Vitamins

So I'm 7 weeks post op on Monday and trying to get a good vitamin routine. Take a look at it and tell me what you think.

7:00 am Centrum silver (200 mg calcium)

9:00 am Citracal petites 600 mg

11:00 am Citracal petites 600 mg

9:00 pm iron 30 mg

MWF 1000 mcg B12

Am I missing anything? Do the timing and amounts look good?

I do b12 everyday, fyi - and a Bariatric multivitamin, not a "normal" multi, like Centrum. Although my Iron was low at my 2 month post op, they think that might be because of the blood transfusions I had in the week after surgery, so for now they just had me add a B1 (which I needed a shot for, in office)

My approx. schedule:

6:30-7am B12 1000 mg

8am Celebrate Multi Capsule + 250mg B1

10am Calcium chew 500mg

1pm Celebrate Multi

4pm Calcium chew 500mg

7-10pm Celebrate Multi

I forget the 3rd Multi a lot, so I have started taking it at bedtime instead of an hour after dinner

I take a second Centrum Silver at dinner. I take extra vitamin D with the Citracal Petites and I take vitamin c with my iron. My surgeon recommends 500 mcg of B12 per day (3500 per week) so your 3000 per week is close to that. I take 2500 twice per week to keep my levels at the high end of the range. Like many of us, I feel better when they are at the higher end of the range.

Here is what my personal laminated, wallet-size vitamin card reads.  My personal list is for you and other WLSers to compare (not follow) with your own vitamin regiment:

8:00 a.m.  Multivitamin + B Complex + B12, NOON  Calcium Citrate, 5:00 p.m. Multivitamin, Bedtime Calcium Citrate

Multivitamin: Chewable adult or children, look for the word "complete"  2 per day- one in the a.m. and one later in the day

Vitamin D:  3000 IU daily

Calcium Citrate:  chewable or petite. Must contain Vitamin D.  Take between 1200-1500 mg daily.

B-100 Complex:  must contain 100 mg Thiamine, liquid or tablet form.  One daily, cut or crushed.

Vitamin B12: sublingual form 1000 mcg daily

Iron:  chewable best tolerated.  For menstruating women or for anyone if doctor recommends.

Multi vit and B complex - have you tested your B6?  If not - make sure you do asap. B6 can reach toxic levels in our body. It is besteer to take separate B to avoid B6 overload.  

Toxic high B6 can cause neurological damage. Dangerous.

I have not noticed a B6 lab reading before.  Thanks to you, I have it written down on the calendar for my (soon) next doctor appointment.  

Most of the time they don't test it...unless you Insist..

Smart as I am a b6 toxicity victim. The smallest amount can make one toxic and the neuropathy is hell

Not sure why my post says smart as I am above. I got toxic on a small dose of b6 and we only require 1.3 to 1.7 mg a day. We don't have enzymes to break it down and it is not really water soluable. Stored in liver and muscles.

I also take 2 Centrum Silver per day. We need 200% of the daily recommended vitamins and minerals due to our malabsorption. I take it in the evening. The timing looks good. 

Keep in mind that you may need to adjust dosages and/or frequency of B12 based on your labs. I take mine daily. It's just easier for me to remember that way.  ( I also keep my level high because I feel my best when it's 1,800 or above. Not everyone's ideal is a super high level like mine. )