New to this. Having GB Tuesday! Who knows of inexpensive multivitamins WITH iron?

One of the concerns with any multivitamin is whether it contains all the vitamins and minerals that a bariatric patient can absorb. If the calcium in the multivitamin is calcium carbonate, it's not bioavailable (easy absorbed) for you because of the changes to your body. You need calcium citrate. The type of iron is also important. Some forms of iron are no longer bioavailable for you. B12 is also a problem. It has to be sublingual (dissolves "under the tongue") or you need to take injections from your doctor. Also, does the multivitamin contain certain micronutrients such as zinc, copper, and selenium? NEVER, ever, ever, ever use a GUMMY vitamin. They are a waste of your money because they are the worst at bioavailability.

Write to me privately if you have any more questions.

Edited August 13, 20187 yr by Missouri-Lee's Summit

My dr recommends centrum chewable or the old school flintstone chewables

You also need to take iron and calcium separately because taken together will impair absorption of both. It is easier to find multivitamins without iron than without calcium so get one of those and then take iron and calcium citrate at different times.

I also buy heme iron as it has better absorption and less side effects than other types of iron.

My multivitamin of choice is One A Day Women’s 50+ Healthy Advantage, which I buy at Costco. I take 2 per day, at lunch and dinner.

Edited August 13, 20187 yr by MarinaGirl

I wasn't specific enough in my previous post. MarinaGirl is correct about taking iron and calcium at separate times. Here's information from one of the handouts from my surgeon's office:

Gastric bypass patients need to take more vitamins than lap band patients or vertical sleeve gastrectomy patients because, in addition to only being able to eat a limited amount of food, part of their small intestines have been bypassed. People absorb most vitamins and minerals in our small intestines and with part of them bypassed, they end up absorbing fewer nutrients from the food they eat and the supplements they take.

The vitamins you need may vary based on your individual needs and the results of your blood tests, but here's what the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) recommends you should start with:

*An adult multivitamin, containing 100% of the recommended daily allowances (RDA) of at least 2/3 of all nutrients, including 18mg iron and minerals like zinc, copper, and selenium, twice daily.

*1500mg to 2000mg calcium citrate (not calcium carbonate or tricalcium phosphate) divided into three to four doses of about 500mg each, taken at least two hours apart. RNY patients don't have enough stomach acid to break down calcium carbonate or tricalcium phosphate for absorption. That means supplements like Viactiv, Tums, Caltrate, and Citracal gummies aren't good choices.

*An additional 18mg to 27mg iron for menstruating women

*350mcg to 500mcg sublingual B12 daily or 1000mcg B12 injections once a month

*B-50 complex is optional

Note that the ASMBS recommends an adult multivitamin. While some surgeons and dieticians recommend children's chewable vitamins to patients, these are usually missing some key nutrients that gastric bypass patients need. Read the label of any multivitamin you are considering carefully and make sure it has 100% of the RDA of most ingredients and that it has minerals like copper, zinc, and selenium.

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I take a multivitamin, calcium citrate, magnesium citrate, iron, Vit D-2 (doctor's prescription), and sublingual B12.

Edited August 13, 20187 yr by Missouri-Lee's Summit

My doctor says if you choose to use a childrens chewable make sure it says "complete" multivitamin.

I like the Trader Joe's chewable multivitamins. All their supplements are well priced. I buy my sublingual B12 from them as well. I do take a separate iron supplement as my program recommends. I bought the Barimelts brand which is fairly reasonably priced. My understanding is that down the road, I'll be able to switch to a small tablet which is much less expensive than chewables. Has anyone had good luck getting vitamins/supplements covered by insurance post op?

Multivitamins are best absorbed when taken with food. Some Vitamins, namely the fat-soluble vitamins, are ONLY absorbed with food. Since I don’t drink Water while eating food, even just a small sip with a pill, I will never take a non-chewable multivitamin pill again.

My nutritionist advised to buy trusted vitamins and supplements. Not something to go cheap on.

6 hours ago, DeanaNJ said:

My nutritionist advised to buy trusted Vitamins and supplements. Not something to go cheap on.

But expensive doesn't mean higher quality necessarily

I found this today actually because I was getting ready to reorder.

https://www.southernsurgical.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/RYGB-VITAMIN-COMPARISON.pdf

I am currently on the Celebrate 45 Multi bandwagon. 2 chewable vitamins a day + 3 chews. That's it.

I decided to try the Opurity stuff, since it was on the approval list. 1 chewable multi-vitamin a day + 4 chewable calciums + 1 Vitamin C/Iron pill. A little bit more pills, but it is like half the cost. Knowing the ingredients are not from China gives me a little bit of comfort.

I noted on the chart that the Flintstones scored quite badly. Maybe print this out and see what your doc says?

Edited August 14, 20187 yr by CyclicalLoser
changed the term ...vitamin a... to ..multivitamin... (So as not to be confused with the "Vitamin A" lol.

Waah, I??my happy prenatal vitamins. They aren't a sixe,i would have trouble swallowing about the dimensions of the evil ibuprofen caplets that gave me Hector my itty bitty gastric ulcer. CAN'T I keep them and supplement the B12. I'm already,taking Wellesse that's liquid calcium citrate along with Mg, Vitamins A and D . Please don't go breaking my ❤!