Question:
Need vitamin source

Can anyone recommend a good resource to clearly spell out the daily vitamin/mineral requirements for RNY patients? I have been taking 2 Flinstones Complete/day, am 7 months post-op and need to move on to a different vitamin. My labs were normal, other than b12. I would like to have a list of the daily requirements so that I can compare the many different types of vitamins.    — mbarn2003 (posted on June 10, 2003)

June 10, 2003
unfortunately this question is a lot like the "how much protein do I need" or "How many carbs?" questions. Because with a gastric bypass we all malabsorb (and each person will malabsorb a different percentage of what they consume) the amount varies by which doctor or nutritionist you ask. Do you have a nutritionist? That'd be the first place I'd recommend you start your search for what is right for your case.
   — [Deactivated Member]

June 10, 2003
Try www.vita4life.net or www.atkinscenter.com I also used to take a vitamin B complex liquid but here is the table./ Hope you can read it. It looks better on their website. Sandy pierce is the founder of our support group. I have no direct affiliation other than as a customer. VITAMINS Amount in 12 Capsules/Tablets Amount in Daily Value in 12 Amount in Daily Value in 8 Amount in Daily Value in 4 Capsules/Tablets: Vitamin A (as palmitate) 45,000IU 900% 600% 300% Vitamin B-6 (from pyridoxine HCL) 6 mg 300% 200% 100% Vitamin B-2 ( as riboflavin ) 5.2 mg 306% 204% 102% Vitamin B-1 (as thiamine mononitrate ) 4.5 mg 300% 200% 100% Vitamin B-12 (as cyanocobalamin) 18 mcg 300% 200% 100% Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid) 280 mg 467% 311% 155% Vitamin D (as cholecalciferol) 2,400IU 600% 400% 200% Vitamin E (as dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate) 60IU 200% 133% 67% Vitamin E (as d-alpha tocopheryl succinate) 400IU 1,333% 888% 444% Vitamin A (as beta carotene) 5,000IU 100% 66% 33% Biotin 90 mcg 30% 20% 10% Pantothenic Acid (from d-calcium pantotheenate) 20 mg 200% 133% 67% Folic Acid 800 mcg 200% 133% 67% Niacinamide 40 mg 200% 133% 67% Vitamin K (as phytonadione) 100 mcg 125% 84% 42% MINERALS Amount in 12 Capsules/Tablets Amount in Daily Value in 12 Amount in Daily Value in 8 Amount in Daily Value in 4 Calcium (from calcium citrate) 2,000 mg 200% 133% 67% Chromium (from chromium chloride) 50 mcg 42% 28% 14% Copper (from copper oxide) 4 mg 200% 133% 67% Iron (from iron fumerate) 266 mg 1,478% 985% 492% Magnesium (from magnesium oxide) 200 mg 50% 33% 17% Manganese (from manganese sulfate) 10 mg 500% 333% 166% Molybdenum (from sodium molybdate) 50 mcg 67% 44% 22% Potassium (from potassium chloride) 60 mg 60% 40% 20% Selenium (from sodium selenate) 50 mcg 71% 47% 24% Zinc (from amino chelate) 100 mg 667% 445% 222%
   — snicklefritz

June 10, 2003
contact vitalady at www.vitalady.com and ask her for "the program" She will gladly send you everything you need to know about your vits and supplements. She and her husband have both had RNY and i think both have had revisions. She sent me 13 pages and diesn't mind us asking her for this. Hope this helps. She is a wealth of info.
   — Delores S.

June 10, 2003
Marcia - I second Delores' recommendation of talking with Vitalady. I was a lifeless, no energy, thinning "blob" before I took her advice. Granted I also did some of my own research, so I didn't just willy-nilly listen to her. Found out after research that the little gal knows her stuff! And she cares about us, she's one of us. I take the following myself: Early AM- 1000mg Ester C & 50mg Carbonyl "Perfect Iron"; BREAKFAST/MID-MORNING- 500mg Calcium Citrate; LUNCH- Multi & 400iu Dry Vitamin E; DINNER- 500mg Calcium Citrate, 50mg Zinc (chelated) & Dry Vitamin A & D combo; BEDTIME- Multi & 500mg Calcium Citrate. I also take sublingual B12 every other day. Good Luck to you and congrats on your success so far!
   — Anna L.

June 10, 2003
p.s. B12 is a very important one for the energy level and for overall health of a post-op. One thing I will say is, I didn't care for Vitalady's B12 dots (Twinlab brand). Ucky taste, didn't dissolve well. However, GNC's own brand is cherry flavor and dissolves nicely...1000mcg. Only thing I don't get from Vitalady at this point!
   — Anna L.

June 11, 2003
Every doctor will give you a different list of requirements. Each person and each surgery is different also it depends on what kind of vitamin you are taking and how well it will be absorbed. The fact is though that more than 30% of all gastric bypass patients will become nutitionally deficient in the first two years, some to the point of malnutrition. Very few surgeons are still recommending flintstones for post ops. Childrens vitamins are incomplete for our needs. I take Bariatric Lifestyle Vitamins they have everything we need, they were created especially for post ops and they are around $9 a month. Go to http://www.protein-solution.com/BariatricLifestyle/bariatric_lifestyle.htm
   — Linda A.