Overwhelmed on vitamins

I am so confused about what to take and when. I see peopel on one end saying they take one vitamin to people taking something every 2 hours....

I know calcium citrate, iron, mult, b12, etc.  I know what we need... I just don't know how much and want the easiest simpliest way to fit them all in.

Help!?

Probably the best way to be sure you are getting what you need is to check with your dr's dietitian.  I take 4 calcium citrate chewable chocolate flavored tablets, 2 Flintstone Complete chewable vitamins (since I do not have an iron deficiency, I get enough iron in these) , 1 sublingual B-12 tablet.  It is important to not take the vitamins and calcium at the same time for iron blocks the uptake of calcium - I usually wait about an hour and I space the four calcium tablets throughout the day.  The rest I take all at the same time.  As I say, this may or may not be what your dr wants his patientients to do so, please check before you take any combination any of us would suggest.

I take multi - 3 times a day.. usually at meals; 3 to 4 chewable calcium - sometimes with multi - since my multi does not have iron; b12 usually with multi and iron every other day (I am post -menapause).

But I agree with the other poster... check with your nut.

Helen

There are some individual needs as far as vitamins to, but I do have to say that we can make things so much easier on ourselves. I switched about a month ago from Centrum chewables (2 per day) to Bariatric Fusion (4 tablets daily)~The BFusion have SO much more of what we need in them and I am already feeling more energy and health from taking them. I also switched to Bariatric Advantage Cinnamon Calcium Citrate w/ Vit D (they have other flavors too). I take sublingual b12, and was taking Tender Iron from VitaLady, but now with the increase in iron from the BFusion I'm trying to delete that for now. I'm also taking some additional Vit D, but at my recent 4yr follow up, the dr said he feels I'm getting enough from the BFusion and the BAdvantage Calcium, so not sure if I'll be giving up the extra D or not???? Anyway, this is the simpliest way I've found to take the vits and it really doesn't cost anymore than the old way did, but its so much more convenient!!!! I'm fact, I can get the items locally now so I don't have to pay shipping and they do coupons all the time on Bariatric items so I had 25% off my whole order meaning I paid only $20 for a month of the Bariatric Fusion Vits. Hope this helps!!!!!

Tracy, where do you get the Bariatric Fusion?  I currently take the Centrum Chewables & like them fine, but what you said about the BF makes me want to look into them.

Thanks.

Hi Jo! I get them locally at a place called Great Lakes HealthCare~its a division of our local hospital and they carry lots of things for diabetics, home health care, bariatrics, etc. They have a little store where you can go and try samples of vits, protein, etc. Is there something like that in your area??? If you're unsure you could always give your surgeons office a call to ask~I know my surgeon has a working relationship with Great Lakes.

Thanks for the info.  I'll check places out around here, and if nothing turns up, I'll check on-line.

Hey girl.......

This is what I do:

8am: 
1 Centrum chewable multi vit.
1 sub. b-12 (Rexall 2500mcg)  got it at wally world (had to up this when preg.
1 Calcium Citrate +Vit D (Caltrate 600mg)

10PM:
1 Centrum chewable multi vit.
1 Calcium Citrate+Vit D (Caltrate 600mg)

I don't currently take any iron per my OB.  Going to see my surgeon 2-16-09 

I know my post-op book says don't take iron and calcium at the same time.

HTH
Ash :)

 Hi Ashley - 

You mention that you're taking Calcium Citrate... but then you say it's "Caltrate".  i'm hoping that's a typo because the brand Caltrate is actually calcium carbonate.  Double check your bottle to make sure you've got the right stuff.

We definitely need to be taking calcium citrate since we don't absorb carbonate after RNY.  

Just looking out for ya...

Pam

 Amber - 

Figuring out a solid vitamin routine is definitely a big game of experimentation.  What works for one person's schedule might not work for another.  In fact, what worked for me for the first 12 months post-op didn't continue to work once I had to add a couple extra doses of stuff, so I had to switch things up again.  

Here's my vitamin schedule (both of them)
http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/pwsammy/blog/2008/12/14/-post/


Also remember that you need a baseline of vitamins depending on which of surgery you had.  The ASMBS Bariatric Nutrition Guidelines gives you a chart (starting on page 7) that shows exactly what you should be taking at a minimum.  


As for which vitamins to take when.  Here's my cheat sheet:

Calcium and Vitamin D are Friends --- take them together, they help each other absorb better.  Your body can only deal with 500mg at a time, so split up your doses into 3 or 4 doses per day to reach your 1500-2000mg daily goal.  Calcium tends to absorb better when taken with a meal, so schedule it that way if you can.

Iron and Vitamin C are Friends ---  Iron needs an acid environment to break down and Vitamin C does that job so make sure they are in your tummy at the same time.  Iron does not like food, so take it on an empty stomach.  However, if you get an upset tummy because of the iron, pick a non-dairy snack.  

Iron and Calcium are Enemies --- iron and calcium fight for the same cell receptors in the body and calcium is bigger and badder and always wins.  Which means the iron is simply excreted from the body and not used at all.  Keep iron and calcium at least 2 hours apart from each other. 

Vitamin B's are a Family --- they work together as a team and are best taken at the same time.  Your Multi-Vitamin has many B's in it, so take it together with your biotin, B12 and B-complex if you're taking those too.