I just added up how much the vitamins my surgeon wants me to take after bypass. Annually it's $1,177! He wants me to take the following:

Bariatric Advantage Advanced Multi EA twice day

Bariatric Advantage Calcium Citrate chews 3x a day

Bariatric Advantage Probiotic twice a day

Biotin once a day

B12 once a week

I'm thinking I could probably save some money on the calcium and probiotic by finding a different brand...?

I take Centrum Chewable Multi-vitamin daily

Biotin -daily

B-12 daily

Vitamin D daily

Iron daily

I stopped taking the calcium because it has not been an issue for me and my diet is calcium rich.

My vitamins cost 36.00 per month. I get them at Walgreens, Walmart, and The Vitamin Store.

I'm almost 15 months out and all my blood work has been great.

13 minutes ago, MonkeyNurse said:

I just added up how much the Vitamins my surgeon wants me to take after bypass. Annually it's $1,177! He wants me to take the following:

Bariatric Advantage Advanced Multi EA twice day

Bariatric Advantage calcium citrate chews 3x a day

Bariatric Advantage Probiotic twice a day

Biotin once a day

B12 once a week

I'm thinking I could probably save some money on the Calcium and probiotic by finding a different brand...?

I'd look at it more like an investment into your health and lifestyle Vs. an expense. Then again we also sell Bariatric Advantage vitamins in our store so my advice could be a bit biased You're also (most likely) going to save a ton of $ after surgery since most people end up buying less food. There is a difference in Bariatric vitamins vs Centrum or others you buy at the corner pharmacy. Whatever you do end up using, make sure to monitor your labs on a regular basis and you'll be fine.

36 minutes ago, MonkeyNurse said:

I just added up how much the Vitamins my surgeon wants me to take after bypass. Annually it's $1,177! He wants me to take the following:

Bariatric Advantage Advanced Multi EA twice day

Bariatric Advantage calcium citrate chews 3x a day

Bariatric Advantage Probiotic twice a day

Biotin once a day

B12 once a week

I'm thinking I could probably save some money on the Calcium and probiotic by finding a different brand...?

Compared to the medicines that you would've needed to help treat the maladies as a result of obesity, this is a drop in the bucket. Just what I need to treat my diabetes alone amounts to over 200 a month. Test strips, needle tips for the pens, and lancets. It all adds up. 1,177.00 for a year of vitamins and supplements would be a substantial savings for me.

My nutrionist has me on:

Department store brand Children's Complete (equivalent to Flinstones Complete) chewables....2 per day

500mcg B12 (I get whatever's on sale on Amazon)

B-50 B Complex (again, whatever's on sale works)

5000IU of Vitamin D (cause I'm deficient...and again, what's on sale works)

And 600mg of Calcium CITRATE with D....twice a day (I buy a department store brand...buy one get one free)

I would be very surprised if I spend over $300 per year.

Edited January 4, 20188 yr by Creekimp13

This is the price for chewables. I'm hoping when I switch over the capsules the price goes down. Good point @Alex Brecher about saving money on food. I'm on my pre-op diet and my wallet hasn't been touched in 2 weeks

While vitamins will be necessary the rest of your life, the type you have to take (chewable vs pill) can change after your Dr oks the move so you may be able to move to cheaper alternatives.

My NUT gave me a list of 4 brands and how much I would have to take of each and what I would need to take to supplement if I went with the Flintstones chewables. My clinic also has deals set up with the major brands so I get 15% off by using my clinic code. With Bariatric advantage, I also save by putting my vitamins on subscription to be automatically shipped and then I get free shipping on those orders.

My GERD drug which I won’t need to take any longer is $276 (my co-pay thru mail order) every 3 months. Not mentioning what I’ve saved ok food, I am saving money.

This is an ad from Bariatric Advantage that really drives my point home.

You would need 58 Centrum chewable vitamins every single day if you wanted to meet the latest ASMBS (American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery) guidelines!

I know that the Vitamin stuff is really hard to figure out because the Medical Community is not always on the same page. But...with that said, one of the things my Surgeon really stressed that using a BARIATRIC Vitamins are the best way to get what we need after our WLS. With that said, I figured that I wanted to take whatever I need to be healthy. I use CELEBRATE Multivitamins. They are something I feel that I don't want to take chances with. They aren't that expensive I don't think. I also use Capsules and my DR told me if they were too large to swallow that I could open them and put them in food. Applesauce, yogurt or oatmeal. They weren't too large for me. I did use Centrum chewable right after my RNY, but they were way t sweet for me. Just like was said, think of the price as an investment towards your health. Good Luck. Have a great evening.

I'd look at it more like an investment into your health and lifestyle Vs. an expense. Then again we also sell Bariatric Advantage vitamins in our store so my advice could be a bit biased [emoji4] You're also (most likely) going to save a ton of $ after surgery since most people end up buying less food. There is a difference in Bariatric vitamins vs Centrum or others you buy at the corner pharmacy. Whatever you do end up using, make sure to monitor your labs on a regular basis and you'll be fine.

What is the difference between centrum for women and your bariatric vitamin?


HW. 289
SW. 284
Height. 5’8

I've been searching for a drugstore Vitamins that meets the bariatric standards and haven't found anything yet. I'm doing two chewables daily. They're super gross and I'd love to find something else [emoji23]. I'm also doing bariatric calcium chews. Again, haven't found a drug store equivalent.

Everything else I'm getting at the drug store. Biotin, probiotic, and Iron (vitonC, which is easy on the stomach). I haven't done the math, but these things are not terribly expensive and are things I probably should be taking whether I had surgery or not.

2 hours ago, dreamynow said:

What is the difference between centrum for women and your bariatric Vitamin?


HW. 289
SW. 284
Height. 5’8

Here are the nutrition facts for Centrum Women:

Each tablet contains 3 mcg of B-12.

ASMBS guidelines require 350 mcg for Gastric Bypass, at a minimum!

You'd need to take 116 Centrum Women pills to hit those #s.

Every Dr. is different, I guess, Mine doesn't indicate that I need a bariatric specific vitamin. My blood work has always been A-ok with Centrum. He does recommend a bariatric specific vitamin for RNY patients, just not for sleeve patients.

So....

That's just over $3 per day. Less than a Starbucks Latte.

I don't see the problem [emoji6]

My vitamin outline says to take certain vitamins separately because some vitamins do not absorb with other vitamins. Like I have to take iron separate from everything else. Same with vitamin D. Zinc and iron can cancel each other out, so it is better to take them separately. Most multi vitamins even the Bariartic ones lump all these vitamins together. You can save money with a regular multi, and then buy the the vitamins your need to supplement in higher doses separately. I am anemic, always have been so I have to take a high grade and dose of iron, but even with that, I spend less than $50 a month on supplements and $50 is high, it is probably more in the $30-40 range.

If you want to save money, just compare the doses of the vitamins that your Dr wants you to take and look around for regular vitamins.

B-12 and D-3 are cheap and affordable at Sam's club. I purchase almost a year and a half of B-12 at Sam's for 9.99 or 12.99 or something. It works fine my B-12 is off the charts high.

Saving money takes a little more leg work than just buying the Bari formulas, so it ends up being time vs money.

I agree w @OutsideMatchInside on the cost, you can even shop sales at an actual vitamin store and come out cheaper than bariatric vitamins and I hate mine anyway - Celebrate chewables make me nauseated, can't wait until they are gone. My NUT insisted I buy them. I have taken supplements for years - D3, B-12, folic acid, magnesium for leg cramps, fish oil and a reg multivitamin. My first labs are fine and i only took the Celebrate half the time.