He hasn't even told you what you'll need yet?  So if he tells you that at one month out, and then it takes however long to get the vitamins you need, it will more than a month before you start any?

Started everything after I got home from the hospital.

 I started all of my vitamins the day after surgery....multis, D3, B12, Citrates, bComplex, Biotin, Iron, and C.  No problems. :)

 When did you begin your multivitamins after surgery? Soon as I got home..so day 3

When did you begin your iron? one month

When did you begin your calcium citrate? one month

When did you begin your B12? one month

If you took other vitamins initially after surgery, like a B Complex or D3, what did you take and when did you start taking it? one month

Were you following your doctor's advice or did you decide to start at a different time than he or she recommended? That is when they recoomended I start.

 I started my vitamins about a month BEFORE surgery.  My nut switched me to a dry d-3 instead of liquid drops for right after surgery.  I switched to a multi with high ADEK after my 6 month labs came back with my clotting time increased.  I also added a B complex and B12 on my own .. when I questioned my nut she said they don't usually have people take certain vits unless they show a deficiency.. well I paid for that with a thrush infection around 7 months out.

These were my doctors instructions: (I followed them)

The multivitamins & Calcium I took immediately after surgery (I was told because they are chewable, thus easy on the pouch)

My B12 & vitamin D I took 2 weeks after surgery. I also took these before surgery, because these were the 2 vitamins, I was deficient in prior to surgery.

I started taking probiotics (Florastor) after getting C Diff after surgery.

I also take levoxyl for hypothyroidism. ( the dosage has been continually lowered as I lose weight).

I have never taken any iron. My iron level was normal before surgery, and is even higher now.

I was worried my labs would all come back low because my doctors recommendations ( which I was uncomfortable NOT following) were everything I was hearing on here not to take. (Flinstone Complete Vitamins, Caltrate, aka Calcium Carbonate, B12 500 mcgs not a subligual form, and D gel caps 2000 IU.)

My 6 month labs came back normal. Even my iron levels were normal, which I was worried about because prior to surgery I started Depo Shot which made me have my period for over 5 months straight. But my iron levels were HIGHER than pre surgery, as was almost everything else.

I have switched  my B12 to a sublingual, and my D3 is now NOT in gel cap form. The same dosage as before. I kept my multivitamin and Calcium the same as before though, because my surgeon/ nutritionist was very specific about the brands we could have and so far, they seem to work for me.

I am now 6 months post op I am 136lbs which is 1 lb shy of my second goal, and I feel great Diabetes is completely gone and BP is now normal.

So you're still taking calcium carbonate?  Did you happen to ask them why they recommend that instead of citrate?

Now that I look it actually says in my information folder that the Calcium Citrate is best absorbed. Maybe that is why they reccommend only 1000-1500mg. Where as Calcium Carbonate they reccommend 1500-2000mg.
 These were my options:
1. take 3 Viactiv chews (Calcium Carbonate)
2. take 3 Os-Cal chewables (Calcium Carbonate)
3. take 3 Caltrate chewables (Calcium Carbonate)
4. take 3 generic calcium chewables (Calcium Carbonate)
5. take 4-6 Bariatric Advantage chewables (Calcium Citrate)

I think at the time (pre-op) I chose the Caltrate because it was easy to get at our local Walmart & I only had to take 3 instead of 4-6. Plus I figured it probably didn't make a huge difference if they said we could take either.

Now that I am doing the research... should I switch even though my labs with the Caltrate were normal? The Caltrate is 600mg (plus vitamin D) a piece and I take 3, at 2 hours apart by itself. If I can make do with the Caltrate I would like to because it is one less pill a day to remember ( I also have to take my thyroid pill seperately), and I don't have to order it online I can get it right from my local Walmart. Thanks, Kelly!

 When did you begin your multivitamins after surgery? When did you begin your iron? When did you begin your calcium citrate? When did you begin your B12?

I was advised to wait 4 weeks before beginning chewable vits.  They recommended 2 multis a day, 1000mg B12 once a week, and 1200mg calcium citrate daily.  I take two senior multis and add iron/vit C at night, which they didn't (and still don't) recommend. 


If you took other vitamins initially after surgery, like a B Complex or D3, what did you take and when did you start taking it?  Were you following your doctor's advice or did you decide to start at a different time than he or she recommended?

After lab results came back 3 weeks ago from an ER visit, I added a few more vits on my own, without consulting a doctor.  Those include a B Complex and D3.  I have also been taking B12 daily, as per ASMBS.  My potassium is low, but I'm waiting for my official first postop lab draw (2 weeks from today) to see if I need to add that as well. 

Started everything a few days after I got out of the hospital- Doctor said I could  wait till I got back to Alaska but I had them with me so started sooner.

Valerie