Multi Vitamin

Hello, Can someone recommend a good - small size- multivitamin?  I bought some that are too big.  I'm taking Biotin - 500 MG, is that ok or should I take more?   Thanks, Candy

Hey Candy - It's Candi, thanks for the comment on my photo, been a long but sort road, if that makes any sense!!!  Hey great liquid Vitamin with a pretty OK taste, I mix with OJ and shoot it down.  Its at Cosco or Sams  LIQUID VITAMAX, its in like a gold jar in vitamin section, got everything in it!  Good Luck! Candi

Candy, I am 5 years post-op from my original WLS and have taken the itty bitty multi vites with iron from Walgreens (Walgreens brand) from the start.  They are about the size of a smiley face on the icon board and very easy to swallow.  I take one morning and night but don't ever count the iron as part of my daily iron needs.  I've had great labs to this point.  Right now I'm back on chewable Centrum adults til my Revision recovery is settled. The Walgreen vites are in a brown bottle and show the picture of the gold table on the front.  Very inexpensive. If you take your Biotin morning and night then that dosage should be fine  Track your labs for trends of ups and downs so you can adjust vites. Others that all Rny post-ops should be taking: Sublingual B-12 (and/or shots).....my experience is that Trader Joe's B-12 is the best and least expensive.  (pkg is red and green....think Christmas colors and is about $5.99 a box)  I take one mornig and night and have had my levels over the top!  .....  Being deficient in B-12 can lead to neurological damage and isn't something to mess with. Iron - check out www.vitalady.com for details on the best types.....  Iron is fussy and is absorbed best by itself and 30 minutes following a vitamin C capsule.   Calcium citrate - NOT carbonate!!!!  NOT carbonate!  ........Citrate!!!!  (can be taken by itself at random times throughout the day but is best absorbed while resting at night) ....other vites as directed by your pcp or surgeon. .........course I"m not a doc and so my suggestions are just based on my own research, other's research, etc. Weigh 2 go for keeping up your supplements!!!!  A healthy loser is a happy loser!

Thank you this is great information.

I was advised by a friend who had her RNY surgery in 2001 to take Optisource post bariatric surgery formula vitamins & mineral supplements. She chews 2 in the morning and 2 at night and her labs have been fine. That's all she needs to take. No extra b12, iron or calcium. This multivitamin has everything needed for post op bariatric patients. Of course this brand should be run by your health care provider for their approval. This multivitamin is available only through the Walgreen's website. It lists a breakout of ingredient information for you to review and make up your mind whether or this would work for you. Good luck. Meeting with my surgeon tomorrow. Can't wait to join you in our weight loss endeavors! Denise in NH

Denise, EVERY post-bariatic patient that has been bypassed should have sublingual B-12 (or shots).  Our systems bypass the piece of anatomy that absorbs B-12.  Long term damage can be in your face without ever having lab warnings based on normal pcp standards.  B-12 (and other vite levels) should be monitored by tracking your labs.  That means you get a copy each and every time and see what numbers are slowly declining or improving.  The National standard for B-12 is well below the suggseted levels set by the ASBS, Asia and Europe.  PLEASE take sublingual B-12!!!!! As for optisource.  It's o.k.  Obesity Help used to have them as a sponsor for their events and so I thought that meant it was the best stuff available.  Actually, you can pick up similar products from googling "post bariatric" supplements, from vitalady.com, from Bariatriceating.com, from the Vitamin Shoppe, Sprouts, and even some of them from Wal Mart.  I get very good product from Costco as well. Good luck with your surgeons meeting tomorrow!  Hope all goes well. Joyce in az

I will bring my vitamin bottle with me to my surgeon's appt tomorrow and see what he has to say about them. I know what you say is true though as I am a RN. That's why I mentioned to check with your health care provider. Thanks for the info about all of the places to check out vitamins. Will "shop" around to see what type I like the best. Thanks so much for your well wishes. I am so very anxious for my new "birthday"!!! Denise

Follow up. Met with my surgeon today. He stated that he would go by what the bariatric nutritionist advised me. I sent her the label from this multivitamin and she stated that I should take an extra 200mg of B12 other than what was listed in the multivitamin. So I will get some sl b12. Best to check with your health care providers and go by your lab work results. I will get my surgery date next week!!! Denise

After trying quite a few different chewables, I ended up finally trying the Optisource and fell in love with them. They taste great. I take them, my bioten, B12 sub and calcium. Had my first labs done this month and everything looked great. I luck out, our local Walgreens actually carries them in stock. There are a few of us Post Surgery folks here in this little town.  :-)

 

Hi Candy: I take two multi vitamins daily. One in the morning and one at night. I still to this day take the Centrum chewable. But I'm running out and I'm going to see if I can find the small ones that Joyce mentioned. I also take two sublingual B-12, one iron, and one B complex. I've been doing this since day one after my surgery and my blood work has been coming back great. But I have a question? What is Biotin and what does it help? Is it not found in a multi vitamin and mineral? Thank you Joyce on the information about the small muti vitamin.  Pam