Vitamins and Supplements

OFF Friends, can you share with me what vitamins and supplements (including amounts and
brands) you're taking as a WLS patient?  I am a lapbander since 12/12/08.

We were told to take two multis with iron (I take CVS Spectravite)and two calciums with D (I was taking Caltrate in  error - I thought it was citrate but it's carbonate - switching to Citracal).  I'm getting about 1200 calcium and 1600 D (with Caltrate).  I also had abnormal D levels so I need to take in at least 1200 D a day.

I also take Biotin (for hair) and B50. I use Bariatric Advantage for these.

Please weight in on fish oil with brand and amounts as I need to take this also.

Thanks,

Katherine B

As a bander you don't need to be concerned with the carbonate/citrate issue that  rny folks do. Since you don't malabsorb you're ok there!

I think what you're doing is fine, the only think I'd do is add either a b-complex or b-12 with your mulit.

I'm 30 months post rny and take essentialy the same thing you do, with the exception of citrate, for sure!

Take care!

I'm not a lap band, but I can tell you what our launches his on:
2 multi (Centrum or clone)
150mg elemental iron (not ferrous forms)
vit C to go with iron, 500-2000
1500 mg calcium CITRATE *
25,000 IU dry vit D3 (yes, you read that right)
vit E, dry form 400 IU
B complex (you've got it)
zinc 50mg chelated gluconate
B12
90g in protein supps + whatever food

*citrate is still preferred. At its very best, carbonate absorbs at about 8%, whereas citrate delivers 48%. Since WLS are more prone to kidney stones ANYWAY (even bands), we don't want them touching carbonate, Tums, Viactiv, stuff like that

Thanks, Vitalady - I agree about the carbonate and am switching.

Can you explain a bit more re B?  I do B 50 which looks like 50 mgs or thereabout of each B
at least thats my interpretation.  What does B complex mean? 

When you say B 12 - how much  of that?

I had an abnormal count of D a year ago and was on the 50,000 therapy - now on 1200 - last
count I was within normal range.  Doing another soon so we'll see.

kb

B complex means it has the whole family of B's in it. 50 indicates that most of them are 50mg, as you saw. B-100 would mean they have 100mg, in theory.

But we don't count the B12 in a complex. Once swallowed, B12 is useless to us. Shot or sublingual. Those are the choices. Has to bypass the gut to get into us.

You did the Rx D? D2, in oil? 1 pill per week? And it raised you to what number?

The old ranges might be 20-57 or newer ranges are 32-100 and one lab here does 32-150. The ideal for us us 80-120 on the D25 hydroxy test. If you only climbed one digit into the range, you're not ok. You're not deriving the HUGE list of benefits that there are from vit D. The number of articles/studies that have come out since 2007 are STAGGERING.

It's D3 we want, not D2. It is by far the inferior form of D. Delivered in oil, and somewhere, it has to convert to D3 for the body to be able to "see" it. For any malabsorbers, it's pretty much a waste of money. For bands, sleeves, it's like using a skateboard vs a car, you know?

So much info, thanks.  The D were little gels and I took one a day for one or two weeks.Then
it was once a week for the remainder of the bottle.  I think there were 30 inside - the label on the outside read 50,000 units or iu, dont remember.  I was within normal levels on next text,whatever that was.

I'm a layman but I do know the value of D by reading non-tech articles in the NYT and AARP.
My husband just read an article along the lines of what you're saying - have to get ahold of it.
I think NYT last week.

People are dying not knowing the value - half of us women are deficient. 

2 more questions:

1)SO TELL ME, are you suggesting that I take D separately?  I've been relying on the D in my
2 multis and calciuim (which I see the citrate form only gives 100 per tab, my incorrect
caltrate gave 400 per).

2) Also - I'll continue with the B 50 - and get the B 12 sublingual.  IS THERE A strength of B 12
I should look for or brand?  I NEED SOME ENERGY and need to exercise.

Thanks!

you said:

I'm a layman but I do know the value of D by reading non-tech articles in the NYT and AARP.
My husband just read an article along the lines of what you're saying - have to get ahold of it.
I think NYT last week.

People are dying not knowing the value - half of us women are deficient.
************* I'll post my 3 fave articles separately on D

2 more questions:

1)SO TELL ME, are you suggesting that I take D separately? I've been relying on the D in my
2 multis and calciuim (which I see the citrate form only gives 100 per tab, my incorrect
caltrate gave 400 per).
************ yes. dry (powder in a capsule) D3. My doc starts his ppl on 25,000 IU. daily. yes. but this is D3, so it absorbs.

2) Also - I'll continue with the B 50 - and get the B 12 sublingual. IS THERE A strength of B 12
I should look for or brand?
************** it comes in sublinguals in 500 mcg increments from 500 up to 10,000! And either cyanacobalmin (the common form, good enough for most) and methylcaobalamin (better form...... more expensive, but the best)

gotta know your actual numbers from your labs


I NEED SOME ENERGY and need to exercise.

Paul, thanks, what a site! 

kb