The Hunt For Reasonably Priced Vitamins

[Estella 11]

In the first 2 weeks since the operation, I've been taking 2x Centrum Junior per day- a kiddie Vitamin that comes in comes in a chewy candy, which made it a lot easier for me to take. But my surgeon's dietician disqualified them, saying the quantities aren't even remotely sufficient for an adult, and taking a double dose won't help me overcome the imminent vitamin deficiencies (I had Vitamin D deficiency even before the surgery, like most of us I assume - it easily dissolves in fat).

The bariatric dietician gave me a list of Vitamins to start taking. She emphasized that they ought to be taken separately, and that I cannot just take one comfy Multi-Vitamin and get it over with. It's really frustrating for several reasons:

1. Taking them separately is quite expensive. I went to the drugstore and it summed up in 700 NIS (roughly 180 USD).

2. Swallowing so many pills a day is somewhat troublesome.

3. Not all the vitamins exist in liquid/chewy candy form, some are to be swallowed and those pills are bigger than my head! They're huge, I suspect that even people with regular sized stomachs would be unable to consume them. I am taking 2x Losec/Ompradex (Omeprazol) a day, and that's as big as a pill can get if it wants to fit in my belly.

I went to my GP, he narrowed the list down to 3 vitamins: vitamin B12, Iron and calcium+vitamin D, only 2/3 of them come in non-gigantic pill form. The remaining pill, vitamin D + Calcium, won't go down my moat. I tried cutting it with a kitchen knife, without much success.

I am seriously considering defying the dietician and doctors' orders, and taking just B12, iron and Centrum Junior.

[favoredone 590]

Have you looking in to Bariatric Advantage or Celebrate? ? I'm having surgery in a week... During my pre-op class, the nurse said that wal-mart/walgreens would have chewable adult vits that I could use..

[Estella 11]

Celebrate / Bariatric Advantage - They don't sell those brands in my country.

There is a "bariatric patient friendly kit" sold by Bariatrix, I didn't bother spending good money on it because everyone who ever bought it claims the taste is atrocious, and that they rather stand in front of a firing squad before tasting it ever again. :s

[illgeturhairdid 176]

I bought my Vitamins and Calcium from unjury.com. They aren't the best tasting thing, but they aren't the worst. My surgeons office cells Calcet chews in chocolate and lemon- I will be buying those next visit to alternate with. I know my nutritionist said that a lot of people prefer liquid vitamins, have you looked into that at all?

[Lissa 2,631]

UGH on liquid Vitamins. I tossed my botte of them! I take a Centrum adult chewable every day, plus a sublingual B12, chewable Tums for Calcium and Biotin (small pill). The best places I've found for Vitamins are Walgreens and CVS (US drugstores). They often have B1G1 sales on their vitamins, which is nice. Walmart also sells many of the vitamins inexpensively or B1G1.

I know nothing about the bariatric versions of vitamins since my nut said that the ones I'm currently taking are fine. I am considering adding magnesium, but haven't fully researched it yet.

[Lissa 2,631]

Oh, and I take Tums for Calcium because of other meds that I am taking. Apparently the chewable calcium I bought at GNC is not a good combo with my coumadin and asthma meds.

[klus263 9]

I just had my one year follow up at my doctor with labs. I have been taking the Centrum womens silver Vitamin twice a day with 2 viactic calcium chews. I also take a Vitamin A due to a deficiency. I take weekly Vitamin b sublingual. My labs were all normal. I did take the bairiatic advantage for the first 5 months but once my husband had his surgery we switched. My husband also takes the women's Centrum.