XP: Andrea's Daily Vitamin Rant
Sorry.. but the sheer multitude of people taking insufficient or incomplete supplements is simply mind-boggling to me.
Keep in mind, I don't think people following their health-professionals recommendations are stupid. I think it's stupid to follow someone blindly without making rational, intelligent decisions with all the information at hand. Doctors, dieticians, and nutritionists are not infallible, and don't always know what we should take.
If you haven't read this before, please print this document twice about Bariatric supplementation; keep one copy for yourself to read, make notes on, highlight, whatever - and the 2nd copy to your PCP, surgeon, dietician, nutritionist, support group leader.. SOMEONE that you feel will benefit from the information. Go crazy and print multiple copies if you feel the need to do so.
Just a few takeaways:
1) Calcium carbonate (the calcium in TUMS, VIACTIVE, OPTISOURCE, and CALTRATE to name a very limited few) is not acceptable for RNY, DS, Fobi, or VSG patients. Period. Carbonate requires stomach acid in order to be absorbed.. we don't have any, thus it's wasted money. Carbonate will give you kidney stones before it will help with your bones.
2) RNY patients *need* 1500-2000mg per day of additional supplemenation to the food we consume from elemental calcium. Not all calciums are created equal, and labeling practices are not always honest or fair (such as with UpcalD). For your own benefit, make sure you are getting enough calcium -- yes, I know, it takes 8 citrical petites to hit the minimum on the range.
3) Flintstone vitamins, in of themselves, are not adequate supplementation. They may be enough in an entire supplementation program (extra iron, calcium, b-12, etc.), but by themselves are not adequate to protect your body.
Yes, I know, people don't want to hear these truths. It sucks when preconceptions (especially those based off medical opinions) get blown out of the water. Hell, I don't want you to simply follow me, either. Do your research.. do not take your doc's word as gospel. Don't take *my* word as gospel. Be your own advocate, because honestly, noone else has as much of a vested interest in your health as you do.
Keep in mind, I don't think people following their health-professionals recommendations are stupid. I think it's stupid to follow someone blindly without making rational, intelligent decisions with all the information at hand. Doctors, dieticians, and nutritionists are not infallible, and don't always know what we should take.
If you haven't read this before, please print this document twice about Bariatric supplementation; keep one copy for yourself to read, make notes on, highlight, whatever - and the 2nd copy to your PCP, surgeon, dietician, nutritionist, support group leader.. SOMEONE that you feel will benefit from the information. Go crazy and print multiple copies if you feel the need to do so.
Just a few takeaways:
1) Calcium carbonate (the calcium in TUMS, VIACTIVE, OPTISOURCE, and CALTRATE to name a very limited few) is not acceptable for RNY, DS, Fobi, or VSG patients. Period. Carbonate requires stomach acid in order to be absorbed.. we don't have any, thus it's wasted money. Carbonate will give you kidney stones before it will help with your bones.
2) RNY patients *need* 1500-2000mg per day of additional supplemenation to the food we consume from elemental calcium. Not all calciums are created equal, and labeling practices are not always honest or fair (such as with UpcalD). For your own benefit, make sure you are getting enough calcium -- yes, I know, it takes 8 citrical petites to hit the minimum on the range.
3) Flintstone vitamins, in of themselves, are not adequate supplementation. They may be enough in an entire supplementation program (extra iron, calcium, b-12, etc.), but by themselves are not adequate to protect your body.
Yes, I know, people don't want to hear these truths. It sucks when preconceptions (especially those based off medical opinions) get blown out of the water. Hell, I don't want you to simply follow me, either. Do your research.. do not take your doc's word as gospel. Don't take *my* word as gospel. Be your own advocate, because honestly, noone else has as much of a vested interest in your health as you do.
Andrea, That is one of the things I have been anal about researching and taking notes on. I have made charts, graphs, you name it, sorting out how I am going to get every molecule of everything I need post-op! My one thing I need to figure out is what I'm going to take before I can start swallowing pills. I hear that eating chewables is BAD for your teeth, so I hope I won't have to do that for long. I know exactly the supplements I am going to take daily one I can start swallowing them. Can't wait till I'm at that point because I know I will be on the road to HEALTH! In the meantime, I'm going to hate doing the chewables, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do, right?! Great post!
Even with appropriate supplementation it is possible to have defiencies down the road. My surgeon is emphatic that we take supplements intended for those with gastric bypass.
Even with that I am struggling with my iron. I take triple the intial amount recommeded per my hemologist and add an extra dose during that time of the month and I am still anemic. In junction with the hematogist I am trying to raise my iron numbers without the iron infusions.
I agree take appropriate supplementation and DO NOT miss any chances to have your blood drawn to check the levels of everything.
Belinda
Even with that I am struggling with my iron. I take triple the intial amount recommeded per my hemologist and add an extra dose during that time of the month and I am still anemic. In junction with the hematogist I am trying to raise my iron numbers without the iron infusions.
I agree take appropriate supplementation and DO NOT miss any chances to have your blood drawn to check the levels of everything.
Belinda
Anchor cut TT 9/27/2007
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