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What kind of Vitamins is everyone taking? I know many surgeons have different suggestions. Is anyone taking Celebrate or Bariatric Advantage? Thoughts? Oops! Just realized I posted in the wrong area. Sorry.

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I liked the bariatric Vitamins pre-op but post-op I could do the Jello ones (Ameriwell Bariatrics brand) and flinstone Complete. All others make me gag now.

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Both Bariactric and Celebrate are hard to stomach for a lot of post ops, including myself. I eventually had to get something that would not cause gagging, throwing up or whatever you want to call it. Same thing happened to my wife who is 1 year behind my schedule. I initially found that Trader Joe High Potency Adult chewable could go down without rejection. So did my wife. After about 6 months post op, I switched to GNC vitaPak and then switched again to ON Optimen. Optimen works really well and is very powerful, but guys should know that the pills are huge so do wait until at least post op 6 months so you do not have trouble with it getting stuck anywhere.. These Vitamins turn you into a beast during your workouts plus give you lots of clean energy for the day.

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I recently tried the Celebrate Multi-Vitamins - HUGE mistake for me. I had horrible stomach issues, gas, and diarrhea all day. Then I read the ingredients - first two are both sugar alcohols! Some people are more sensitive to sugar alcohols than others, but these Vitamins CLEARLY did a number on my system - instantaneously! I have switched back to a Target (Up&Up Brand) multi-vitamin/mineral - it is in Gummy form, and it works great for me! I am not switching again after the Celebrate episode... But you will need to try things out for yourself. In my support group, everybody has had a different exerience with the vitamins - it all boils down to what your body will or will not tolerate. Most of the Bariatric companies offer free samples if you email them - it is a great way to try them before making a big investment.

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Thanks for the replies! Those of you buying OTC (non bariatric type) Vitamins, are you using the recommended dosages or doubling up?

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Thanks for the replies! Those of you buying OTC (non bariatric type) vitamins' date=' are you using the recommended dosages or doubling up?[/quote']

I'm doubling up on my OTC Vitamin from Trader Joes per my NUT's advice. I really want to go back to the costco Vitamin gummies (ooh...gummy Calcium that tasted like creamsicles) that I used to take, but too many carbs for how many I'd have to take. Sigh.

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I take One a Day gummies, B-12 and calcium chews every day.

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We were asked to stick to calcium citrate only. I ordered bariatrics advantage cinnamon thinking it would be a chew. It is not. It's a powdery, very spicy crumbling little pill and I need to replace it with something. Any suggestions? Stuck with a HUGE bottle of the cinnamon.

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I'm doubling up on my OTC Vitamin from Trader Joes per my NUT's advice. I really want to go back to the costco Vitamin gummies (ooh...gummy Calcium that tasted like creamsicles) that I used to take' date=' but too many carbs for how many I'd have to take. Sigh.[/quote']

We used to love that calcium pre-surgery but its not calcium citrate which I'm told we now need to take :(

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I'm doubling up on my OTC Vitamin from Trader Joes per my NUT's advice. I really want to go back to the costco Vitamin gummies (ooh...gummy Calcium that tasted like creamsicles) that I used to take' date=' but too many carbs for how many I'd have to take. Sigh.[/quote']

Are you using the regular pill form? I'm just wondering if I can swallow them because they are pretty big.

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My Calcium is citrate and I got it from the local store (Christmas Tree Shops - like a big lots meets Kmart). The pills are huge and I just swallow them. I have broken them in half (earlier out).

As for trying the chewable bariatric ones, I too noticed many were not citrate and post-op tasted horrible. Loved them pre-op.

As for doubling. I have not had to double my flinstone Complete to have good levels. I just don't take them together. I take one first thing in the AM and another one early afternoon.

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Are you using the regular pill form? I'm just wondering if I can swallow them because they are pretty big.

When you are further out -7 months or so, you can swallow whole tablets. I don't know where you are, but I'm six weeks so I still stuck on chewables. TJ's actually makes a berry flavored chewable multi Vitamin that isn't bad.

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We were asked to stick to calcium citrate only. I ordered bariatrics advantage cinnamon thinking it would be a chew. It is not. It's a powdery, very spicy crumbling little pill and I need to replace it with something. Any suggestions? Stuck with a HUGE bottle of the cinnamon.

I take Bariatric Advantage calcium citrate Chewy Bites. I got 3 bags from Amazon...Chocolate, Caramel, and Raspberry. I mixed them all up in a cookie jar & take 2 a day. I haven't been as good about a Multivitamin yet. I've tried several brands, but I just seem to have trouble sticking to one.

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I take Bariatric Advantage calcium citrate Chewy Bites. I got 3 bags from Amazon...Chocolate, Caramel, and Raspberry. I mixed them all up in a cookie jar & take 2 a day. I haven't been as good about a Multivitamin yet. I've tried several brands, but I just seem to have trouble sticking to one.

okay that is exactly what i need. Thank you!

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The caramel Bariatric Advantage chew is really tasty! I have been taking these daily for about 13 months now and am still not tired of them. They key is how much do you want to take at a time? BA released a new 500 mg chew so you can take 1 instead of 2 per meal. Some of us like two pieces of candy instead of 1. ;)

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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
      1. This update has no replies.
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