Ok, I know we have all been down this road a few times, but after a few weeks of feeling BLAH, I decided to review my vitamin intake and schedule and I figured I might have been coming in a little light on some of the less critical nutrients and decided to go ahead and roll with the FULL Vitalady DS schedule.

My question now is it seems my daily pill holder is a little lacking in total overall space so, what holder/keepers are you all using and how do you like it, and more importantly where did you get it?  

Also, for those on the Vitalady plan, who have been on it for a year or so, how overall have your labs trended? I know the plan is not one size fits all, and must be adjusted via lab results but, in general, your thoughts? 

I use this

http://www.amazon.com/Apex-Medi-Tray-Times-Days/dp/B000KI5QVU/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1312043256&sr=8-12


I bought it on amazon along with like 95% of items in my home.

i do NOT like this thing. I hate those stupid little lids, they are SO annoying. I can not stress enough the annoyance factor of opening the tiny lids.  I can not find anything that would be better than this. But the entire vialady schedule fits in there for me

I'm coming up on 2 years post op and 18 months on vitalady's plan with tweaks.  I take more calcium than most people (3600 a day) and I take Mag Oxide and Mag Citrate with each Calcium dose.

But my labs have been pretty good.  I'm watching my D but my pth is  real good.  My iron markers are all pretty good.

My last labs showed a small decrease in protein markers altho still within normal range.  I jumped on that trend because I had quit doing protein shakes because I was getting well over 100 of protein every day in food.  I found a shake (shake cake) that I adore and have been doing 4 a day and look forward to seeing how my protein markers look next labs.

My only struggle is with leg cramps which I can't seem to cure.

I am a huge believer in her plan and frequent labs and tweaks as indicated.  Without the help of the vets here I would be in big old trouble based on my surgeon's vitamin "program."

~Becky

 Okay Becky...... what's with the leg cramps? Are you not supplimenting the potassium?

My last potassium was 3.7.  I do take OTC potassium daily  but VL says I would have to take a bottle at a time to equal a prescription dose and I'm not going to get a prescription with a level like that.  I take a ton of Magnesium both oxide and citrate.  I also take more Calcium than anyone you know 3600 minimum per day. 

I don't know what it is other than caffiene makes it worse and if I sweat (night sweats will do it) it is almost a certaintay that I will cramp.  I avoid caffeine but when I am traveling I do use it.  I figure staying awake while driving is more important than having foot cramps that night.

I drink nearly a gallon of water a day.

Lot's of folks have tried to help me on this one.  Most recently it was just both great toes that cramped after long days on my feet at the dog show.  I make sure to get all my vites and water in even when I am on the road.

I've about given up trying to solve it.

~Becky

I use the AM/PM holder I found at Walmart, and then the pill bag for the batches I take to work with me.

I started on the vitalady plan, but then Ms. Sue at our surgeons office said:  why would you take so many pills when you can just follow our plan.  So, I tried it.  

My labs were fine last November on vitalady plan, trended down this July off of it.

So, guess what I am using now?  Yep, I'm stupid and not following vitalady plan... (NOT!)

I know everyone has to figure out their own vitamin schedule depending on their personal labs, but Vitalady has been around this world a long time.  She has designed her schedule based on what she has personally lived thru and seen go on in the bariatric world.   IMO she is not just trying to sell vitamins, she is trying to help us.  

Hope you find the plan that works for you.  I think I have!

MedCenter Monthly Vitamin Organizer with Large Pill Boxes

http://www.amazon.com/MedCenter-Monthly-Vitamin-Organizer-La rge/dp/B001DU7BMQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1312057596&sr=8-2


I have 2 of these, so I only sort vitamins 6 times a year for 2 months at a time. This holds everything I take, including my calcium capsules, which I take 4 of per dose, 3 times a day. If you opt for this, be sure it is THIS one - there is another MedCenter one where they stand up vertically instead of at an angle, but that one is smaller and won't hold everything.

Thanks for sharing your link. I have the smaller one and it doesnt fit all my vitamins unless I carefully stack them in. I just ordered the one you have.

I use the same one as JillyBean, also got it through amazon as I do everything else :)  The lids are a tad on the flimsy side but you just have to know how to close them properly, you have to sort of push in and down, not just down or else they don't close right.  I'm pre-op but I've already ordered and have sorted the entire VitaLady schedule into this and it holds it all just fine.  The only thing I don't have in mine is the calcium because I ordered the chews instead of the capsuls.  So I keep those out separate, but everything else fits just fine :)  And I love the fact that you turn it over to red once you're done with that day.  It's just a visual accomplishment and I love those sort of things :)

Check those calcium chews for sugar alcohols.  Oh man they gave me G.A.S.  YMMV of course.

~Becky