two questions about post-op nutrition

       My first question is do any of you time before each bite. If so how long? My surgeon told me 10 minutes in between bites, and I find it difficult. I of coarse do not drink with meals I time that as well, but I also have not been timing my sips of water. I don't gulp, but I can easily finish a drink quickly. Can anyone please tell me why it is important to wait 10 minutes in between bites. If you don't time, then what impact does that have on your body? Second question:       I am currently taking two multivitamin children's chewables a day, as well as Iron 65mg, and one b-12 500mg a week. I noticed everyone on here is taking more b-12 then me. Should I? The doses were what the surgeon reccommended for me. Can I switch to like centrium one a day now? I am so sick of the chewables!

Ten minutes seems like a pretty long time.  Was that advice perhaps intended to only apply immediately after your surgery so you could learn what it felt like when your pouch got full?  Initially I ate pretty slowly too - I think a lot of us did.  My nutrition guidelines suggest that I finish my meals within 20-25 minutes.  I think the idea is that you want to get your pouch full and then be done.  If you eat super slowly, your pouch will start to empty while you are still eating.  Over time, that leads to consuming more calories.  I'd suggest asking your surgeon or nutrionist about this particular guideline and whether it should change over time.   Regarding the vitamins, specifically the B-12, how is your bloodwork?  I take a sublingual B-12 everyday, but that's what my surgeon recommended.  If your bloodwork is fine, keep taking the B-12 once a week.  Regarding the multivitamin, I would think you could switch to a regular vitamin now and no longer take chewables.  Some folks choose to take chewables for life, but lots of us take regular pills as well (I do and my bloodwork is fine 2+ years out).   Good luck on your continuing journey -  Kellie

I read a post that said if your vit doesn't disolve in water within 5 minutes then it's not disolving in your pouch. I tried it with vit I was taking & it didn't disolve. I'm not rying the powder, Yuck, but I'll finish the can as it was expensive. Then I will go back to the bariatric chewables. My problem with the chewables is I have (since WLS) lost my bottom teeth. Trying to save up enouph to get new ones. So until then I'm kinda a gumby.lol. I had really like the chewable choc calcium by centrum but can't find them any more.  this vit,calcium, iron thing is confusing though. Brenda

Don't use the water test to decide about vites. SALIVA is the magic potion for dissolving vites.

Question 1)  10 minutes between bites, am I reading this correctly?  That seems quiet excessive if so, I am to eat within 20-30 minutes total and stop after that.......if I follow this timing I do pretty well, if I continue to sit after the 30 minutes I find myself grazing.  Timing IMO shouldn't impact your body unless you aren't paying attention and then you'll find yourself either 1) eating too fast and causing you to be sick, 2) not chewing well enough or 3) grazing because you are sitting too long allowing the food through move through the pouch and hence being able to eat more. Question 2)  You really need to let your body dictate what vitamins you MUST have, how much and how often.  I did chewable for 3 months then started taking adult vitamins I could swallow, I have never had problems swallowing vitamins or other types of meds when needed.

You asked, so I'm giving what is my opinion only, not pretending to be medical. OK?

TEN MINUTES BETWEEN BITES? NO WAY! 15 minutes TOTAL and the meal is over. Maybe a full minute between bites, but depends on what you're eating and only in the very beginning. If your meal is 2 oz, and you get 3 bites per oz, with his rule, it'd take you an hour to eat it and that'd be grazing. Better to get your 2 oz in 15 minutes or LESS (no hurry), and then you're done for at least 2 hours before you eat solids again.

As to vites. I have very specific guidelines for long term health, but most surgeons are not there yet, so taking it from there, the new "low" for B12 is 800 blood level, so 500mcg per week isn't going to hold it I prefer to see 5000 mcg per day and no, it's not a typo. BUT then I live with the mistakes of the past, so can be a little edgy about maintaining perfect levels.

Calcium at 2000mg +, citrate only, PLUS 10,000 IU of vit D3, dry form only. 10,000 - 25,000 IU of vit A (retinol, not beta carotene); you didn't say which iron, but IMHO 65mg is about half of what you need and with vit C.

I've never used chewable multis, personally, always taken the Centrum clone regular ordinary multi (2), then flesh in he specific bariatric needs around it, and customize to my own labs.

The 10 minute between bites rule is Dr. LePorts and group.  The theory is that the slower you eat you're giving your stomach time to send the signals to your brain that you're full and you won't want to eat as much.  I was never able to do it, just drove me crazy and I finally gave up.  Instead I measured my portions.  I don't remember ever being told to time your sips of water though.  The rule when I had my surgery was no drinking 30 - 60 minutes before and after meals.  I don't worry about the before meals now, but I do make sure I don't drink for at least 30 minutes after eating. Michele

I don't remember being told to wait 10 minutes, I was told to put the fork down inbetween bites but that didn't even work out ...lol.. so I just measure my food and when I'm done I'm done... also the vitamin...I hate chewables so the only 1 I take as far as chewables is the Vit C but here is a list of what I take that works for ME.  I was told we could have any chewable, capsule or liquids form of vitamins. AM: 1 GNC Multi-Gel w/B-Complex NO Iron 2 Calcium Citrate Capsules 1 Bioton Capsule 1 Lutein

Afternoon: 1 GNC Multi-Gel w/B-Complex NO Iron 2 Calcium Citrate Capsules 1 B-12 Sub

Bedtime: 1 iron capsule 1 vitamin C chewable

I'm sure someone will jump in here, but iron and calcium are so not buddies.

calcium and D are best freinds.

iron only likes vit C (maybe you meant that), but iron + C, never taken with caffeine, dairy, eggs, whole grains OR any other vites, minerals or meds. All alone, together, on a honeymoon for at least an hour.

OH DUH.

You said with NO IRON.

I must need some to open my eyes!