better than the Bariatric Advantage, which I tried first. 

 Vitamins tend to be huge, and personally, I wouldn't take the chance of swallowing them, when there are other options available.  Right now, I take Viactiv chewable multi-vitamin and Viactiv Calcium +D.  They have a chewy texture, sort of like a Tootsie Roll, and I like them much better than the chalky chewable tablets.

Tami

U might want to re-think what Tami has told u. Viactive contains calcium carbonate. Calcium citrate is the preferred calcium for WLS'ers.

I don't see why supplentation should be different for lap banders, since we don't have malapsorption.  Calcium citrate has better bio-availability than Calcium carbonate, so is better absorbed *in general*.  However, my doc (gyn, not bariatric) actually recommended Viactiv +D (taken with food for better absorption), simply because she said that people tend to take it more consistently.  I also still eat plenty of dairy, which is one food group that I never have trouble with, regardless of how tight my band is!

Tami

If I'm not mistaken the citrate is preferred b/c there is less acid to help break it down and it is therefore, not absorbed as well?

I think most bariatric pros recommend the citrate for bandsters as well.

I could very well be mistaken on this though. If so.............my apologies.

my nutritionist says the calcium citrate too....

Most vits are quite big and it is probably not a good idea to try them - ever! Some people before they get good restricition can swallow tabs, some even can when they have restriction. But getting a pill stuck is not only unpleasant but potentially dangerous as a pill dissolving in the lower acidity above the band can be corrosive (not vitamins but other things!).

I take all mine in effervescent form (letting the fizz go before i drink it) but i have never read of anyone on here doing that so it may just be a UK thing!

Kate