Question:
Which vitamin&minerals would be best for woman who is 21 and had bariatric surgery?

I wanted to know because I need to find the best that is for me to take.    — Diana W. (posted on February 19, 2003)

February 19, 2003
Hi Diana. My name is Gina and I had surgery on November 21, 2002. I saw a nutritionist before it and she gave me many helpful tips. Let me pass them on to you. For the first month I had to take: Flinstones chewables/1 a day Tums with calcium/3 a day Iron pill/one a day (this is very important because of menstruation) B-12 sublingual/1 a week When I started my second month I stopped with all that crap and now simply take three things: One a Day Women Coral Calcium/1 a day Iron Pill (coated)/1 every other day. I hope this helps you. Anything further that you may need please don't hesitate. Good Luck!
   — Regina C.

February 19, 2003
You will need to take b12 for the rest of your life. It is vital to your nervous system, and with the RNY, we don't absorb it AT ALL any more, so you have to get it via a sublingual pill or a shot. Most people say to take calcium CITRATE..not carbonate, which is the kind you will find it tums, milk, chewables. You have to have stomach acid to absorb calcium carbonate, and our new tummys just don't have what it takes. I am 2 months post op, 26 years old, and I take 2 chewable kids vitamins a day, 1000 mg of calcium citrate in chewable wafer form, and a sublingual b-12 a couple times a week.
   — thekatinthehat

February 20, 2003
My doc says take children's chewable flintstones vitamins and Tums. The chewable kind on both because they absorb better. Tums has high mg (600) of calcium and again its chewable so it absorbs better. Wal Mart has children's vitamins that are comparable to flintstones. Good luck!!
   — Melanie H.

February 20, 2003
For those of you who need "evidence" that carbonate is inferior to citrate:<p> "Our results show that even under the most favorable conditions, calcium carbonate is not nearly as well-absorbed as calcium citrate," Heller said. "We were surprised at the magnitude of the difference in absorption rates - with calcium citrate being absorbed two and a half times better than calcium carbonate." <p> Whole article found here:<p> http://irweb.swmed.edu/newspub/newsdetl.asp?story_id=195 <p> Even people with NORMAL digestive systems don't absorb carbonate very well, and we don't have normal digestive systems. <p> And another article that mentions the use of Tums specifically:<p> http://www.wcanews.com/archives/2000/Jan/jan00b.htm <p>
   — Ali M

February 20, 2003
Diana - I get all my vitamins and protein supplements from www.vitalady.com. Some of her items are made specifically for bariatric patients. I hope this helps. (08/28/01 60" distal RNY with 105 lb weight loss).
   — trtorrey

February 21, 2003
My doctor said the best ones are Flintstone Complete chewable vitamns two a day and for calcium 1200 to 1500 mg you use chewable tums. Hope this help. It works for me.
   — Lana Rush

February 22, 2003
Hi, I am 23 and I take 2 prenatal multi-vitamins, 1200 mg calcium citrate, b-12 sublingual once a week. Because we're young, menstruate, and are still in the child-bearing years, we need to make sure we get our folic acid and extra iron. That's why I like the prenatal vitamins (they have extra iron and folic acid). I might start taking them 3 times a day if my blood work comes back low on anything. Good luck to you!
   — Iris B.