**Importance of Vitamins**
For those who slack on vitamins, don't get lab work done, etc... heed these words....
One woman in our support group's mother had WLS 5 years ago. At some point she stopped taking her vitamins and stopped getting lab work done. She is in the hospital now with a bowel obstruction but she is too weak for them to operate. She is severely malnourished due to the vitamin deficiencies and her body has been feeding on her own organs.
I know that Kathie in Hawaii here on OH had tons of health problems and even a heart attack and stroke only to find out she had a thiamine (B1) deficiency. One extra vitamin...one pill a day...could have prevented all of that. (Read the entry at the top of her profile http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/members/profile.php?N=J1013741802 )
When we sign up for this surgery, we need to sign up for all that it entails. We must take our vitamins, we need a diet rich in protein and we need to have our blood work done regularly. That is for life.
Be strong, be well and most of all be healthy!
Kathy
2000 mg of calcium citrate in the form of 4 scoops of UpCal D. It is a powder that I put either into a protein shake or a bottle of Propel. Tasteless and easy.
2 childrens chewable multivitamins
1 selenium 200 mcg
1 zinc 50 mg
1/2 Vitamin K 100 mcg - I take these 3 because the children's multis don't have 'em at all. I was selenium deficient on one of my labs so I decided to add the other two as well.
2 Vitamin D 400 iu (dry form) - trying to get my D up. It is in the 20s and our nutritionists want it in the 30s at least. They super supplement but my PCP isn't comfy with the 5,000 ius a day theory so she ran labs yesterday to see where I'm at with the 800 ius.
1 Vitamin E (dry form - forget the dosage)
6 Tender Iron 25 mg each (carbonyl iron) I chew 'em with a Vitamin C
2 Vitamin C 500 mg (chewables)
2 B100s - I had neuropathy symptoms in toes and fingers and added the second B100 and it went away
2 Magnesium citrate 200 mg - working on dosing to help with constipation
2 Milk Thistle 400 mg - I have elevated liver enzymes and am taking this to see if it helps - labs rechecked yesterday - supposedly it helps cleanse the liver
I think that's it.
Kathy
Forgot....
2 packets Coromega emulsified fish oil (we don't absorb oil due to our malabsorption so that is why we need dry versions of D and E and fish oil that is emulsified) - this is per my back surgeon - fish oil is a natural anti-inflammatory and since we cannot take the real things I take this. Cannot say it has helped or perhaps it has I didn't know it.
it's crazy how much vitamins we take isn't it. i don't take all those that you are taking but so far i haven't had any problems except the liver enzymes. i tried the milk thistle too and it didn't change a thing. the doctor at the liver clinic said it's not a proven remedy for the enzyme levels but it's ok to take it anyway. who knows!?!
I bought some of the Coromega after you posted about this before -- thanks!
My PCP had told me to supplement the omegas but I hadn't found anything wasn't oil gels.
And then I read somewhere that the omegas helped with cravings. I think that might be right (or else it's mental) because I don't have as much urge to snack constantly at night.
2 a day for me, too.
Deb
Kathy--I agree whole heartedly. When I signed up for surgery I signed up for vitamins for life, I see you like propel. Have you tried the Water sensations flavoring yet? I am a propel drinker too and I love the water sensations--it is cheaper and easier. Plus--I just keep a bunch in my pocketbook and refill my water botter when I need to. It is liquid and colorless. I have found it in Super Target Grape is my favorite.
I couldn't agree more. I thought I was supplementing enough until I got my year labs back. I had anemia. Now I've added iron to my regime. I must admit I get sick of swallowing the pills and figuring out what I can take when (no iron at the same time as the calcium). However, we all had the surgery for better health, to not take the vitiamins is counter productive. I do wish there could just be one pill to take once or twice a day.
I currently take;
2 centrum chewable
2 iron
4 Calcium Citrate
B Complex Liquid
Stool Softners (not a supplement, but much needed)
Torrey (281/182/160)
If we are doing this for the right reasons - health, then vitamins should be a given. and if the gastric bypass is not for health - skip it.
my routine
2 - one a day for women
1 - ferrosequel ( iron with a stool softener - had been on twice as much due to anemia, but after I got rid of my periods I was no longer anemic with in a few weeks, so I cut back. now I just had a blood count and my hgb was over 14 and HCT was 41. I will be having my full 4 year labs in a week or two so will see what the other numbers are as well.
1000 mg vit C - promotes absorption of iron
1500 mg calcium citrate - citracal plus D - in addition to my 3 servings dairy a day - just in case
400 IU dry E - good heart health
1 ml liquid B complex from GNC - according to the Dr I talked to, the liquid is already in an absorbable form and does not need intrinsic factor to absorb - and my b--12 initially was over 600, then dropped to 300 with out supplementation. even tho it was in the "normal " range of 200-900 I felt the drop was not normal, so initiated the supplement and it went to aprox 700 with in 30 days.
2 capsules lactobacillus acidophilus with bifiidum (sp?) over 1 billion bacteria /cap/ must be high quality, kept in the fridge at the health food store and at home - it promotes healthy digestion and absorption of nutrients, has cured my lactose intolerance and prevents gas, as well as yeast infections.
omega s from flax oil capsules ( I know absorption may be questionable, but I feel better, it promotes healthy balance of fats/ good/bad cholesterol and is also effective for mood stabilization for depression.
I am definately swallowing more pills post op than preop.
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