Do you take Vitamins? Which ones? How often? When did you start? Are they chewable or ? And finally, do they taste horrible?

:biggrin:

i was banded 1/12/10 and have been taking my vitamins and other meds like normal. i have stopped taking my omega 3 cuz it is a horse pill and i'm leary of getting it stuck.

i've had one fill and have very little restriction which allows me to take the pills. that all may change when i got for my next fill in 2 weeks.

stay tuned for the rest of the story.

I had my surgery on 2/1/10 so I am not having any issues with my vitamins so far. I was out of calcium so I got Viactiv chewy and chewable Vit. C from Sam's. I was looking at multi-vitamins and I saw that a liquid-gel cap is available at BJ's, made by Nature Made I think. I still have enough for now, so that I will research it a bit more before buying something. I would like to buy a gel-cap Pre-Natal multi-vitamin, but haven't seen any that are affordable yet.

Just like different people have trouble with different foods, I there a differences when in comes to Vitamins. Now in my 4th year, I can take just a about anything including 2 large fish oil capsules, but I DON'T recommend that for everyone, espeically early on.

The practice I initially interviewed started people out in liquid forms only. The doctor I actually was banded with and who I still work with, did not have that restriction. I started out with liquid vitamins from costco. I switched to chewables - try to get samples and see what tastes ok to you. I know a lot of people use Bariatric Advantage; I like a the chewable multi from trader joes.

Hope that helps.

I use flinstones chewable that i found at gnc - they have adult doses, i also use a chewable calcium.

My surgeon requires chewable Vitamins. I take Centrum Silver Chewables and Walgreens Calcium Chewables. I take one of each a day. The calcium chewables are pretty tasty - fruit punch, orange and cherry. The Centrum Silver aren't all that good, but they were the ones I could stomach best out of the multiple kinds I tried!

I just got my wisdom teeth out and bought some liquid Multivitamins and calcium to supplement while I couldn't chew and the Multivitamin tastes like old grape juice and I couldn't even stomach the texture of the calcium... ick!

I started taking my multivitamin before surgery and my calcium I started about a week after (took that long to go buy some). The upside was they gave me something to chew while I was on liquids!

Do you take Vitamins? Which ones? How often? When did you start? Are they chewable or ? And finally, do they taste horrible?

:biggrin:

Hi pmommy,

I take One-A-Day (Energy). They are 'normal' vitamins and are packed with the B vitamins we need as well as Biotin. It's the only formula out on the market that I could find that I could tolerate. Chewables are just yucky to me and forget liquids... they leave such a horrible taste in my mouth. It's going to be what works best for you. I was banded less than a year ago and have 4.5cc's in my band. I'm successful at taking these so I keep on keepin' on! :laugh: Good luck with what you find and check out the Vitamin Shoppe that have tons to choose from!

Yes, I take Vitamins. Initially, I took Bariatric Advantage chewables, but switched to the capsules my doctor's office provides. (Their gelcap quickly dissolves; no "stuck" issues.) I did so because my flexible spending account reimburses me if I purchase through my doctor's office. (It probably would for the BA ones, too, but it would require hoop-jumping, and I'm all jumped out these days!)

I also take a 200 mg. capsule of Co Q-10 twice a day, and a Vitamin D supplement (both per my doctor), and calcium/magnesium softgels on days when I don't get enough calcium via my diet.

Bariatric Advantage and Celebrate are two brands that make vitamins specifically for banded people. Whatever you do, please don't take children's vitamins! We are adults who've had bariatric surgery--our needs differ from those of first-graders! (I say this only because I know doctors who still recommend this--or infant vitamin drops.)

Thanks Betsy...I was told Flinestone's were OK but after hearing they contain formaldehyde (not sure if that's true!) and that I could have hair loss, I want something that covers all the bases! I have to admit I have NEVER been a vitamin taker expect when I was PG with prenatals. Still looking for some great suggestions on either one I can swallow or worst case, a chewable that covers everything and doesnt taste icky.

I was told that we should be taking vitamins that are made for WLS people. Just like for pregnancies, we need the special vitamins that are made for us. I take Bariatric Adv - VitaBand multivitamin, Mixed Berry chewable. They taste good. also B-50 Complex capsule and Fosamax for calcium. Bariatric Adv can send you a sample package of different flavors. The cinnamon was hot!

I take Centrum Chewables (for adults). They don't taste great, but they don't taste horrible either. As for Calcium citrate, I've settled on the Bariatric Advantage chocolate Chews. I've used the Twinlab calcium citrate wafers as well, but they are big and chalky... no problem for my band, but I don't like chewing up a big mouthful of chalk so that's why I switched to the Bariatric Advantage Chocolate Chews. I also take extra Vitamin D (small pill - nonchewable - made by Naturemade) and Vitamin C (chewable - made by Naturemade).

I have also given up my Omega 3s for now because the ones I have are so huge. I'm on Crestor (Rx high cholesterol medicine) now anyway and its doing way more for my cholesterol than the Omega 3s. So, I haven't tried to find a new Omega 3. When I was only on Omega 3s (no Crestor), it didn't seem to do anything to lower my cholesterol anyway.

I actually take a vitamin by Opti-source you get at Walgreens--they are designed for bariatric patients. They are chewable and taste pretty much like an orange sweettart candy. I only have to take 2, 1 in the am, and 1 in the Pm. I also take a Vitamin D because I was diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency way before banding--it is not chewable, but small enough to get down. I am going to start B-12 so I can increase energy for workouts!!

@czynth Hi can you tell me the name brand of the calcium chews you take from walgreens?

Right after surgery I was taking the Solotron chewables from GNC, but I got tired of them so the next time I went in I found Women's Ultra Mega Nutrition Formula which is a powder it comes in chocolate and vanilla and I believe it has a few grams of protien in it. In the morning I do 1 scoop (serving is 2 scoops) and a scoop of protien powder in 12 oz of almond milk and drink that on my way to work. The only thing is that it doesn't have Iron, but I bought Prenatal Plus DHA Complet by Buried Treasure off of Amazon and I take 1 TBSP (serving is 2 TBSP) of that in the evening when I get home from work it has the iron I need and will hopefully help my hair stay healthy thru this. My doctor and nutritionist both are very happy with this.

For my calcium I use a powder form that the doctors office gave me a sample of and I bought some from Amazon called Upcal D. I usually just either mix it in my Water or some crystal light 2 times a day. I bought the single serving packs for convenience to travel with. I just make sure I space my calcium and multi at least 2 hours apart per my doctors orders.

I take Alive by Natures Way in liquid form. It is nasty but do able and they make me feel so much better than anything else I have tried. I also take a chewable Omega 3 and a chewable calcium.

I take two children's multi-vitamins in the morning. 1 Viative 2 hours later and another Viactive in the evening.