Should I invest in the vitamin patches for the first month of so post surgery in case I am unable to keep the actual pills down?

On 11/12/2018 at 22:13, MONA H. said:

I wonder what would happen if someone who was told "No" by their doctor ever tried the Patches for 3 months and then went in to get labs?? Sometimes doctors push medications because there is a bonus in it for them. I am the type that would get my lab results back and watch my doctor talk about how good my levels are and the entire time I'm like ummmmmmm hmmmmm ...lol

I did just that. I had already ordered 3 months worth and when I asked my nutritionist about them she said they didn’t know enough about them so didn’t recommend them. I decided to use them for my first 3 months until I was cleared to swallow pills. When I had my 3 month labs done everything was excellent, I asked her if deficiencies would turn up that soon and she said she can tell right away if people aren’t taking their vitamins. I switched to a Bariatric multi with iron and have been struggling with constipation ? I never had any problems with the patch so I might just go back to them? I never did tell her that I used the patch. I realize some deficiencies might take awhile to develop but lots of people are using them with good results!

On 8/29/2018 at 9:36 PM, Mhy12784 said:

Seriously why would anyone use a Vitamin Patch? You can take pills and chewables after surgery just fine, which are actually proven to work and much cheaper.

I get that people have crazy beliefs but vitamin patches are stupid honestly

As someone using the patches, and having my levels tracked closely, and those levels all being within norms... The patches are working, at least for me. But, blindly saying something doesn't work... is just daft. I understand the clinical trials are still pending results, but, there are PLENTY of folks using them, and having the blood work show they are working just fine.

8 hours ago, MONA H. said:

I wonder what would happen if someone who was told "No" by their doctor ever tried the Patches for 3 months and then went in to get labs?? Sometimes doctors push medications because there is a bonus in it for them. I am the type that would get my lab results back and watch my doctor talk about how good my levels are and the entire time I'm like ummmmmmm hmmmmm ...lol

I've been on the patches for almost 9 months total now, my 3 month and 6 month labs were all good. I'm on supplemental Vitamin D (once a week) because I live in New England and we don't get enough sunlight to generate the vitamin naturally, and they put me on a once a week B12 just in case, my levels had dropped slightly, but were still well within the normal range, they just wanted to be cautious with the B12. But literally every single other test came back normal and I'm **ONLY** using the Patches (aside from the D and B12)

I'll have my 9 month post op labs drawn next month. I'm suspecting more of the same, all good levels.

On 11/12/2018 at 04:11, Frustr8 said:

I love my prenatal ones, easier to swollow, very reasonable pricing. I remember the ones I had while carrying my 3 children, big horse pill sized, curious for my daughter they were a light rose pink, for both boys a sky blue, don't if that orgenes determined things but isn't it odd? At any rate,my current ones are a mustard yellow , small ovals and easily pass down my throat. My trick? Small sip of liquid, toss pill in and let it float down as you swollow. And they have the Iron we all seem to need. Still on Zofran 3 times daily for nausea, goes hand-in-hand with strictures, Carafate every 6 hours around the clock for. ulcers, with my other meds it keeps me busy, but it beats being dead all hollow. And as I lose weight the future pallbearers will be so grateful, won't have to,employ power lifters anymore! Do,it is still gonna be a bee-yutie- ful life just gotta give it a while to get here!?☀?

Frustr8, what brand of Prenatal Vitamins do you use?
Are you getting any relief from precious yet?

On 8/21/2018 at 11:46 PM, pugmom234 said:

ScoutCR. Good to know! I keep seeing these and I was curious as to how well they worked. Thanks!

Been using them for over 9 months total, all labs are normal. I have my 9 month post op next month, I don't suspect anything other than normal levels. If we are going to take some unproven hearsay story over actual lab results, well, then do what you want. But if you want to take some advice from someone actually using the product, that's got 3 and 6 month post op lab results to prove that the patches are working, well, then, they are working as reported (for me at least).

45 minutes ago, Matt Z said:

As someone using the Patches, and having my levels tracked closely, and those levels all being within norms... The patches are working, at least for me. But, blindly saying something doesn't work... is just daft. I understand the clinical trials are still pending results, but, there are PLENTY of folks using them, and having the blood work show they are working just fine.

Do you happen to eat any food or drinks that contain vitamins and minerals?

I wear Rebock sneakers, my vitamin b levels are high, clearly my Rebocks are working just fine.

And blindly saying that something that isn't supported by data doesn't work isn't nearly as bad as saying that something that isn't supported by data does work

14 minutes ago, Mhy12784 said:

Do you happen to eat any food or drinks that contain Vitamins and minerals?

I wear Rebock sneakers, my Vitamin b levels are high, clearly my Rebocks are working just fine.

And blindly saying that something that isn't supported by data doesn't work isn't nearly as bad as saying that something that isn't supported by data does work

Except my blood labs are data supporting the patches working.
And it's Reebok.

Chattycat, I use Spring Valley Prenatal multivitamin/multimineral with folate, I bought a 100 count bottle at Wal-Mart. I think it cost less than $10. So far my levels are super cool. Also take Magnesium for leg cramping, liquid calcium citrate, Sublingual B12, Carafate, Wellbutrin(for mildish depression) and that's pretty much it!

53 minutes ago, Matt Z said:

Except my blood labs are data supporting the Patches working.
And it's Reebok.

But you get vitamins and minerals from your diet

I don't know how you can attribute it to the Patches, when there's other variables in your diet.

Presumably you also take sublingual vitamin b and calcium supplements?

Now for the sake of simplicity I don't feel like arguing forever, but I think we can both agree the degree of efficacy is unproven. So why spend more money on something that is less proven

1 minute ago, Mhy12784 said:

But you get Vitamins and minerals from your diet

I don't know how you can attribute it to the Patches, when there's other variables in your diet.

Presumably you also take sublingual Vitamin b and Calcium supplements?

Now for the sake of simplicity I don't feel like arguing forever, but I think we can both agree the degree of efficacy is unproven. So why spend more money on something that is less proven

If my levels were low.... then my team would have said the patches aren't working. But since my levels are all where they are supposed to be... then they are working.

The **ONLY** 2 things I take in addition to the patches are 1 10,000 Vitamin D a week, because I live in New England and we don't get enough sun to make enough of the vitamin. And I take a once a week B12, my levels were normal before being placed on this extra supplement, and it was done simply for precautionary reasons, it was not necessary, in fact if my 9 month labs are high in the B12, they are going to have me stop taking it.

I do not take **ANY** other required supplements because the patches are performing the way they are advertised.


Your logic is odd. I can take your arguments against the patches, replace them with "chewables" and your idea still sticks, "you are eating food so therefore the chewables aren't doing anything"

My Dollar amount per day isn't much higher than if I was using chewables. I wake up, slap on my patches and I'm done, I don't have to worry about "supplement burp" upset stomachs, flavors (or lack there off) I don't even have to worry about the pile of pills I'd have to take to get all the supplements I'm getting from the patches. I went into this knowing that the clinical results are still pending, I discussed my choice with my surgeon, nutritionist, head nutritionist, head nurse, head pharmacy tech. They all agreed that on paper, the patches look great and they agreed to allow me to "test" them, to the point where there is a paper planned revolving around my tests and results and the hospital is looking at my results to help them push the patches into the elderly patient community given the elderly can have issues with not only taking pills, but remembering to take all of them. I researched the living hell out of the patches, found reports and results from early testing, I've reached out to the manufacturer etc. I read every slam piece out there and **ALL** negative reports are from people that haven't used them, haven't spoken with anyone that actually has, they base their information on unconfirmed stories and a lack of research about the product. The problem with using a lack of information as a reason not to use something is, there is no evidence they don't work. But, every single user that's had their blood drawn and had their doctors tell them their levels were good, are all the success stories proving the patches *do* in fact work.

Now, I did state "For me" I will not pretend that things like skin density, composition, hydration levels, oil production, hair density, and patch placement location are not going to have an effect on efficacy. But reduced efficacy still doesn't equate to the patches "not working".

Since when are you using the patches? How big are they? (Just curious. I wore a med patch for some time because of shoulder pain and I was glad to get rid of it so I'm not getting the hype about the patches.)

10 minutes ago, summerset said:

Since when are you using the Patches? How big are they? (Just curious. I wore a med patch for some time because of shoulder pain and I was glad to get rid of it so I'm not getting the hype about the patches.)

PatchMD patches are about 1 inch by 1 inch, they look like some of the nicotine patches. The "hype" is that I don't have to take a handful of vitamins and supplements by mouth, I just slap my patches on in the morning and just forget them.

Hey Matt Z, really appreciate you keeping us that are interested posted on your results! ?

4 minutes ago, chattycat said:

Hey Matt Z, really appreciate you keeping us that are interested posted on your results! ?

No worries! I knew going into this that I was looking at an uphill battle against everyone that was against the patches for whatever reason. ***AND*** I went into this open minded, if they worked, they worked. If they didn't work, they didn't work. I did not start this little experiment biased one way or another. I read all the positives and negatives so I was aware, but I started this with zero expectations other than *something* would happen. I'm happy that my labs are all coming back good, I'll update anyone that wants to know when I get my 9 month labs done early / mid - December.

I've always been a "reality over perception" person... ESP being overweight.

Edited November 13, 20187 yr by Matt Z

On 11/13/2018 at 10:42, Matt Z said:

No worries! I knew going into this that I was looking at an uphill battle against everyone that was against the Patches for whatever reason. ***AND*** I went into this open minded, if they worked, they worked. If they didn't work, they didn't work. I did not start this little experiment biased one way or another. I read all the positives and negatives so I was aware, but I started this with zero expectations other than *something* would happen. I'm happy that my labs are all coming back good, I'll update anyone that wants to know when I get my 9 month labs done early / mid - December.

Please keep me updated! Thank you!