Question:
My friend's mother is losing weight and is down to 85 lbs.
My friend's mother had gastric bypass surgery in 2001 and since then, has continually dropped weight. She was told by her doctor that she is dying. She is at 85 lbs. and keeps losing weight. She was told that she doesn't absorb ANY nutrients. Her doctor told her to take Centrum Silver. When I had my surgery done in 2001, my surgeon told me to take prenatal vitamins because my body will need the extra iron it provides. I haven't had any problems since. My friend's mom is so tired she can barely walk and is now complaining of her back hurting so bad. Do you think that taking the prenatal vitamins will help her? She is ready to give up! — teachersrcool2001 (posted on August 29, 2008)
August 29, 2008
That is just so sad. I could cry for her. It would't do any harm now to
take the prenatals, I would try anything. What does she have to lose? I
would tell her to go to a Barix Clinic somewhere and talk to other doctors
and not stop till she gets a better answer...or until she leaves us. God
bless her. HOw old is she ?
— SkinnyLynni2B
August 29, 2008
I don't really think any brand of vitamins will help an 85 pound woman. She
need medical and or mental health at this point. She probably needs to be
hospitalized to prevent further organ damage. Someone should have payed
attention to her very low wt and sought help by now. I would not delay in
telling your mom to help her friend get to a hospital as soon as possible.
DAVE
— Dave Chambers
August 29, 2008
I agree with the two prior entries, I don't think any oral vitamins are
going to be the cure, they can't hurt for sure. She needs acute inpatient
care with a g-tube for nutrition and/or Hyperalimentation/lipids to save
her life. Find a doctor, find a way, get it done and do it now if there is
any chance of saving this woman. I am an RN and we would admit patients
all of the time for malnutrition. Sometimes their care took a long time so
they would have to be transitioned to a nursing home or rehab or something
so that insurance would pay. These things take time.
Has her doctor just given up on her or what? I am so disheartened by your
entry. Has her family taken her to the ER? Has she had some diagnostic
studies done or what is going on?
Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
— DawnVic
August 29, 2008
She needs to be admitted to a hospital right away. Sounds like she needs a
different Doctor too. God bless her.
— Gina S.
August 29, 2008
I would not give up on her by any means...Like Dawn I have worked with
patients who are malnourished. She needs to be admitted to a hospital ASAP
and the best doctor found for her. I suspect there is still life in her
with some excellent care and nutrition.
— Gena L.
August 29, 2008
Don't waste her time or money with any pill form of vitamin / mineral,
especially Centrum Silver. You only absorb 15% of pills. Take a good
powerful "liquid" vitamin / mineral like VEMMA. Check labels and
compare, you'll see the difference. Go to www.TrySomeVemma.com In mean
time get her to a doctor and nutritionist. Good luck !
— [Deactivated Member]
August 30, 2008
I'm with the others...she needs to be hospitalized and probably pumped full
of nutrition intravenously! If she's too stubborn to go the the
hospital...Liquid or chewable vits...and she probably needs B-12 Shots and
iron infusions at this point...It takes months to raise levels that have
sunk as low as she probably is on most of her vits...It took me 6 months to
get out of anemia...and I am still trying to raise my iron stores...It took
me 6 months to get out of magnesium and Vit D and zinc lows too...I am
finally normal in Vits A and E too...
I actually gained weight from malnutrition...I was hungry all the time! My
body wanted food! So she's in a bad bad place right now and if she doesn't
get medical help, I do not believe she can safely turn herself around and
become helthy on prenatal hard pills...She needs immediate aborption of
nutrients...And all those fat soluable vits need to be in dry forms rather
than oils...(A, E, D and K) Must be dry form...Calcium citrate doesn't
need stomach acid to be absorbed like calcium carbonate does! Carbonyl
Iron also doesn't need stomach acid and has no side effects or very little
if any (I have none from it)! Can't get that in a prenatal vit that will
sit undissolved in her pouch doing no good at all.
And...on top of all the vits...she also needs to be pumped ful of protein
too! Amino acids in protein aslo have healing powers in them...Of the 21
aminos in protein, all of them have certain functions for healing and they
MUST be eaten every day! The human body cannot be healthy without all 21
aminos...So Vits are important but protein is too! I'm not a doctor...But
I had and still have vit deficiencies and malnutrition issues myself. In
my humble opinion...she needs to find a different doctor too...
— .Anita R.
August 30, 2008
If she is having trouble metabolizing things like nutrients and vitamins, a
vitamin pill would not be used by her body. Protein shakes or shakes
intended for malnourished persons would be best I would think. Lesleigh
in Ga.
— lesleigh07
August 30, 2008
Weight loss is not caused by lack of vitamins... its caused by lack of
calories. Neither Centrum Silver nor Pre-natal vitamins will cause her to
gain weight.
I have to wonder if there is more going on than you have shared. It seems
odd to me that her doctor tell her that she isn't absorbing ANY nutrients
then tell her to take an OTC vitamin. If she's not absorbing anything,
then she's not going to absorb the vitamin either.
If your friend's mom isn't able to eat enough calories to sustain herself,
then she will need some kind of supplemental feeding. Sometimes this can
be accomplished with high calorie nutrition drinks or supplements. She may
need a feeding tube. If she is truly unable to absorb anything, then she
will most likely need to receive nutrition intravenously.
If she has not been to one already, it would probably be a good idea for
her to find a GI doctor and a nutritionist to get all of this sorted out.
Good luck.
A note about iron: Centrum Silver has no iron in because people over 50 do
not need as much and generally get enough from their regular diet. It's
certainly possible that your friend's mom needs more iron, however, the
lack of iron is not the cause of her weight loss.
— mrsidknee
August 30, 2008
I'm going on my 2 wks. post op. and i'm required to take calcium citrate,
centrum multi vitamins chewables and B complex 100 w/vitamin D. Is she not
taking any vitamins? is she not eating enough protein?. have her get a
second opinion. i don't know what state you're in or type of surgery she
had, but i know my doctor is repairing alot of mistakes that were made out
there by other doctors. his name is dr. david synn and he's in lubbock tx.
good luck.
— consuelol1966
August 30, 2008
Get her a new doctor ASAP and get her to the ER ASAP. She needs to be
admitted and treated with IV nutrition ASAP. I can't tell you strong enough
to get her to the ER and get a new doctor who knows what he is talking
about. If the mother will no go then there are serious mental health
problems going on. Go with God.....now to the ER...Pleasse
— chell1957
August 31, 2008
Just a suggestion but ask her to have her Dr check her for adrenal gland
failure. I had surg in 2001 and now have Addison and that is something
dr's do not regularly check for unless there is a reason. Weight loss,
extreme fatigue, are some of the symptoms. Linda K
— diamond0801
August 31, 2008
Centrum silver doesn't have any iron in it, and without iron supplements
you get anemia which causes extreme fatigue and even death. Centrum silver
is for non-bariatric seniors who don't need much iron at their time of
life. Bariatric patients need iron supplements - twice a day - for life.
I was anemic when pregnant many years ago and when took iron supplements
felt better within days. Sounds like your friend's mother needs a new
doctor and a nutritionist who understands the needs of bariatric patients.
I take regular Centrum which has iron twice a day. Sorry to hear she's
having such rough time
— Susan C.
August 31, 2008
This does not sound like a normal progression for a bariatric patient. I
am with all the others, she needs to be admitted into a hospital and a
battery of tests performed to find out why the abnormal weight and failure
to absorb. You never know, there may be another major disease or illness
happening to her that needs to be addressed immediately!
— cydthekid50
August 31, 2008
contact me, I have a suggestion. [email protected] or 310-367-8404
— bariatricdivalatina
September 1, 2008
See needs to get to a top Bariatric Sergeon that can help he get back to
the good heath we all can have if the surgery is done right and we follow
the instructions. I take suppliments from Building Block that was desigend
by Bariatric Sergeons. See www.BBvitamins.com I am sure there are some
top Bariatric Doctors that can help her. However she needs to act now.
She is pass the point that she can afford to wait.
— William (Bill) wmil
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