Can I afford NOT to?

Every so often, someone considering RNY will express concern about the cost of "all those supplements and vitamins."

This week I have had to stock up on some vitamins, and began to look at costs. Here's what I came up with:

Calcium Citrate (Bariatric Advantage Lozenges), 3 per day = .40 per day
Centrum Chewables, 2 per day (Walmart) = .20 per day
Vitamin B12 Sublingual, 1 per day (Walgreens Buy 1/Get 1 Sale) = .06 per day
Vitamin B1, 1 per day (Walgreens Buy 1/Get 1 Sale) = .03 per day

Based on individual needs or preferences, you might add biotin, iron, or other supplements as recommended by your doctor.

I take biotin daily at a cost of .08 per day (Walgreen's price). It's not a "must' for me but it does keep my nails strong.

Now, let's move on to protein shakes. Some cost more than others, but here's what I got yesterday:

Body Fortress (Walmart) 2 lb. canister. Single scoop per shake yields 26 gm. protein = .53 per shake

And of course, you add the cost of skim milk or lactaid or whatever you wish. I admit, sometimes I get the pricer stuff at GNC, and I have a little back stock of other proteins that offer some flavor variety. From time to time, I pick up a ready to drink shake if I am on the road.

So for me, the grand total per day is $1.30 for "all those vitamins and supplements."

Do I need to do the math to tell you how much I spent DAILY preop on crap that went into my mouth?

Could I afford NOT to have had my RNY?

That's a great way to put things into perspective.......that's for sharing.

so obviously you were TOTALLY bored! :)  This is a Steffi thing to do - and I didn't even think to do it!  I love the math in all of this! :)

But on the serious side - I actually NEVER even worried about the cost of things financially - I was more worried about the cost of my health.  I am guessing that the people who say this - and even if we ever said it - it was just our fear that was talking.  I know that in the four years it took for me to finally make the right move - there were more than one, not so intellegent comments, that I made to myself.

Thanks for doing the math - you know exactly how to get to my heart! :)

The pricier part of the end result for me comes when shopping for meats and veggies.  I can stock up on stuff at BJ's but by the time I get half way thru my salad it is shot.  If I small smaller quantities at the supermarket I am paying more but eating the whole thing without waste.  Meats, Poultry, Fish the same thing except that I can freeze those but then don't feel like taking one or two pieces out to cook it.  So I'm only getting full use out it when I first bring it home and cook it that night.  But no matter how you look at it.  My surgery was worth every penny and I was self pay.

This was a very good post, you should cross post it

Done, Nicole. I put it on RNY and Main boards.

I'm not sure I ever worried about the cost of vitamins.  I just knew not taking vitamins was not an option for me, no matter what.  I watch for sales and try to stock up, but I don't worry about the cost too much.  And like you said, what we spent on crap as pre-ops was way more, not to mention what a lot of us spent on prescription meds and other things.

Thanks for the break-down of vitamin cost!  Always good to see!

This is an excellent post because sometimes people who are not advocates of RNY will say things like that to me - the cost of vitamins - protein - Splenda vs sugar - etc. Obviously these people have never following any type of structured diet plan, because on Weigh****chers or any plan that uses regular food you have to spend a lot of money - go on Jenny Craig or NutriSystem and see how much you're laying out. It costs more to eat healthy - plain and simple. Fresh food - fruit, veggies, meats - they all cost more than processed, pre-packaged foods.

I get my vitamins at Walmart or Christmas Tree Shoppe (yeah I know - that's weird) but I've found them to have the best prices for what I need - I take 2 multi-vitamins, one calcium supplement and one B-12 daily - I used to take a lot more than that in prescription drugs and hey, I'm only taking one of those now!

So even just comparing the cost of vitamins vs prescription drugs that most morbidly obese people are on I'd say its a win-win situation for having RNY - I know it was for me. The vitamin supplements are much cheaper than the Advair, Singulair, emergency inhalers, C-Pap machine and cholesterol meds I was taking - and it was only a matter of time before I went on diabetes meds because I know my sugar levels were out of control.

Again, great post - puts things in good perspective.

Wow, Lynn.... great perspective!!! 

Thanks for posting this.

karen