Just the basics please

I need to know the daily requirements for vitamins, again. i get too confused with all the different answers. I take an iron ferrous 325 mg, a 500 mg b12, calcium citrate, 600 mg and a cla tablet and a multi vitamin. tomorrow, i start iv iron infusions because my ferratin is 8.5. and i cannot get it up any  higher with pills alone. i can't afford tons of pills. can someone give me a breakdown on just what i should take a day to survive? i am 5 years out. i can't remember to take one at 8 and one at 11 and one at 2pm, etc. my job does not allow me to do that kind of committment. please help.

My profile has a plethera of information there for you. I also received this from Michelle at Vitalady.com. She has researched greatly our need for vitamins and I use this plan for myself. I found her prices for vitamins the cheapest. When it comes to vitamins, I just won't settle for anything less than the best. Enjoy, Tami Vitamin & Mineral Schedule and Shopping List for Proximal RNY The following is NOT to be construed as medical advice. This Schedule has been known to work for most proximal RNY Patients and not intended to replace your doctor's instructions. Our prices on our products at time of printing, roughly figured for a proximal RNY, not considering sales, specials or applicable taxes or shipping and handling fees. SCHEDULE: AM: 1- Vitamin C; 1- Polysaccharide Iron (or 6 Chewable Tender Iron) Mid-day: 1- Vitamin A; 1- Vitamin B-12; 1- B Complex; 1- Vitamin E; 2- Calcium Citrate; 1- Multi; 1- Vitamin D-3 Evening: 1- Vitamin B-1; 1 Vitamin D-3; 1- Vitamin E; 2- Calcium Citrate; 1- Multi; 1- Zinc Bed Time: 1- Vitamin C; 2- Calcium Citrate Shopping List: Qty Item Price W ill Last Avg Cost/Day 1 Vitamin A (25,000IU) 100 Cap $ 7.49 100 days = .07 1 Vitamin B-1 Tender Thiamin (100mg) 200 Cap 9.99 200 days = .05 1 Vitamin B-12 Sublingual Dot (1000mcg) 60 Dot 12.99 60 days = .22 1 Vitamin B Complex 200 Cap 19.99 200 days = .10 1 Vitamin C (1000mg) * 500 Tab 17.99 250 days = .07 1 Vitamin D3 (5000 IU) 100 Cap 7.99 50 days = .16 1 Dry Vitamin E (400IU) 250 Cap 26.99 125 days = .22 1 Calcium Citrate w/ D & Mag. 240 Cap 16.99 40 days = .42 (500mg, 200IU, 250mg) 1 Iron (150mg Polysaccharide Iron)* 100 Cap 24.99 100 days = .25 1 Multi-Vitamin/Mineral* 500 Tab 18.99 250 days = .08 1 Zinc (50mg) 250 Tab 6.99 250 days = .03 Average cost per 30 Day Month = $50.10 Per Day = 1.67 *If chewables are desired we can substitute: 1 Chewable Vitamin C (500mg) 500 Tab 15.99 250 days = .06 1 Chewable Multi Vitamin/Mineral 300 Tab 14.79 150 days = .10 1 Chewable Tender Iron (25 mg) 400 Tab 15.99 66 days = .24 Average cost per 30 Day Month = $50.10 Per Day = 1.67 This is to help you to calculate & budget your monthly cost for basic vitamin and mineral needs. Pricing based on current prices on date printed above and subject to change without notice.

CHERYL-to keep it "simple" for ME-and to insure compliance-I take:

AM: chewable Centrum

Mid Morn: Chewable iron and Vit C

Noon: Calcium Citrate with Vit D

Bedtime: more Vit C

Monthly B12 shots ( a friend gives them at our Keno parties-she won't LET me forget!)

I keep the mid am and noon doses in a baggie in my pocket, so I won't forget to take them. I had to get one of those big "old lady pill fixer upper things"-those weekly boxes. I fill on Sunday nights, for the week and keep it by the coffee pot.

This is what works for me - and nurses make TERRIBLE patients, ya know!

Gina AKA Nurse Diva

I understand you iron situation. ONE MAJOR RULE is not to take your calcium citrate with any iron. The iron bond to the calcium citrate, negating their full effects.  So you need around 2000mg of calcium citrate daily, broken down into doses of 500-600mg each. You can't abosb the entire 2000mg at one time. You'll also need a MINIMUM of twice the RDA of all adult vitamins. Future labs will show if this is satisfactory for your body, or you'll need additional supplements of some kind. If you're 5 years out, I'm sure you've had labs showing how you're doing, as it appears you have a malsabsorption problem with iron. I spoke with a woman on the phone yesterday who has the same problem, yet I also saw a woman at my support group meeting on Monday who said our surgeon told her not to take any iron supplement. Her labs showed her iron to be at high levels, from diet alone and no iron pill supplement.  I use a liquid vitamin and a powdered calcium citrate, as I detest swalling large pills on a daily basis. Details are on my profile page.          There are also pill timers or watches that have multiple timers on them. My mom gave me a pill container, that had a slide on timer, that could be set for several times a day. This was designed for those who had to take pills multiple times daily. I've also seen adds for wris****ches (nomrally mens) that had timers for the same purpose.  AARP web site may have an ad there on these type of items.

I did a ton of research on iron and while I have no proof since I am still trying to get my anemia under control myself, it is my understanding and belief that Ferrrous Sulfate (Iron salt)  is useless to us who have had RNY or DS or are missing the first section of small intestines where Ferrous Sulfate (or other Iron salts) are absorbed. On top of that Ferrous Sulfate needs stomach acid to break it down and absorb in our missing intestines...Our pouches do not have enough stomach acids to break down the salts and so it goes thru the rest of the intestines as a salt and causes burning and other problems! I felt that first hand...I cannot tolerate it at all.  Chewable or liquid irons seem to be your best chances of absorbing iron (along with iron rich foods)...and those come in amino acid chelate and carbonyl. ( I have read that Iron Fumarate is also good, but is not a chewable...There are others too that are not salts) The two I take are inexpensive and easy to find.  By chewing or taking a liquid, your mouth creates an enzyme in saliva similar to stomach acid and helps you absorb that iron into your blood with "pre-digestion" right in your mouth...Just like the sublingual type vitamins.  Because it is chewed or liquid it is already broken down and will have a better chance of absorbing with vitamin C (Another acid) similar to stomach acid...But as a woman, a monthly cycle dumps a lot of iron and the heavier you bleed the more iron you lose.  Therefore any iron you might actually be absorbing...is gone with your cycle.  This is the reason it is near impossible to get iron to build up in our bodies stores...from supplements.   This is only my interpretation of all that I have read...and I have read so much my head was spinning. I have yet to be retested to see how well or useless this information was in helping me absorb iron. I have a retest in 3 weeks! I have a feeling I might do okay since I seem to feel better and I have no cravings for ice anymore or freezing cold hands and feet. So we'll see!  As for the other vitamins...I was not absorbing enough in one centrum chewable...I now take two. Two calcium citrate (One, twice a day) and never within two hours of iron...I don't care if you have a schedule or not...Get with your health!  You won't be able to work if you don't have that. Get your priorities straight!  HEALTH FIRST!  Make time...Take your pills with you if you have to. They don't take but a little pocket space and the chewables are like a little snack for me since I found tastes I can eat everyday!  I take other extra vitamins at this time because almost all of my vitamin stores in my body are low...and I felt FINE!  I had your excuse..."I'm too busy"...or they taste bad...I can't be bothered...Well guess what? I'm sick...I'm soooo sick and I yet feel GREAT on most days!   Sorry for the swift kick in the arse...but you really need it! (I did too) so please don't be insulted...I wouldn't go thru all the trouble of this if I didn't just want you to be healthy and learn to put yourself and you health ABOVE your stupid job...It's just money, you'll make more of it.....You can't make more health or life if you don't make it YOUR JOB to be healthy! I stick to the following schedule as close as possible or I can't get it all in for the day and I will stay awake if I have to rather than miss these vitamins...Some days I have to cram the time a little closer together ...but no closer than an hour...I always give the calcium and iron PLENTY of distance in case this happens. I cannot afford to lose either of them until my bodies stores are adequate again. Wake up: 400 calcium with magnesium and Vitamin D3 Two hours later: 2 Chewable multi vits  Two hours later: 125 mg carbonyl iron (Tender Iron) and Ester-C Two hours later B-12 1000 mcg sublingual (I take my extra vits at this time too, Biotin, B complex,  Vit A (weekly as I am deficient) and E (Dry)  and Omega3) Two hours later 400 calcium (I personally take an extra magnesium as a powder as I am deficient) Bedtime: 108mg Iron as amino acid chelate (Chewable raspberry) and Chewable Vit C as asorbic acid Yes...It's a pain in the butt...I hate it...but I have a pretty good routine now and the reality of losing my health because I was too lazy to take time to chew a few tablets is just a bit too ridiculous now that I face the fact that I PLACED my health in danger and I have to take responsibility for it no matter how busy I am or not...You do too. Please forgive me for being so straight forward.  I am about to up my iron again as I did this gradually... to 325 mg total!   Beware that Vit D and A are toxic if taken in large doses...Iron is also toxic and the leading cause of lead poisoning in children...therefore ALWAYS ask your doctor before starting any new vitamins or supplements including natural herbs...

Cheryl, I buy my vitamins which are pure powder no compressed hard pills that do not disolve from a reputable man I know 30 yrs and has been making vitamins almost 30 yrs. My profile has all my extras i take listed and Multi Pack as well.My labs are perfect nothing was off not even a little.You can go to procapslabs.com look for the complete vits and minerals all in one package. The B12 is not 500mg it is 500 micrograms.  Everything you need is in one packet including omegas and vit E. You can pick the packets you can afford. I take the "Elite" packet which also includes 100mg Co Q 10, Alpha Lipoic Acid, phosphadyl choline(work on toxins in liver), just too much to write here that will confuse you more but this is what I can afford. These vitamins do not contain dyes, fillers and junk you do not want in your body. Totally pure. All the work has been done by experts here & I would never recommend "any" of the brands I see listed here they are a waste of money and do not contain amounts of item to do anything.One thing I know about and consider myself well versed about is skin and supplements, its what I did all my life when I worked. I had been getting infusion as well and my packet does not include iron. Since my infusion with taking 2 B12 injections weekly I have not had to add iron. In fact my iron has been holding and actually reveresed and is going back up. I think keeping protein high helps.

So are the vitamins I take from Vitalady...and MUCH cheaper!  You also posted somewhere that your ProCaps are all natural, with no fillers, preservatives, dyes, and are dry form....So are the ones from Vitalady...and they are also hypo-allergenic too by the way!  Just for you info.