bone pain

I have taken some just not CONSISTENTLY over the years - The first year I was good and very regimented but life was different then ....  i have taken some supplements once in a while randomly here and there.   

would you care to share more info on the patch?? Is this an OTC thing or a RX?

I had my original RNY in 2003. For the first few years I took the vitamins as perscribed but hated them. There weren't as many bariatric-specific options available (or at least I didn't know about them) so I had to swallow giant pills. 

After a while I was less regimented with the vitamins and eventually I just stopped taking them -- and I was fine. I had labs drawn every year and everything looked good, so for like 7 years I didn't take them.  

So I can understand how some of the responses you received probably seem overly alarmist -- as if you are going to die if you miss a few vitamins. 

But the thing is, my experience is not the norm. I was lucky -- and I'm guessing you are one of the lucky ones too.  I was still able to get enough nutrition through vegetables and such. Eventually though, it does catch up to you. Ten years out I became really anemic. I was tired all the time, and my blood work went from "everything is fine" to "what the hell happened." I was fortunate in that I was able to start back with the vitamins and get back to normal, but I attribute that to having caught the problem early because of the annual (and sometimes semi-annual) blood work.

The key to vitamin compliance, I believe, is establishing a habit -- and it takes 21 days to make a habit stick. Consider timing your vitamins to coincide with something you do everyday.  For me, no matter how busy I am, each day I have to wake up and I have to go to sleep -- so that's when I take my vitamins.  I keep them right near my bed and I bring a bottle of water to bed with me so I can take them right before I sleep and can take them again when I wake up.

I also found that the chewable vitamins made specifically for bariatric patients were much more tolerable for me than anything you can find in a store. I use Bariatric Advantage's chewable multi (French vanilla for me), iron (passion fruit), and calcium (chocolate peanut butter).  You can't take the calcium and the iron together so I take iron in the morning and calcium at night.  I also take sublingual B-12 (they had me doing awful shots back in the day!) but I get that from target or the grocery store (Nature Made brand).  The bariatric vitamins are more expensive than what you'd find at the grocery store, but if you can afford it, it's totally worth it.

And if I may... While it's true that some of the initial responses you received were harsh, as someone *****ads their posts often, I can say with absolute certainty that they were really trying to help you.  You have to remember that for most people, not taking vitamins for even a few months can absolutely be life threatening. I don't know why some people seem to be able to get away with skipping them for a while and others can't, but what I do know is that -- for the most part -- those posts were meant as tough love. I would encourage you to go back and reread the initial ones, keeping in mind that they were going for the "scared straight" effect. Of course, that's not a tactic that works for everyone as I'm sure you know since it sounds like you work in a social work-related field.

I wish you you luck in finding a regimen that works for you, but please do try to find one. And make sure someone (surgeon, primary doc, gynecologist) is following your blood work regularly. It is really, really important. 

Thank you Thank you so much ...  i have a medical background and I am aware.  I get the tough love and all and that they are trying to help but I know there are just MEAN people in the world.   I had labs about 2 years ago and all but iron was fine - I have iron issues all my life as I was a vegetarian  but since surgery I now have no reserve and the DR then just said supplement ...  since surgery/kids i am no longer a vegetarian and  do eat meat here and there The reserve issue I have did not really have any typical side affects as in I was not fatigues or tired ( the B-12) which I take more often than any other supplement  prolly kept that at bay.  

Like you I am also not typical of surgery as I dont have really any reactive issues - Once in a while I will feel as tho I have a reactive Hypoglycemic thing going on ... but its never been alarming or lasted long enough to do much about and I'm pretty versed in DIABETES as my FIL is a severe diabetic so.... I do not do iron pills or iron at all because I do not want to be constipated in any shape or form  and (well i just have poop issues all in my mind )   

I have started some calcium pills and the pain has subsided and will start  some Vitamin D -    I can and have swallowed pills but they do tend to aggravate my system or make me feel  full /bloat  or burn ... 

I like the idea of  waking and sleeping  regimen but  i have to drink 1st thing when i wake to lubricate so I will see how drinking n pills go ...

But thank you for your reply I really do appreciate it and I do understand that most are trying to help and just have a ILL tone about it . 

I got really sick on every iron pill I tried. That's actually how I learned about bariatric advantage. A coworker that didn't know about my past surgery suggested trying them because they are more gentle and than the supposedly-gentle ones on the general market. Try them. You might be surprised. 

do you know anything about this PATCH everyone is talking about >\?

Google PatchMD. They have ads on this site.  I'm skeptical but some people swear by them.