I have been reading quite a lot, and see many posts on vitamins, protein powders and the like, but haven?t really come across much on how much people actually spend on them.

Can anyone give me an idea on how much they spent on these things for the first year, and then longer term?

I?ve read the Duodenal Switch Forum (DS) on obesityhelp (OH), and they seem to average somewhere around $100.00 a month. Some spend a lot more, and a few seem to get by on $30.00 a month.

I know they tend to have to take a lot more than sleevers due to the malabsorbtion.

I spend $12 bucks on my multi-vitamin for a 45 day supply.

I just picked up some Omega 3s with DHA and EPA and Calcium Citrate Plus.

The Omega 3s were $21.99 for a 120 day supply. The calcium citrate is $9.49 for a 125 day supply.

My sublingual B12 is $5 for a 60 day supply. I take 1 every other day now.

The ground Flax seed I purchased for Fiber, more Omega 3s, and other benefits of Flax seed. I got for $4.57 for a 30 day supply, but it will actually last me at least 60 days because I am only going to do a half dose every day which is one tablespoon sprinkled in yogurt or cooked in our meals.

I order my Omega3s, calcium citrate, and the flax seed from www.vitacost.com. Flat rate $4.99 shipping with a money back guarantee.

I get my multi from GNC on base because with our free Gold card, and no tax on base, I get them super cheap. I am considering switching to a multi from vitacost because it has zinc and selenium whereas my current multi does not have those minerals/supplements. They have them at vitacost for a 180 day supply for $17.99. My current multi is chewable, and I'm pretty spoiled to them, but I may change.

Here is an awesome Vitamin comparison chart that you can see the most popular bariatric and non-bariatric Vitamins. It will show exactly what you are getting with 1 dose. Then you can do some comparitive shopping for prices.

VitsComparison.xlsx - Windows Live

You do not have to sign up or sign in to access the excel spreadsheet. A member on OH took the time to compile this comparison chart.

My multi is the last one listed GNC solotron chewable with bioavailable Iron. My 7 month labs were perfect with zero deficiencies so that's one reason I'm sticking with my current instead of switching. But, I'm on the fence.

So, I spend way less that $30 per month for high quality supplements and vitamins. If you want links to what I take, just let me know. I know a few more things than what was recommended, but I want to maximize my new found health.

Tiff, thanks for the great resources. You are a virtual library!