Question:
I am three months out and I must confess...
I have not been dilligent about taking my vites since the first month...the childrens chewables taste like chalk! I am going to get some regular vites and try those, hopefully I won't have trouble swallowing the pills, and will have my bloodwork drawn today to check my levels. I also drink with my meals - not a lot, but similar to pre-op. My question is, what's the worst that can happen? Has anyone else been negligent in these areas and still been okay? Please don't beat me up too much... — rebeccamayhew (posted on July 3, 2002)
July 3, 2002
hi. I am 4 weeks post-op and have been good so far with taking them. But I
can understand how you may not have been, I'm not going to beat you up for
it! :) It's very hard, I know between the vitamins and all the other
medications I am on for depression plus other illnesses I have, it comes to
like 20-25 pills a day!!! I would check to see what your blood work comes
out to be like and then see. it will probably not be horrible, as it can
take a while for things to diminish, but if you keep forgetting after a
while, your levels will look bad after a period of time. I heard that
Centrum makes chewables now, i do not know how they taste. i take
flinstones complete chewables and like them, but I am assuming you do not,
since they taste chalky. I would get a pill organizer and put every vitamin
you need in there and try your best to take them everyday, it will help you
in the long run, as we need multivitamins and calcium!! It's not as easy as
it sounds, but once you get into a routine, it is pretty easy! Goodluck to
you!! :)
— Lezlie Y.
July 3, 2002
I am 4 months post-op (-75lbs) and I sometimes forget to take my chewable
vitamins - they do taste terrible, but you have to. We are not absorbing
all the nutrients we need so we really need to take them. The way I look
at it, yes, they taste horrid but the taste only last about a minute and if
you drink a sip of water it makes the flavor go away quicker.
— Angie B.
July 3, 2002
The worst that can happen -- you are MALABSORBING food and nutrients. By
not making an attempt to replace those nutrients you are in essence,
voluntarily malnourishing yourself. At 3 months you may not show a
deficiency yet but don't keep your body from getting the nutrients it
needs. Regarding drinking with meals...the worst that could happen is
either washing food out of your pouch, thereby allowing you to eat more or
filling you up, allowing you to eat less. It just depends. Try a couple
meals without liquid then the next day try the same meals and see whether
you can eat more or less. Good luck and God Bless!
— Kimberly L.
July 3, 2002
Let's see the question was "What is the worst that could happen?"
I guess 'worst' is pretty relative. For me the worst thing that could
happen would be to do as I blessed well pleased and regain the weight
because I failed to follow instructions. Or to become seriously ill because
I didn't take my supplements. Or to have all the well meaning busybodies
say "I told you so."<p>This far out you shouldn't have any
trouble getting the regular vitamins down. There are also new gummy
vitimins that the kids like. I just pop my extra strength one-a-days with
a calcium and vitamin C chaser.<p>Your succes is completely in your
own hands. The people I have talked to who regained their weight did it by
drinking with their meals, snacking, sitting on their butts, and basically
going back to the habits that got them fat in the first place.<p>For
me, this time, I am doing what the experts tell me. I really like size 8.
— phoebe
July 3, 2002
Do you know why you are not following directions. My DH is doing these
things and I think to myself, of course, that deep down inside he always
feels the need to do things his way. If you discover the answers, please
let me know. Good luck.
— faybay
July 3, 2002
Well said, Phoebe.....
— Karen R.
July 3, 2002
Beat you up?? Hey now! We are here to SUPPORT each other :) I agree,
Vitamins taste nasty. But go to your local health store, like GNC, and ask
them for a chewable fruity vitamin. I got pineapple flavor that aren't too
bad (they're "tolerable") and I can chew them every morning on
the way to work. Try to do it routine- the same time every day. I like to
do it in the AM because I am so busy that I don't have time to think about
the taste LOL! Also, I chew up a vitamin C tablet WITH the mulitivitamin
cause it makes it taste like TANG! I have heard some pretty scary stories
about long-run vitamin defeciencies like one woman having paralysis due to
a B-12 defeciency for two years. I don't believe everything I hear, but the
"what ifs" are motivational for taking the vitamins!! And as far
as the liquids, I read on the posting here not too long ago about someone
who eats watery fruit after meals and that helps her adjust to the "no
drinking while eating" rule. I am now doing that whenever I can and it
really does help! Try that K? Good luck!!
— ravikamor
July 3, 2002
BOY, I HEAR YOU! I'M PRE OP BUT I HAVE THIS THING DEEP INSIDE THAT KEEPS
TELLING ME"YOU DON'T DESERVE ANYTHING GOOD". THAT'S NOT TRUE!!!!!
WE ALL DESERVE SOMETHING GREAT!!! TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, EVEN IF YOU HAVE
TO FORCE YOURSELF TO DO IT! I THINK LOVING YOURSELF AND TAKING CARE OF
YOURSELF IS SOMETIMES ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS TO DO(NOT FOR
EVERYONE). SPEAKING FOR MYSELF;THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT GOT ME INTO THIS MESS
IN THE FIRST PLACE. I JUST WANT A NEW START!! PLEASE TAKE YOUR SUPPLEMENTS.
IT ONLY LASTS A SECOND AND THEN YOU CAN GET ON WITH YOUR DAY! TAKE CARE AND
GOOD LUCK!!!!
— nikki R.
July 3, 2002
This is a supportive bunch! No one can make the decision to follow your
surgeon's orders but you. WLS is a tool that works for thousands all over
the world--but you have to choose to work the tool. I hope you find a way
of working the tool to your advantage. If the vitamins don't taste
good--take them anyway until you find an alternative. Get back on the
rulebook and make it work! I hoep you will make the choice to do that.
— Cathy S.
July 3, 2002
The worst that could happen.... No weight loss (or complete regain) and
bein ill. That's the worst physical things I can think of. But even
worse, then would come the UTTER feeling of hopelessness. I do not chew
vites, either. Or use sublinguals. I know my limiations. I won't do it.
I take what I take, but I swallow. I lost 150#. The way I have to figure it
is that if I had to take 150 pills to maintain it, I would. So, hen it
gets to me, I just lok at the pills (and I DO take alot), and ask me, WHICH
pound(s) do I want back? Although it's not for ME to be rough on YOU, I can
grab ME by the scruff of the neck and give me a good shaking. I ask me,
just what IS my priority? today's comfort or what I want for next week,
next month, next year? I'm not a goody two-shoes. I make boobos (how else
could I describe dumping in such glowing terms?), but I have to prioritize
on a daily basis. I use to drink 3 glasses of milk with every meal. I no
longer do any milk at all, but I also want to drink with meals. When I'm in
a social situaton and DO, I eat almost 3 times as much as volume as when I
don't. Scary, huh?
— vitalady
July 3, 2002
Hi there :) First off..I know what you mean. I am 4 weeks post-op and I
only really started to take my vitamins "seriously" in the past
week or so. For some reason or another, I dismissed their importance in my
mind and took them when I pleased. I was sitting on the couch one day and I
started to think about how worried I was/am about taking birth control
pills again and how I would never forget one b/c of the consequences. I
then realized that if I could remember to take a tiny pill every single day
for years to prevent a pregnancy...I could manage a few vitimins that would
ultimately save my life and help me lose the weight I so desperately want
to lose. After all, I had my abdomen sliced open and had my insides
re-routed for this, so why endanger it now? Think about it. Good luck.
— Kelly C.
July 3, 2002
I have to agree with Michelle: Know what you will and won't do and work it
so that you will follow "a" plan. Tailor it to what you will
tolerate and keep up with. Take my case for instance. I started with
chewable/liquid vitamins, Viactiv, and no B12. HATED the liquid vites, kept
"forgetting" the chewable ones cuz they tasted bad, and found out
that the calcium in Viactiv wasn't absorbed so I was just basically eating
candy instead of taking calcium. OK, try plan #2: One-a-day rip-off
vitamins, Citrical x 2, sublingual b12. The vites were fine but I had
trouble with the citrical horse pills. Cutting them was out of the question
as it takes me forever to swallow a pill and they half dissolve and then
stick ALL the way down--YUCK! b12 tasted good but took too #$%^% long to
dissolve. OK, try plan #3: Keep the multivit, chewable calcium citrate
wafers, liquid b12. The liquid b12 works great for me cuz it gives me
better energy than the sublingual and I can squirt it under my tongue and
go on about my business. The calcium wafers--won't take them. Too chalky
and I can't force down 4-6 a day. OK, PLAN #4! Keep the multivite and b12,
switch to oversized calcium citrate capsules (only have to take 2/day).
FINALLY! A plan I can live with! I take b12, one calcium and a BCP in the
morning, multivite with lunch, another calcium in the afternoon, and if I
forgot my morning stuff, I can still take it with dinner. Works great for
me: I am taking all the stuff I am supposed to REGULARLY and I have a
contingency for when I mess up.<p>Sorry to be so long-winded but my
point is that you just have to keep trying different things until you find
what works for you. You may throw away a nearly full bottle of stuff but if
you weren't taking it anyway . . . I'd rather waste that money and buy
something else I can get into my body where it will do a lot more good than
it will sitting in my kitchen cabinet!
— ctyst
July 3, 2002
I am 3 weeks post and have not been that faithful in taking my vitamins
because I couldn't stand adding another thing down my throat in the
beginning! Now I am being much more diligent. I take Flinstones multi
vitamins (I think they taste great) plus Calcium, Iron, and B12 (pill
form). It took me a while to work them in to a schedule, but now it is
becoming more natural for me. Good luck! Its never too late to change so
now that you realize it, I'm sure you can do better! :)
— emilyfink
July 3, 2002
I agree with you about the taste of children's chewables but try centrum
chewables. They are not as bad.
— Alison N.
July 3, 2002
I have 2 words for you.. Pill Slicer! I bought one a couple of weeks ago
at WalMart for 3.95 and it was my best investment so far! I was having a
terrible time with the chewable multi's so I bought a bottle of the
smallest tabs I could find and I just put them in the pill slicer and
swallow a 1/2 at a time. I have had a terrible time with strictures and I
have no problems with swallowing these pills. I also take a 1/2 of a
zoloft and the granules of a Prevecid all at the same time (at night).
Every morning I have my cherry flavored sublingual B12. The trick to quick
dissolving is to make sure you have had something to drink or have brushed
your teeth. If I try to take it first thing in the morning when my mouth
is dry it takes a lifetime for it to dissolve. I am still working on
finding a calcium supplement that works for me. Its all a learning curve.
Good luck!
— pam29922
July 3, 2002
I have one thing to say about calcium - GO GET CALTRATE 600s CHEWABLES.
They are fruit flavored and *YUMMY*!! I take 2/day and you can get them at
Walmart. If only my children's chewables (flintstones) were that good I
would have no problems. But I am also having some anemia post surgery so I
*KNOW* I have to take them. Maybe I will try the chewable centrum someone
suggested. Good luck we know you can do it!
— sheltie
July 3, 2002
Caltrate is calcium carbonate...not citrate, unless they have a new product
out that I am not aware of. Do not take the carbonate!! It doesn't absorb
AT ALL and encourages osteoporosis AND kidney stones. Don't find out the
hard way.
— Cheri M.
July 4, 2002
I can totally relate. I'm 3 months post-op now and just over the last
month or so, I've finally gotten into gear with my vitamins. I'm on so
many medications along with the vitamins, that I was forgetting to take my
vitamins and medications. I found that using a daily pill organizer, the
kind that has morning through bedtime, is really helping me to remember
everything. I take a total of 12 pills a day, and then usually 3 pain
pills a day (that's a whole other story). I swallow all of my pills now.
I don't take any chewables anymore. I take one multi-vitamin a day, I
think it's one-a-day for older women so it doesn't have any iron, 3 500mg
calcium citrate capsules (got them from vitalady) spread out throughout the
day, and one iron pill. I will be getting my levels tested in a few weeks,
so we'll see if this plan is working. You probably should be more diligent
about taking your vitamins, remember that you had this surgery to become
healthier. You don't want to become malnourished now that you have a
slimmer body. Good luck and God bless!
— Christine L.
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