Hi all! I've been reading some of the posted details about long term Vitamin deficiencies and want to be proactive. I don't see my surgeon for several months, and he has been unreliable with vitamin advice (first he said I don't need any, then he said children's gummies twice a day). I'm going to have my primary care physician order blood work. I see the research indicates checking at 3 months out. What is the best practice lab sheet? Also, it's time to reorder Vitamins. I tolerate pills, is there a reason to stay with bariatric chewables? Currently I take Bariatric Advantage chewable, B12 sub-lingual, Nature plus Iron/C chewable, and a Calcium plus chewable.

Critiques before I reorder, please?

Thanks,

Tracy

I'm answering now just to follow the topic so I'll remember later - when I get home from work, I can tell you what's on my 3 month lab sheet.

I just had a nutritionist visit today and asked about switching some of my Vitamins to tablets since most of them are kind of gaggy and she said not for at least 6 months, that all the chewable stuff absorbs better. You may have better luck with your team, though!

hi,

we were told that you shouldn't take Gummie vitiman,

takes up too much room in sleeve.

our doctor recommended Flintstone COMPLETE

chewable 2 times a day. I bought the generic,

Doctor is fine with that. I had the sleeve.

I was also told no gummies. I was told two (2) Flintstone Vitamins or Centrum Multivitamin only the orange chewable. Also was told chewable calcium citrate (these are pretty much bariatric designed, Bariatric Advantage or the ones at the Vitamin Shop are chalky as all heck), not calcium carbonate which are what most chews are. Also I take my sublingual b12 and Biotin. I'm getting my blood work done in about another two (2) weeks before I see my surgeon again on the 9th, I'll be 9 weeks post op for blood work and 10 for my appointment with him.

My advice...or at least what I was advised -

As far as Vitamins, I was told to stick with the chewables for life, since the solid pills may pass through your sleeve before being fully absorbed. I was using the Centrum chewables based on the recommendation of my surgeon...he said this one was the most complete. As far as calcium, I was told to stay away from any calcium carbonate, and find only the calcium citrate. The Bariatric Advantage chewables worked really well for me until I started using the Nascobal Nasal spray for my B12. This is a mail order Rx, and it comes with a multivitamin, Iron, and calcium - all chewable - and it's nice and convenient.

I'm sorry, I didn't forget about you - I went home and fell asleep.

I've got my 3 month lab slip in front of me, and here's what's on it:

CBC with differential

Comp metabolic panel

Folate

Prealbumin

Iron, TIBC, % Transferrin saturation

PTH, intact

Vitamin B1, whole blood

Vitamin A

Vitamin E

Vitamin D (25-Hydroxy), Total + D2 + D3

Ferritin

Thank you!

So, I take vitamins specifically based on my blood labs, so I take 5000iu d3, which I take the liquigel caps, b12 500mg, vitamelts, multivitamin, also vitamelts, and slowfe iron(because the meltaway multivitamin doesn't have iron in it). I had the band for a year and the sleeve 3 months, get blood tests about every 3-6 months to have my levels checked, and these are my problem areas. One thing that I do try to focus on is ensuring I am getting both thiamine and b12, so either a b complex vitamin or b12 separately and make sure thiamine is in the multivitamin. I also take calcium in one of 2 ways, I will either chew a tums or mix an upcal into a milk in the morning (it's powdered calcium citrate).

I just had my 6 month post op lab done and strangely enough my blood sugar has gone from the 70's up to 114 (fasting) and my Liver enzymes (primarily the Ferritin) is way high. This scares the heck out of me. Has anyone ever heard of this happening? And by the way, I do not have a gallbladder so that is not the reason for my liver enzymes going up