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

It only proves that you must take the time to do thorough research and the necessary actions to be your own advocate.

I had surgery years ago (6+) and my Dr. said then that Flinstones were crap.  Well maybe not those words.  He did say that we were adults that needed adult vitamins.  So its really not new information.  I think many are just interested in the procedure and not what happens after its done.

I too wish I was diligent with vitamins.  I just love reading newbies stating that thier labs are just fine!!! 

Well I am a full time lurker and sometime poster..but thought I would add my two cents here....I am not a top rated surgeon or even a second rate hack ..nor do I play one on line.  I hate to be the bearer of bad news BUT Dr.s' no matter how educated do not know everything.  In this country we have elevated them to god like status and believe what they say as if it were the gosple truth (please do NOT throw your vitamins or protein shakes at me..yes I am generalizing), and while I LOVE my surgeon he doesn't know ME as well as I know ME.  I researched what I would have to do to be successful  both pre and post op and because I had the surgery to get healthy I try to do everything I can to stay that way including taking quality vitamins and protein suppliments.  I am not a child so I won't take children's vitamins...and I can't believe others would not question this if it were suggested they do.  My advise to EVERYONE is to become your own health advocate, know what "normal" ranges are and get copies of your labs, and ask questions.

Maggie

Yay Maggie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What you said!

Michele

dont laugh at me-i have been taking all 6 of my chewy calcium citrates at the same time-i should break them up and take them at diff times?

not laughing.  It's a common mistake.  Your body cannot absorb more than 600mg at a time of calcium (this is for carbonate, can't remember what it is for citrate so hopefully Andrea will chime in).  You need to break it up into different times of the day.

You probably should try 500mg three times a day to get 1500mg in... that seems to be the target.

My program suggests 3 Flinestones Complete vitamins a day. Being a member of OH I read lots of negative things about taking children's vitamins. So I asked the nutritionist who was leading my pre-op class. She said that they have been doing this for 10 years. And MOST patients labs come back fine. I asked if bariatric vitamins were better? She claimed no.

Well I did my own research. I looked at the vitamin content of Flinestones Complete, Bariatric Advantage  Bariatric Fusion and GNC Chewable Multis.

Surprisingly the Flinestones DID have adequate amounts of MOST vitamins. Especially if you take 3. But there some things missing. And there is that whole issue of iron/calcium at the same time.

I chose to err on the of caution. I was deficient in things pre-op, and I wasn't taking any changes. I bought the Bariatric Advantage vitamins.

A lot of people on here told me "LISTEN TO MY DOCTOR." If I trusted her to rearrange my guts I should trust her advice on vitamins. EXCEPT it isn't HER advice on vitamins. It's some nutritionist's advice. And she might have a 2-4 year degree. The surgeons's specialities are surgery. 

They aren't nutritionists. So that argument never made a lot of sense to me.

At the end of the day I am going to trust the research I've read and the experience of others. Of course, I listen to what my nutritionists say. But I also have a mind of my own.

Go back and read my question about beta carotene in adults versus children.

Then think about it.

Dawn, that is awesome good for you! 

Also, what people don't realize is that a nutritionist is different than a dietician.  A dietician is someone who's gone to school, has a degree, and has criteria to meet. My surgeon's office uses a registered dietician (one of my closest friends at work is a registered dietician as well). 

While a dietician has strict criteria to meet regarding credentials (like a doctor), nutritionists do not.  No offense to any nutritionists, but they may not have the background needed to give good advice.

I'm curious how many nutritionists that are giving this advice, are also registered dieticians? 

I did talk to one dietician *****commends Flintstones.  I am pretty sure she is a registered dietician.  She told me that two Flintstones DOES provide 200% of most vitamins and minerals.  Which is not true.  I can only assume she hasn't bothered to read the label.

Kelly