Vitamins

[doxaholic 252]

I am also worried about all the Vitamins we are supposed to take. Sounds like alot and my guess is insurance will not pay for them right. What about if you have to take them by iv like Iron? Anyone know?

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[PorkChopExpress 820]

I bought all of mine from Bariatric Advantage. They have chewables that work pretty well, and don't take up space in the stomach once you let them dissolve in your mouth. The Multivitamin chewable is pretty metallic and I'm not super keen on it, but it's not candy The Iron chew is not great either. But the Calcium chew (caramel) is like a piece of candy three times a day, so that's nice.

Basically, I take the Multivitamin twice a day (morning and evening), the Calcium three times a day, the Iron once, and I also take Vitamin D because my levels were low. I have a sub-lingual B-12 that I take once a week (melts under your tongue). Lotta Vitamins. I think I paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $120 for three months supply, and after that's all gone I can go with normal over-the-counter Vitamins that you swallow. But while I'm healing, I'm going to use these.

[RJC5197 282]

I just started the Patches and multi, Iron and B12 are no longer taken orally. I will get my labs done again in 2 weeks and expect good results.

I only take Calcium chewable and probiotic (My choosing) orally.

The cost is not too bad, and I use my HSA account to offset the cost a little.

Edited October 10, 2016 by RJC5197

[sjules 27]

You should be taking dry ADEK. Follow the Vitalady schedule. I order fromAmazon and get some from local pharmacy/Walmart.

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[James Marusek 5,244]

The cost of my Vitamins are comparable to the cost of the medication that I took prior to surgery and no longer take because many of my health problems (diabetes, high blood pressure) went into remission after my RNY gastric bypass surgery.

[catwoman7 10,883]

insurance generally doesn't cover Vitamins (although some policies cover them if they're prescription - mine did when I had to take prescription Vitamin D pre-surgery because my levels were abysmal). I've never looked into my HSA/FSA covering them, but I'll look into that as one of the above posters mentioned it. I would assume IV Iron would be covered since a doctor's doing it - but it may depend on your policy.

[catwoman7 10,883]

p.s. you get used to the Vitamins really quickly. I take about 15 tablets a day, but it's completely second nature now. I take a handful in the morning, a much smaller handful around dinner time. I work in one other Calcium dosage sometime during the day, and Iron before I go to bed. I had RNY, though. Vitamins differ a bit depending on your surgery (VSG requires fewer, DS requires more). It's really not bad once you get into the swing. I really don't think much about it anymore. The only thing I have to remember to do is get my extra calcium dosage in there somewhere.

[Peggy D 123]

I am now 9 months post Single-anastomosis duodenal switch & don't need much in the way of Vitamins. Based on my lab work done just last month, I take 1 senior multi-vitamins & 2 calcium citrate twice a day & 25 mg zinc once a day. I take one Vitamin A & one Vitamin E on alternating days & one Vitamin D twice a week. I had to reduce my Iron (ferrous sulfate) to one a day & probably will be stopping that after I see my PCP this week because my ferritin levels are too high. I do take 500 mg Vitamin C with the Iron to help absorption so will stop that when I stop the iron.

It all depends on how you absorb which is why you need to get lab work done every three months for the first year.

[Postop 405]

Your insurance should cover Iron infusions, if you need them. Generally, what happens is your Iron numbers have to get low enough that your doctor recommends infusions. I do know quite a few DSers who need them.

As for vitamins: I take 40+ per day. You will probably want to buy vit/minerals in bulk. costco, BJs, etc. Online places as well. I generally buy 6 months or more at a time so I save on shipping. As I have my bloods done every 6 months there is often a tweak made to my routine.

Edited October 11, 2016 by Postop