Vitamin Regimen

I'm 8 weeks post-op and we recently moved to a new state. I have contacted a bariatric center here in the area to continue my follow-up checks, but am unable to get in until September. I think my vitamins are off as I've been extremely tired and have practically no energy. What is your vitamin regimen?

I'm happy to share mine, but it's based partly on my labs and you may not need all the things I take or as much as I take.

Breakfast- multi, 500 mg calcium citrate, 50,000 IU D3 three times a week, 25,000 IU vitamin A three times a week, 50 mg zinc twice a week

Lunch - 500 mg calcium citrate

Snack - 150 mg carbonyl iron, 1000 mg vitamin C

Dinner - multi, 500  mg calcium citrate

Bedtime - 150 mg carbonyl iron, 1000, mg vitamin C

B12 shot, 1000 mcg sub-q every other Friday

Is it hard for you personally to absorb iron? I'm taking Perfect Iron 50mg. I don't have my 3-month labs until a month from today.

I don't know.  My actual iron level is OK but my ferritin level is super low.  Over the past year it dropped from 70 to just 15.  That's why I increased my iron so much.

Did you previous surgeon/nutritionist not give you a list of supplements you need to take? If not definitely look at the ASMBS website and I'd make sure you're covering your bases:

http://asmbs.org/guidelines-statements/

As for me, this is my schedule:

Non-daily:

D3: 50,000 iu once per week

Vitamin B-12 sublingual: 2,500 mcg every 3 days

Daily:

8AM - 1 Centrum Silver, 1 Bariatric Advantage Prebiotic, 1 Ursodiol (prescription, to prevent gallstones during weightloss), 1 Bariatric advantage calcium citrate chew 500mg+D, 5mg Biotin.

12PM - 1 Bariatric advantage calcium citrate chew

5PM - 1 Centrum Silver, 1 Bariatric advantage calcium citrate chew

7PM - Another prescription med I take

8PM - 1 Ursodiol (prescription, to prevent gall stones during weightloss)

11PM - 1 Bariatric Advantage chewable Iron (Carbonyl), 60 mg.

No, not really. He came highly recommended, but I honestly feel like I didn't get all the info after surgery that I needed. I've asked a number of questions, but at the same time feel like I don't know what questions to ask. I've really relied on this website, as well as others. I appreciate everyone's help so far!

I know I'm probably WAY off, but this is what I take:

Morning:

1 Citracal (Calcium Citrate + D3) - 500 IUs of Vitamin D and 400 mg of Calcium per pill

1 65 mg Iron (equivalent to 325 mg Ferrous Sulfate)

1 chewable multi-vitamin 

1 sublingual B12 with Folic Acid (200 mcg of Folic Acid and 1 mg of Vitamin B12)

 

Afternoon:

1 Citracal (Calcium Citrate + D3) - 500 IUs of Vitamin D and 400 mg of Calcium per pill

 

Evening:

1 chewable multi-vitamins (1 morning and 1 evening)

 

Plus...

1 40mg Prilosec capsule in the morning, and 1 300mg capsule 2 times per day of Ursodiol (to prevent gallstones)

I think you need 1-2 more calciums in there somewhere, you want around 1,500mg per day. If reading right you're at 800mg with that regimen.

I'm not aware of any Citracal that has 400 mg calcum citrate per pill.  Are you using the Citracal petites?  I know they label says 400 mg per serving, but if you look at the serving size, a serving is TWO pills.  We need 1500 to 2000 mg calcium citrate daily, so if you are using the petites, you need eight to ten of them a day. 

Don't take your iron and calcium at the same time - the calcium blocks the absorption of the iron.  You need to take them at least two hours apart.

Yes, I am taking the petites. Maybe that's why I'm so tired? The calcium is blocking the absorption of the iron I'm taking at the same time. I will change that immediately! Thank you, everyone, for your help! I honestly feel very lost with all of this since we've moved. I've found a doctor to go to, but can't get in until mid-September! My surgeon in Iowa, I feel, did a great job preparing me pre-op and not post-op.