Question:
Am I taking too strong of vitamins?

For aftercare, my doctor suggested taking something EQUIVALENT to Flinstone's Chewable 2 weeks post op. I went to GNC and the only thing equivalent was for children. I ended up getting a Muli-Vitamin for Women, which says to take 2 a day. The % of each vitamin (C, D, etc.) is much higher than the Flinstones. Am I taking too much? Are you supposed to take something equivalent to the Flinstones because of the size of your stomach? I wonder if I just took one a day. Also, I have started eating some foods the last few days and just about everything gives me terrible gas and diarreah for hours (like, 24!). I attributed this to the foods (cottage cheese, peanut butter) but I'm just wondering if the vitamins could be causing this; has anyone had this experience? I had open RNY, 4 weeks post op. Please give me your input. Thanks    — Ronda B. (posted on November 19, 2000)

November 19, 2000
The docs most likely wanted you to have chewables at first, that's all. We need very specific vitamins, actually. We need mega-doses of some elements, but just a multi will cover the bases on some of them. You can take adult vites OK, if the pill size doesn't bother you. Are you consuming any milk products? Milk? Ice cream? Ensure/Boost? Those high lactose products could be tormenting your bowel. Since those products are what are used to add body fat to the elderly (well, milk is for babies), you willbe fine not to use them. Also, some do not tolerate fats to any degree and sugars to any degree. Check your labels and hold sugars down to 6g per MEAL (all pieces total) and see if that makes a difference. A cup of skim milk, for example, is 12g of suagr, so that can also blow you up like a balloon. I didn't tolerate fresh fruits or veggies for a few months due to this bloating thing, either.
   — vitalady

November 20, 2000
Hello The fillers, binders and chemicals in pills and chewable vitaminscan make you sick and cause problems.The passing thru your system will cause you more problems.Oral absorbtion of vitamins will help you to solve this KareMor Oral Sprays www.credden.mybsns.com Best Regards James
   — James R.