In search of vitamins!

I am having a devil of a time finding vitamins!  Can somebody point me in the right direction, please.  I am 3 weeks out and would like to find a chewable which is appropriate for me.

THANKS!
Margie

Hi there!  You might want to post this on the RNY board, there are lots of knowledgeable folks there who can point you in the right direction.  Some websites will send you samples, too, although I can't remember right now which ones do.

Some websites to visit include:

Celebrate vitamins
Bariatric Advantage
Building Blocks (or Bariatric Building Blocks)
Bariatric fusion vitamins

I know Walgreens sells one called Optifast, but they are orange flavored and you need to eat them 4x day (not so yummy; they were gritty).  I believe Centrum has a chewable too.

Good luck!

I take Bariatric Advantage vitamins.

For a multi - go to CVS, target or similar store - some supermarkets and get centrum silver chewables - take them 2 times daily.  They have no iron in them so you can take them with your calcium but you need to take a separate iron supplement.

calcium citrate - you need 1500-1800 mg daily.  You can get chewables at bariatric advantage or celebrate.com   If you go to the website, they can send you samples.  I love the cherry lozenges and raspberry chewies from bariatric advantage.

Iron - you need to take carbonyl iron plus vitamin C. Minimum of 45-60mg daily. If you are anemic you need more and once you get your first set of labs, you can adjust your dosage.  You can get chewables at vitalady.com -They are called Tender Iron- they are 25mg each.  Take 2 per day and to go with it, you need 500mg of vitamin C.  Once you can swallow pills, switch to the 60mg capsules, they have the vitamin C already in them. Tender irons are highly absorbable, easy on the stomach and dont' cause constipation

B12 - either 1000mcg of sublingual B12 or monthly injection.  Once you get your first set of labs, you can adjust your dosage - most need a higher a dosage.

Dry D3 - once you can swallow a pill - get Dry D3 from vitalady.com - minimum of 5,000 units per day but if you know your level and are deficient, then you need alot more

I have used the BA and Building Blocks but they are very expensive and shipping is a pain. I found Trader Joe's chewable work a bit better for me due to cost and shipping. They don't taste bad either. TJ's also has a sub-lingual B-12 that I use in addition to the Chewable Calcium with D, Chewable C and non chewable vitamin D that I get from GNC. I only recently started taking D since that level came back a little bit low on my last set of labs. I eat a ton of beans, beef and green veggies so I don't have an issue with Iron but if your levels are on the lower side you might want to add an iron too.. Andrea U is the best at vitamins, she is on the main board.

Good luck,
Stella

Hi Marge,

I just switched from the vitamins I was taking and started taking "Celebrate" vitamins yesterday.

I take as follows:

Breakfast:
1 Celebrate Multivitamin
3 Celebrate Calcium Plus
1 B-Complex (these I got from Walgreens)

Lunch:
1 Celebrate Mutivitamin
1 Celebrate Iron plus C
1 Celebrate Dry-3

Dinner:
1 Celebrate Mutivitamin
3 Celebrate Calcium Plus

I also give myself a B-12 shot once monthly.

What I like about the Celebrate vitamins is they are strictly for Gastric Bypass patients so I truely feel that I am getting the best.....I believe they are also used by lapbanders too.

While the ones I am taking are capsules and tablets, they do carry the chewables also.

If you should choose them, and you call to place an order, ask for Karrie....She is so nice and very helpful.

Hope this was of some help to you.

Karen