The vitamin drama: The plot thickens.
on 9/13/16 9:19 am
I just received an answer back from my nutritionist about vitamin supplementation. She wrote that yes, iron and calcium should not be taken within 2 hours of each other, and caffeine does indeed decrease the absorption of calcium.
She's heard good things about the patches, or, alternately, suggested the use a vitamin powder that can be stirred into liquids: http://www.barilife.com/bariatric-vitamin-products/bariatric -multivitamins/complete-multivitamin-powder.html
Questions:
- Does anyone have experience with the vitamin powder? How well does it work?
- Wouldn't the patch or vitamin powder release calcium and iron at the same time? If so, why don't they cancel each other out, as they would when taken as tablets or chewables?
A very confused parrot wants to know! 
psychoticparrot
"Live for what today has to offer, not for what yesterday has taken away."
In the powder, the calcium/iron can still be a dilemma. With the patch, though, it's not going through the digestive system, so it's no longer an issue.
I don't put a lot of faith in the designer bariatric vitamins, though...especially after watching my levels tank taking Vita4Life's special DS dosages.
Valerie
DS 2005
There is room on this earth for all of God's creatures..
next to the mashed potatoes
on 9/13/16 12:09 pm
Yish! Doesn't sound pleasant. Thanks for the info. I'll be ordering some patches as soon as my current vitamin chewables supply runs low. They're too expensive to throw away, so I'll finish them off, being sure not to take calcium and iron together and not to drink coffee with the vitamins.
Prior to the patch I would time my iron and calcium at 2 hours or more apart, and still came up pretty low on iron. Patch put me at normal levels, just one patch a day (vs. 2 multi w iron). I now wear a multi by day and a calcium by night (when I remember and when I am not out of stock at least). Note to self- go put the patch on now 
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on 9/13/16 5:21 pm
They make specialty patches?! If they could only wash the dishes too, they would be just about perfect!
That settles it. I'll be a patch-wearer by the end of the month. I think I'll be using them long enough for the results to show up when my next bloodwork is due in late November.
Thanks for the info, happyteacher, and everyone else that replied. I wonder why my nutritionist never mentioned any of this. 
psychoticparrot
Check out patchMD. Here's the link: http://www.patchmd.com/all-products.html
HappyTeacher has a discount code, too.
