"But my surgeon said to take a couple of Flintstones vitamins and I'll be okay!"

"But my surgeon said to take a couple of Flintstones vitamins and I'll be okay!"

Are you a toddler?  Apparently I thought they were good enough.  Not so, not so. 

Disclaimer, do not listen to the girl who took children's vitamins. 

Listen to your FREAKING DOCTOR** because most of us on the internet are not professionials, and that's why they get paid the big bucks.  But, if they're telling you to take kiddy vites and your labs tank at 1-2-5 years?  We told you so.

From the ASMBS, you know, The Doctors?

Micronutrient and Macronutrient Needs in Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Patients

Roux-en-Y surgery creates an increased risk for deficiency of certain nutrients. Decreased intake in combination with varying degrees of malabsorption presents unique challenges to achieving the macronutrient and micronutrient status needed to thrive. Lifelong preventative actions, such as supplementation, regular follow-up, and thorough patient education are mandatory for accomplishing all the benefits and avoidance of the health risks involved in Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Given the nature of the procedure and the individuals undergoing the procedure, no clear protocols have been determined. The focus, therefore, is on risk reduction and careful monitoring and follow-up, versus risk elimination.

Recommendations for RYGB patients are the following (Links added are mine, not a thorough list by any stretch, will add more):

• Chewable, liquid, or powder multivitamin containing RDA levels of iron and zinc taken daily.

• Bariatric Advantage Pre-Operative Complete Vitamin and Mineral Formula - Chewable
• Bariatric Fusion Vitamins
• Building Blocks Multiple Chewable Vitamin for Gastric Bypass
• Celebrate Bariatric Supplements Multivitamin Chewable Mandarin Orange
• Celebrate ENS Multivitamin & Calcium Drink Mix
• SmartForme Vitamin Drink Mix

• Sublingual B12 (500–1,000mcg) once per week, IM injection (1,000mcg) once per month, or nasal gel or B12 patch (1,000mcg) once per week; increase based on follow-up labs

• Bariatric Advantage Sublingual B12
• Building Blocks B12 Spray
• Celebrate Bariatric Supplements B-12 Sublingual Dietary Supplement
• Or nasal spray, injected, dermal patch

• Chewable, liquid, powder, or lozenge 1,000 to 1,500mg calcium citrate with vitamin D in divided doses; increase based on follow-up labs.

• Bariatric Advantage Calcium Citrate Chewy Bite Chocolate Flavored
• Bariatric Advantage Calcium Citrate Lozenges
• Bariatric Advantage Calcium Crystals with Vitamin D
• Bariatric Advantage Lemon Calcium Citrate Chew
• BuildingBlocks Chewable Chocolate Calcium Citrate
• BuildingBlocks Chewable Orange Calcium Citrate
• Celebrate Chewable Calcium Citrate in Orange, Mixed Berry and Hot Cocoa
• Calcet Calcium Citrate Creamy Bites

Some programs may also recommend a separate daily B-complex or thiamine (Vitamin B1).  Also, some of us require additional vitamins and supplements, namely IRON and VITAMIN D.  Other trace elements may be suggested after you have bloodwork done.

• Bariatric Advantage Chewable Iron 60 mg.
• Bariatric Advantage Liquid Vitamin D-3 10,000 IU Supplement
• Vitamin D3-50 (Vitamin D3/ Cholecalciferol) 50,000 IU 
• Sundown High Potency B1
• Building Blocks 30mg Chewable Iron

Here's a Very Thorough Schedule that I found online:

Time What to take What to eat or drink

7 am (or upon awakening)

• Calcium citrate, 500 mg elemental
• Vitamin D, 200-400 IU 
• Magnesium citrate, 200 mg elemental 
• Whey protein shake, 30 gm

8 am

• Vitamin B-12 sublingual tablet
• Breakfast

9 am

• Iron supplement(s)
• Vitamin C, 500 mg Glass of water

11 am

• Calcium citrate, 500 mg elemental
• Vitamin D, 200-400 IU 
• Magnesium citrate, 200 mg elemental 
• Glass of water 

12 noon n/a

• Lunch

1 pm

• Multi-vitamin
• B-100 tablet Glass of water

2 pm n/a

• Whey protein shake, 30 gm

3 pm

• Calcium citrate, 500 mg elemental
• Vitamin D, 200-400 IU 
• Magnesium citrate, 200 mg elemental 
• Glass of water

4 pm

• Multi-vitamin
• B-100 tablet
• Glass of water

5 pm

• Iron supplement(s)
• Vitamin C, 500 mg Glass of water

6 pm

• n/a Dinner

7:30 pm n/a

• Whey protein shake, 30 gm

8 pm

• Vitamins A & D capsule
• Vitamin E capsule 
• Zinc tablet 
• Glass of water

10 pm (bedtime)

• Calcium citrate, 500 mg elemental
• Vitamin D, 200-400 IU 
• Magnesium citrate, 200 mg elemental 
• Whey protein shake, 30 gm

Middle of the night, if you wake up for any reason

• Calcium citrate, 500 mg elemental
• Vitamin D, 200-400 IU 
• Magnesium citrate, 200 mg elemental 
• Glass of water

WOW - right?  Yeah.  But, if I knew then what I know now?  I might have been THAT diligent.

Here's a post by a fellow surgery sister who's had the duodenal switch, and her vitamin regimen.

I don't always suggest patients "listen to your FREAKING DOCTOR" either since there are many doctors who actually think children's vitamins are sufficient.

Now, bring on the onslaught of posters claiming to have "perfect labs" or that everything is "just fine" and they've only been taking children's vitamins...

...and to those of you who will eventually be coming and saying such things, I ask, have you gotten actual COPIES of all your lab results, or are you just thinking everything is "fine" because someone told you so? Do you TRACK your labs for TRENDS to prevent problems rather than waiting for problems to occur and then trying to fix them once it's too late?

Jill, you took the words right out of my mouth. You have to do your own research and not necessarily put blind trust in your doctor, NUT or anyone else.

If your doctor tells you to just take children's or gummy vites, obtain independent information and draft your own regimen. 

Neither do I, however, these days one must throw a disclaimer on e v e r y t h i n g. 

But, here I sit nearly six years later, trying to assemble six years of lab results to pinpoint where we missed something.  LOL.

SO... to be clear... the recommendation from the old salts here is...

That the "Complete" chewable multi-vitamin I buy generic off the shelf at Walmart or Sams - at the recommendation of my surgeon and nutritionist -  is not good enough, and I should be purchasing the ones advertised on the origional posters blog/e-store?

Kent
(3 weeks post-RNY)
 

No, the recommendation is that you take adult multivitamins, not children's multivitamins. Thse listed were simply examples of vitamins for grown-ups. Furthermore, you most likely need to take more than just a multivitamin.

I'm not sure why you say that, since Beth made sure to say:

"Links added are mine, not a thorough list by any stretch, will add more):"

-Cyn

No.

Buy them where you can find them - Google search for "Bariatric Vitamins"  "Weight Loss Surgery Vitamins and Supplements,"  etc.

I would suggest dealing with the companies directly, so you can get free samples and information.

Not at all.

If you take flintstone gummies, I will flog you.

If you take flintstones, don't expect your labs to be fine forever.

And if you take tums, I will throw them at you.

And finally, if you trust ONE person above yourself to take your health as seriously as you do and you don't follow your labs trends then you should be shot in the foot.


Andrea
(5 years post op RNY who has gone through hell and back on flintstones and tums)

Andrea, I don't want to be flogged, but I do take a gummy everyday.  But that's only because I want a little candy with my vites.  I also take take an adult chewable vites 2x daily, carbonyl iron, calcium citrate 3x, C, and some other stuff I can't think of right now.  You won't flog me for my one dumb little gummy now, will you?