Question:
RNY Proximal What exactly do you take and what is your schedule through the day?

My surgeon gave me his list of recommended vits post-op and they have me a bit concerned. He listes: 1 flinstone complete (ok, I've heard that's common and I have no probs with that one unless I should be taking two??...and I'll eventually be able to take adult vits like Centrum, right?) 2 extra strenth Tums (I've been told these are an inadequate form of calcium for post-op...is this true?)We should be taking calcium citrate, not calcium carbonate (Tums). Ferrous Sulfate 325mg I've read that this form of IRON is bad for gastric bypass people...inadequately absorbed and bad on the G.I. tract. What form/dosage of Iron do most of you take? and lastly, Magoxide 400mg 2 per day (magnesium ...can't I find that in a calcium suppliement?) Doesn't it seem like there also should be some form of B12 included in this list? I'd love to hear what you proximal RNYers take,what dosage, and at what times during the day (and also how far out from surgery you began each suppliment) Thank you all so much!    — KimBo36 (posted on July 8, 2001)

July 8, 2001
As answer to your question, my nutritionist told me for the first two months take two sugar-free bugs bunny or other chewable children's vitamin. After that, we are to take a prenatal vitamin and two calcium supplements to equal 1200-1500 milligrams of calcium citrate a day. The B12, my doctor told me to have my blood checked at 4 and 6 months to check the levels of B12 and iron. I found some wonderful calcium chews at my local vitamin store. They taste like taffy and two a day is 1000 mg of calcium. I generally take my vitamins in midmorning about two hours after breakfast. This way, my tummy has time to go back to normal and I can swallow without overfilling. I hope that this helps.
   — Tere F.

July 8, 2001
Hi Kimberly, I had an open BPD/DS but maybe some of what I take will be helpful. I take 3x per day 1 flintstone chewable. I was told that the childrens vitamins(chewable)actually absorb better into our systems than swallowing a "whole" pill. I take ADEK's 3x per day(basically DS patients)anyway, I don't absorb vitamins A,D,E,K as easily, hence the name(probably dsn't apply). My surgeon put me on Chromagen Forte Iron soft Gelatin Capsules. I take 1 2x per day. I've not had any problems with my stomach. Also, not binding. They are 151mg of elemental iron. My surgeon will do B-12 if there's a problem with the bloodwork. I'm getting ready for my 1st round in a week or so. Anyway, I don't know if this will help but I wish you all the best!
   — Linda M.

July 8, 2001
Hi Kimberly ~~ To answer your question I had an open RNY 3/10/01. I take 2 Flintstone complete , 500 mg of calcium citrate + magnesium & vitamin D 3x's a day & B-12 sublingul. I also just started taking Biotin 600 mg a day.
   — socco58

July 8, 2001
This is my daily routine...I take 2-flinstones complete, 1-Z-Bec (B complex with zinc) 2-Biotin, 2-selenium, 1-vit C, 1-Trinsicon (Trinsicon, a capsule containing Vitamin B12, folic acid, Vitamin C and iron in a special liver-stomach concentrate that contains intrinsic factor) 1-aciphex, 2-Calcium Citrate, and B-12 shot once a month... I do not take my calcium and iron pills at the same time for absorption reasons. I'm classified as a proximal, however, I'm a very distal proximal.. I'm bypassed 7 foot.
   — Victoria B.

July 8, 2001
Kimberly, every surgeon seems to have their own approach to supplementation. There are now five of us in my family who have had proximal RNY surgery, and we have felt blessed with our surgeon's more simplistic approach as well as our individual bodies' abilities to do well with that approach. We were instructed to take one Flintstone chewable vitamin daily for the first 3 weeks post-op, then we could change to any multivitamin with iron of our choice (we take Centrum). We take three TUMS per day. My serum B-12 was in a "low-normal" range at 6 months post-op, so my surgeon added one 500mcg B-12 tablet per day to my regimen which corrected the problem within 3 months. Aside from that, all of our labs over the past 18 months have been entirely normal. In fact, our calcium and serum iron levels are all on the higher end of normal. Please remember that everyone's metabolism and utilization of nutrients will normally vary from person to person. The key to staying healthy throughout this process is to follow your surgeon's guidelines to the letter and have regular lab follow-up as directed. Good luck!
   — Diana T.