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I was given a huge list of Vitamins and now on my pre-op diet I am taking them, but I have one problem. How am I going to swallow the powder out of the capsules if I can only drink sips?? It takes like 3-4 gulps of Water to get them down now! Is any one else having the same problems?:confused:

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I'm having the band. My docs nutritionist told us to start taking Vitamins like we are having gastric bypass because we won't be getting the nessicary vits. from the amount of food we are eating (or drinking). They also said that when we are on a regular diet again we will take like half as many. Isn't everyone required to take vits.? they told me my hair will "thin out" if I don't get the nutrition my body needs with these suppliments. Basically they scared me into submission, oh yea, and they don't sell the vits. Do you have to take any?

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I'm surprised that you've been told to take so many Vitamins as well. Most bandsters report taking a multi-Vitamin plus a Calcium supplement. That's also what my doctor recommends (I take adult chewables). I've also added B-12 with my doctor's approval. Like most everything else, there can be a wide range of recommendations from our doctors.

I've been banded for over a year, and at my 12 month blood work check they checked everything from A-Z, and all my tests came back within the normal range.

As far as hair falling out, my personal belief due to Hair loss I experienced after previous surgeries and childbirth, it's hormonal. I started losing hair about 6 weeks after surgery, but within maybe six months it stopped and grew back as thick as ever. If it was due to a lack of Vitamins, it wouldn't have stopped as suddenly as it started, and I wouldn't have had regrowth.

I'm glad to know your doctor isn't selling the vitamins. That was a good question. How big are the vitamins? With good restriction, I'm not supposed to swallow a pill bigger than an M&M.

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so my doctor had me taking 2 Multivitamins a day during the pre surgery diet. The reason he explained was that the first week after surgery was hard on the body and he wanted to make sure I was well equipped(vitamin/nutrient wise) to handle it. I was taking one in the morning and one in the evening plus my usual Calcium.< /p>

During the first week post op - I was given the okay to mix the crushed Vitamin (or pain pill) with applesauce to make it easier to take, I'm sure you can get the same okay.

I'm back to my regular Multivitamin and calcium as my regular routine.

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Many of the health food stores have liquid multivitamins... that would solve that issue... just a thought.

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Bariatric Advantage has chewables designed for band patients. I used them for the first couple of weeks, but then discovered the capsules my doctor's office provides go down just fine.

If you're not able to get them down, thought, there are lots of alternatives. I WOULD be sure to get Vitamins designed for bariatric patients.

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Miss_SeeAnn: I am so glad your doc isn't selling the vits for extra money. Like Kiz I just take chewable adult Centrum and chewable Calcium/Vit D. The "HUGE LIST" of Vitamins really through me for a loop because Banding is not an absorption issue and most Protein Shakes and vitamins have a lot of nutrition. Of course you should do as your doctor recommends. Best wishes,

Mimi

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I just take a Centrum (or it's no-brand-name substitute) Multivitamin per day, plus I added Vitamin B12. I make sure I drink my 2 glasses of milk per day, plus I randomly add fat-free cheese, yogurt, etc... so, I don't take extra Calcium. However, I started loosing hair after about three weeks, and am still loosing hair now. I hear that it's supposed to stop and revert back to normal.. I just hope it does! Good luck figuring out what's best for you.. don't forget, almost everyone's journey is a bit different.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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