vitamin help post op

Yes I have another question LOL! I need to buy these vitamins:

multivitamin
citracal+D
Iron
B complex

now do I buy the multivitamin with Iron will this work?

Which ones do you buy?

 A multivitamin will not be sufficient - it is typical for postops to be given this list - and it may grow longer as time goes on and you have bloodwork which picks up other deficiencies - you should get a good mutlivitamin (flintstones complete - take two each day), citracal with D(make sure it's calcium citrate and not calcium carbonate, a general iron supplement and a good B-complex - many of us also take additional b-12 - I take 5000 mcgs of that daily - and biotin (I take 1000 mcg of biotin.     Hope this helps.   SUsan

In my opinion, Flintstones aren't adequate even for healthy little kids, much less for grown-ups with malabsorptive surgeries. Get big-girl vitamins, and take TWO.

Calcium citrate, plus D and magnesium---magnesium helps us to absorb calcium---at least 1200 mgs a day, maybe more. CAn't have too much, really.

Iron---not everyone needs this, but MOST pre-menopausal women do, as well as some post-menopausal ones and some men. My doc recommends Ferrous fumerate (rather than Ferrous sulfate), because it's more bio-available AND easier on the tummy. Doesn't constipate like F. sulfate does, either.

B-complex---RNY patients MUST have either sublingual or injected B-12, because without the fundus of the stomach, there's little or no intrinsic factor, and B-12 is almost un-absorbable in the digestive tract without it.

Biotin is in almost everything that's edible. Taking more won't hurt you, but please DO NOT think it will keep you from losing hair, having saggy skin, etc.

Each surgeon is different but when I started out I took:

Centrum chewable multi (has iron)
Citrical +D
and B12 sublingual

You are supposed to wait 2 hours after taking anything with Iron to take the Calcium.  I was just recently instructed to add iron to my vitamins.

Try bariatriceating.com.  They have all kinds of supplements.  Also try houseofnutrition.com.

This is what was recommended to my by my nutritionist:
* I take 2 Bariatric Advantage multivitamins per day (nut. told me Flintstones, but they are made for children??)
* 1000-1200 mg calcium citrate (better absorbed by WLS patients)
* 500 mcg B-12 3x/week (or you can take 100 mcg daily)
* Liquid vitamin b-50 complex - this **** is really nasty and it will turn your poo orange.  But it has 50 mg of thiamine in it, which is what my nut. recommended.  I started out with capsules and broke them and took the powder with liquids.  It was so horrible I went online to find liquid B-50.  They call it B-50 b/c it has 50 mg of all the essential B vitamins.  Still nasty but not as much as the capsules.  Try Googling 'Liquid B-50 Complex" - that's how I found mine.
* Iron - I don't menstruate anymore, so I was told I didn't need this.  I would recommend that you take a separate supplement b/c the iron in the multi-vits isn't going to meet your needs.  Find out how much your nut. wants you to take.
* I am vitamin D deficient b/c I live in the Pacific Northwet (we don't tan here, we rust) so I take 1000 IU of vitamin D daily.  houseofnutrition.com has it in chewable form.

Hope this helps!

Take vitamins like a grownup.  Centrum is better & has chewables too.  You can get the rest pretty reasonably if you can swallow pills.  Be prepared to make adjustments in the coming months as your bloodwork shows your deficiencies.

Please, please, please, please, please do not take flintstones.  I just don't think I can stress this enough.  I did, per surgeon's instructions, and my numbers are screwbally.  Just say no.

With that said, buy the centrum chewables until you can use pill-form vitamins.  Andy hey, btw, not all docs require chewables out of surgery.. some allow pills right at the outset so ask your doc, kay?  It's alright that it has iron and calcium, because you need additional iron and calcium and what's in the multi isn't going to even phase what you need.  Also.. Tums?  Don't do this, either.. well, unless you don't like having bones.  If you think bones are pesky, go ahead and take the tums.

Calcium is critical.  Get a Calcium CITRATE.  If you see carbonate, put the bottle/box down.  It's the same as Tums, and we don't absorb it post-op.  That's why it doesn't matter what's in your multi because it's almost always carbonate (and thus useless).

Get carbonyl iron.  Vitalady has some chewable "tender iron" that you can chew.. but carbonyl is very easily absorbed and fairly small, so you should be able to swallow it whole.  I'm anemic.. and it's still going down I think, and I take 300mg per day.

My b-complex I get from NatureMade in their liquid gelcaps.  I know it's dissolving easily because my pee turns bring yellow (from the riboflavin).

While at vitalady.com, get some tender D.  Almost everyone is deficient, and mine tanked taking it with my calcium and 4k i.u. each day.  Take some from the beginning and save your bones.

And just so you have some ideas..

You need 2x multivites (so if your chewables or whatever need 2 pills for 1 dose, then take 4).  Take about 150mg of iron to start with.  You need a *minimum* of 1500mg of supplemented calcium.  B-12?  I take 1000mcg per day and my numbers are in the 900's (which is good).

And my last piece of advice?  Learn this stuff and don't rely on a doc to do your nutritional info for you.  Learn what the labs mean, look at the results (and not just "it's low") and track trends.  Take charge of your own health, tweak your vites as necessary, and you'll do very well.

According to the ASBS-
Bariatric Nutrition: Suggestions for the Surgical Weight Loss Patient,
Their only recommendation in regards to Children's Vitamins is-
"Avoid children’s formulas that are incomplete."
Many do not contain magnesium, selenium, and other micronutrients that one would find in an Adult's "Complete" Multi-Vitamin.
For the ASBS's recommendations, check out the full story at-

http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/1550-7289/PIIS1550728908001639.pdf

Scroll down and start at around page 7....
It's the latest full study of Nutrition and Vitamin needs for Bariatric Patients (RNY, DS, And Restriction Only Procedures...)This is the information that the Dr.s use to make their recommendations.
Just hope more of them take time to read between patients...

Best Wishes-
Dx

Totally OT here, Dx... but I just gotta say I LOVE the avatar with Tek peeking over your shoulder! 

~wendy

Hey chica..how u doin?  Girl I so so so much better than I was a week ago, I'll tell you that.  As for vitamins, I bought the Flinstones Complete (chewables)-these are good because they already have iron in them but the added B12 will help with that too. B12 vitamins (they just melt in your mouth as soon as they hit your tongue & they are the 1/4 the size of dime).  I take 1 of those 3 times a day.  Also I take a chewable citral calcium 2 times a day. I bought the Flinstones and B12 @ Wal-mart but had to get my chewable citracal @ a health-food store.  Hope that helps, definitely let me know how you are doing tho hun!

Tonya