Vitamin deficits

What are the symptoms for a 6 week post-op DSer who may not be taking all of their vitamins -- more precisely, not so much?  Or not getting all of their protein?  I understand at this stage, 30 grams/day is about normal.  But if they aren't getting that much, what is their body going to do?  I'm speaking not about my experience - I was pretty much by the book, but a good friend who had the surgery mid-September but doesn't take many of the vitamins or getting all the protein.  I'd really appreciate your advice.  Thank you.

There really isn't an answer to that question, because what kinds of symptoms someone might experience at SNY point in time is going to depend on which vitamin(a) they become deficient in and how bad the deficiency is.  

At just 6 weeks out, it is very unlikely that there are any deficiencies (yet), especially for the vitamins that the body stores (where someone can go for a while working off the stored vitamin sources).

Lora

edited to add that at only 6 weeks out, it would be difficult to tell whether some of the symptoms of insufficient protein are from lack of protein or from the normal effects of surgery (weakness, lethargy, etc.).

Like Lora said, the body has a few months of nutritional storage.  Once that is used up, though, the levels drop drastically and fast.  Some can take years to bring back up and it's no fun.  If your friend is feeling poorly - my first guess would be dehydration.  The body needs 64oz a day minimum - and it's hard to accomplish early on...but the body doesn't accept excuses and will react accordingly.

Is she trying to take all her vitamins, and just can't tolerate them yet? Same re protein?

Most vitamin deficiencies develop over time, and symptoms come on gradually. At this point, if your friend is feeling badly, she needs to be talking to her surgeon and/or her PCP. We have a tendency after WLS to think that everything that happens to us is because of our surgery. Much of the time, it has nothing to do with our surgery.

Actually, it's my husband.  He forgets to take the vitamins.  Gets too occupied in other things to remember.  And he doesn't have a smart phone to set reminders.  At this point he said he feels fine - but he sometimes has can't keep his food down.  Admittedly he is not following the strict no/low carb, diet so I don't know if that affects the occasional vomiting (maybe 3 times/week).  But I didn't know how soon he should really be focusing on taking vitamins.  I have reminded and nagged him to focus on protein, fluids and vitamins until he won't listen to me anymore.  I don't know if I should call the nurse and have her talk to him.  Sometimes this is accepted better from someone other than one's spouse.  As for protein, there are many foods such as yogurt, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese that he does not like, so that limits options.  And he is still in the softer foods stage as well.  I'm very concerned about him.

Try mixing ricotta cheese with some SF pudding powder and add just enough milk or cream to beat to a pudding-like consistency.  It was my go-to for a long time.  Other good soft foods are tuna salad, egg salad, etc.  If he likes lasagna, you can also layer ricotta with sauce and mozzerella and bake without noodles.   His throwing up I'll bet is trying to eat in a hurry or for me, the only thing i"ve thrown up over in 9 years is potatoes.  I love them, but if I eat them too fast, they feel stuck in my chest...and if I'm not careful, up they come.  It's only happened a few times, but enough that I pay attention.

For the vitamins - it's a habit, and you have a point that the importance coming from someone else may perk his ears up better than you efforts....for all he probably hears is "Nag, nag, nag".  If you can ambush him to take a double-multi first thing in the morning, and the calcium twice in the evening, that's a great hurdle.  Just hand them to him with a glass of water.

Hi Valerie

You have been very kind and answered questions for me in the past.  Since this post is about vitamins, I was wondering if there is a reason people say to take "dry" vitamins.  I am four and a half months out and doing the multi, calcium and B chews rather than dry ones.  Is this okay?

"Dry" means not in oil.  Some vitamins, like vitamin D and vitamin A, often come in soft gels, those little things shaped like footballs with oily stuff inside.  People that had RNY or DS malabsorb fats and oil is a fat.  So they absorb vitamins that are not in oil better.

Chewable vitamins are fine.

Oh okay, great thanks.  I really like the vitamin chews I get from GNC but wanted to make sure they were giving me what I need.  I take a multi, B, calcium and both my multi/calcium has extra D. My preop labs showed low B and D.  This is all they have me taking, is it enough?

Which surgery did you have?  Are you taking calcium citrate?  Was the low B, B12?  There are a bunch of B vitamins, is why I ask.