Question:
Anita R. - Why wouldn't you take Bariatric Fusion?

I am new in my journey. I am anticipating surgery in Aug. I am interested in what you do take since you have suffered from deficiencies.    — lisa L. (posted on March 30, 2009)

March 30, 2009
Hi I just came across your post.Im almost 7 yrs post-op and I dont take Bariatric Fusion because you dont get the right amout of ingreadients from them.To get the right amounts you need to take each one seperate.Good Luck.
   — deb44m

March 30, 2009
hi i take biatric advantage 2 chewable pills a day and a b-12 dot thats all
   — mpreap

March 31, 2009
It's not formulated well for RNY...I wrote a detailed reason to the original poster why and it's a LONG list and was trying to keep a short answer! LOL Impossible!...It has no Vit K, VERY low in the 8 different Vit B's, It has both Iron and calcium in the same formula...The Iron is Fumerate which is okay for RNY but not my favorite since it gave me bad including bloody tasting repeating burps and belly spasms as side effects...The calcium is both carbonate and citrate mix (In the words of the manufacturer, the reason for the carbonate is to "keep the pill smaller") THAT alone turned me right off! Calcium carbonate is a smaller molecule and is far cheaper to manufacter than calcium citrate! Keeping the tablet small???? UGH! Calcium carbonate is useless to the RNYer for calcium absorption. They do not tell you the exact ratio of the Carbonate to Citrate, so you have NO IDEA if you are even getting close to the right amount of C.Citrate in 4 pills a day. You'd also have to take 4-6 or more of these vitamins daily to get all the amounts of the other vitamins needed for RNY. I personally take up to 200 the times some of the 8 different Vit B's in the formula. AND lastly B-12 needs to be absorbed under the tongue slowly and chewing a tablet with Vit B-12 might be too fast for the RNYer to fully absorb the B-12. The original poster was looking for a "Perfect all-in-one Vit", rather than take seperate vitamins all day on a schedule...They'd still have to take this all day anyway! (And it's still not formulated well for the RNY) It's not very likely that there will ever be a "All-in-one" vitamin out there for RNYers. Calcium and Iron need to be taken separately from each other and from other vitamins...period! And Vit B-12 needs to be sublingual,spray or shots! PERIOD! The Bariatric Fusion is fine for OTHER than RNY bariatrics...But in my humble opinion(IMHO)...NOT for RNY. I take Bariatric Advantage multi vitamins because they are as close as close gets to the perfect multivitamin for RNY, IMHO. BUT you still need supplements like calcium citrate and B-12 and for some, they might need iron. BA has the best iron form but not he best price...so I use something otherthan BA for Carbonyl Iron... BA multi's are expensive, but when you consider taking two BA over 4-6-8 BF, the cost is higher for the BF! The BA has a low dose of calcium citrate, KNOWING that RNYers need to take it separate..There is no iron in the formula, KNOWING that some need iron and some do not...They sell their iron and calcium citrate separate. I appreciate all the thought that went into those vitamins and that is why I have no trouble paying extra for them. They are all in the right forms bioavailable to the RNYer and in nice high doses as well, unlike the BF which doesn't even tell you what forms of the vitamins they are using for the fat soluble vits or even what ratio the calcium carbonate and citrate are...I'd never buy them...I cannot find a good reason to ever take them as an RNYer...They might be fine for the first few years just like children's chewables, or my old centrum (that didn't do a derned thing for me) as well...and then comes year four when many deficiencies begin and that's when you realize that these vitamins do not protect you...COMPLETE vitamin LABS do! EVERY year or more! Kids chewables are at least the good forms of most of the vits needed for RNY, even though some important ones are missing and the doses are very low as well...The first year those are fine...After that a good adult vit that includes all the multi's are important as well as taking some extra supplements separate and away from each other. I am now 5+ years on a schedule! I hate it! It makes me insane! But I have to do it! I will actually stress out if I forget my vitamins at home and I know that I'll be gone too long to cram them all in later! I do my best, but it does get old and tiring, I admit. But if I at least get in my BA...and one dose of calcium at least...I feel safe enough that missing a day here and there is not going to set me back because I have good vitamins. After being casual about vitamins for 4 years...and becoming soooooo VERY deficient and learning how long it takes to raise your levels and how dangerous defs are...I do not think I am overly cautious in trying to prevent myself and others from the panic and symptoms and sickness I went thru...It was scary! It was even more scary because I thought I was fine...I didn't even realize how bad my symptoms were until I began to feel better and I could not believe how amazing I felt once my vitamins were back in balance! RNYers need to take vitamin supplementation EXTREMELY serious and I do not believe enough do. I didn't! I know! Sorry so long.
   — .Anita R.