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Vitamins-daily requirements?? So confused



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I have a bottle of Bariatric Advantage Multi Vitamins and a bottle of Centrum one a day chewable vitamins and notice the daily percentages content are vastly different between the two. Some doses are double or tripled on the BA vs the Centrum.

I have read on this site that Centrum are what many of you take daily. Is it because you’ve got more time since your surgery? Or because you’re bypass and I’m (almost) a sleeve? Does it really matter as long as it’s taken each and every day without fail?

Vitamin A is 200% on the BA and only 30% on Centrum. Similar with most other nutrients. I purchased the Centrum and won the BA at a support group and they’re huge horse pills and crazy expensive.

So confusing [emoji46] someone explain please!

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I was told by my surgeon i have to take the bariactric one for 18 mo because they have the amount i need, im a sleever, i get optisource from walgreens 1 mo supply is 30 $

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From what I understand, and I’m no expert, is that the bariatric surgery alters the ability to adsorb specific Vitamins and minerals. By increasing the amount of the specific items that we can’t adsorb post surgery, the bariatric vitamins are made for US!
I asked “Well, if I need 5x the Vitamin X, can’t I just take 5 Centrum vitamins?” The nurse responded that you are increasing all of the other vitamins and minerals by 5x as well, and over time they could build up and have a negative effect on our physiology.


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Friends of mine, who have had gastric sleeve are taking the following:

clinicians multi or 2 x Centrum Plus

I take 2 x chewable BN Mulits (BNMulti.co.nz or BNMulti.co.au) designed for gastric bariatric surgery patients

I also have Calcium on perscription from my GP.

Hope this helps

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I am still preop for a few more weeks, but as someone who has always taken supplements, Centrum is low in everything in my opinion. Over doing Vitamins won’t affect your physiology. There are a few supplements that can build up and cause issues, but for most supplements, your body absorbs what it needs and expels the rest. If you are worried, ask a doctor or nutritionist.


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I am still preop for a few more weeks, but as someone who has always taken supplements, Centrum is low in everything in my opinion. Over doing Vitamins won’t affect your physiology. There are a few supplements that can build up and cause issues, but for most supplements, your body absorbs what it needs and expels the rest. If you are worried, ask a doctor or nutritionist.








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Most Vitamins and minerals we seem to absorb pretty well. The notable exceptions are Calcium (we need citrate), and B-12. Iron- sometimes.. that one is usually worse in the bypass.

In general, I shoot for at least 100% of everything, and add calcium and B-12. Anything else I let my doc tell me I'm low.

Keep in mind potassium and magnesium aren't included in Multivitamins, so I analyze my diet to make sure I get enough.

People that don't take a good Vitamin every day can be low on loads of things. Copper, zinc, manganese, selenium ... etc. etc.

I'm always learning new things, so reserve the right to have missed something... ;)

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      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.
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