Question:
I am 16 mos. postop and I am having a problem with poor malabsorbtion of vitamins.

I am currently taking a prenatal vitamin and 1000 mg of calcium/magnesium 400mg. Does anyone have any ideas on vitamins? Also I can not store potassium. I am taking potassium on a daily basis but can't seem to keep it in my system. Yes, I am eating bananas etc. But my level is usually lowere that 3 and usually around 2.3 or so. Any ideas?    — Sally K. (posted on January 23, 2004)

January 23, 2004
Are you taking your prenatal and calcium together? If your prenatal has iron or zince the calcium, zince and iron will react and cancel each other out. Orange juice is actually better for potassium than bananas. You may want to ask your doctor to prescribe liquid potassium or potassium tablets. The ones you buy over the counter do not contain enough as a supplement. Keisha
   — keishax

January 23, 2004
I just had my labs done Monday and the Dr. called me today, everything is WONDERFUL! I take a Centrum CHEWABLE with an Iron CHEWABLE after a breakfast that contains no calcium. Then I take another Centrum chewable and iron chewable after lunch. After dinner, I mix 1 tbsp. water soluable powdered calcium with some sugar free kool-aid and I mix 1 tbsp in with my protein shake at bedtime. I also do my monthly B-12 shots. So far, feelin fabulous and lost 178 lbs! Good luck to you! Hope this helps!
   — SMG I.

January 23, 2004
I was told that we can only absorb about 500-700mg of calcium at one time so I take 2 servings a date. I also take 2 iron pills (separate servings) in the form of Ferrous Fumerate because the other iron pills are not absorbed by us. I always take my iron and calcium at least 2 hours apart from each other because they cancel each other out if taken too close together. I take a vitamin C chewable with my iron to help absorb it and I have added zinc and magnesium in my liquid calcium supplement. Additionally I take 2 a day of my Centrum Adult chewables (again separate servings). I know it sounds like a lot and I have really had a hard time getting used to taking this many pills and liquids but it is worth in how I feel. I also take a B-12 sublingual 2x per week. Good luck to you and God Bless. Tina Lap RNY 10/6/03 275/210/155.
   — tntwildlife77

January 23, 2004
I have some ideas on vitamins. Malabsorption is a special area of interest for me because I am very distal. I don't know much about potassium, except one does not dink around with it. It's in charge of your heart, among many other things. What I might suggest is the vitamins & mineral list. It's not very busy and surely can't guarantee any answers for you, but it's there. You never know in that you may find someone who had YOUR problem. Here's the link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OSSG-vitamins-minerals
   — vitalady