It’s almost surgery day (yay ?) and I still don’t have any vitamins nor have I been talked to about which kind of vitamins to buy (?). I’ve done my research and know that I have to have a multivitamin, which I chose the Bariatric Advantage Multi Chewy Bites, but other than that I don’t know what else to get just for protective measures.
I prefer high quality vitamins because I’m going to be taking these for the rest of my life and don’t want them to be mostly fillers, you know? Anybody else that picky, or is it just me???
More specifically, I’m looking for vitamins to boost hair growth so it’s not so bad when it starts falling out. The multivitamin has biotin in it but after the horror stories I have read on here, that alone doesn’t seem to be working. Like, I know I can’t prevent it from falling out but I want to lessen the amount that falls out. My hair is already really thin and if I lose it, I will be bald. Not that being bald is a problem but the snowy season would be more unbearable than it is already.
Is there any other vitamins I should take??
I’m kind of upset that none of the information I was given about the surgery included information on the supplements to take afterward. Also, In my surgery letter it states that a dietitian will contact me before my liquid diet starts and here I am 5 days into my liquid diet and still no call. I’ve called them several times and still no call.

They are called OPTISOURCE Post Bariatric Surgery. You can order them on Amazon or if you have a Walgreens store....they sell them also. Google the name so you know what your looking for. I was recommended to take 2 tables 2x a day. Once in the AM and once in the PM. They also suggest an OMEGA 3 to help with staying regular. I hope this helps,

After RNY surgery, you are required to take many vitamins for the rest of your life. This is because you body no longer synthesizes vitamins from food. That part of your stomach has been cut away, so this daily requirement is extremely important. Vitamin chemistry is important for absorption. Calcium supplements should be calcium citrate. There are also different chemistries of B12. I use the sublingual B12 and was told to use methylcobalamin. You cannot use a time-release version of B12. If you are taking iron supplements, it must be ferrous sulfate for the best absorption. Gummy vitamins are not absorbed properly and should be avoided.

It is important to put a 2 hour separation between the vitamins that contain iron and those that contain calcium. So in my case I found that what works best for me is to take the iron supplements just before bedtime. I put my vitamins in a weekly pill container. I have one container for the morning and one for the night. And I use a very small glass bowl for my calcium supplements. I put my calciums in the bowl in the morning and take them throughout the day. If I am up and about I put my calciums in a ziplock bag and carry them with me.

The directions I received after surgery was:

* Three Flintstone complete chewable multivitamins daily.

* Additional 65 milligrams elemental iron daily for menstruating women.

* 1500 to 1800 milligrams calcium citrate daily [this can be tricky because the dosage rate is per 2 capsules - therefore this can mean around 5-8 capsules per day depending on the size (petite or regular)].

* 500 to 1000 micrograms sublingual B12 daily or 1000 microgram injection once monthly.

* 100 milligrams Thiamine (vitamin B1) daily for the first year and then weekly thereafter.

In the morning I put my Citricals in a small finger bowl. Then I take a couple every couple hours. When I am up and about I put them in a zip lock bag and take them with me. For me this is not difficult. Sometimes I take two at once.

But right after surgery, I lost my ability to swallow large pills and I had to crush them. It was like eating chalk. The only way I could down these was by mixing them with crystal light and drinking them down. Because they formed a paste at the bottom of the glass. I had to remix these and chug them down several times. Luckily my inability to swallow lasted only a couple months and then I was back to normal.

James gave great info. I have to take 2000 mg of Calcium a day, but divided up into 4 doses (Different surgeries often have different vitamin requirements). The body won't absorb more than about 500 mg at a time, so for calcium you should also take your doses about 2 hr apart. (I take my calcium early morning, mid morning, afternoon, and dinner time, then Iron at bedtime to space them apart)

Bariatric Advantage brand has some great chewy calcium in different flavors, you can get them in 250 or 500 mg chews. They are more expensive but in the beginning especially I loved having them, they are like having a little treat. I think I have tried every flavor and my favs are the chocolate and the raspberry.

Also, I found an app called Medisafe which gives me reminders when it's time to take my vitamins. There are days when I am busy that I would not have remembered if it wasn't for that app.

I’ve been taking the Bariatric Fusion chewable multivitamins. I take two in the morning and two at night. I am about 6 weeks post-op RNY and have had my blood levels done twice.

The only deficiencies I’ve had are iron and potassium, but the potassium deficiency was most likely from a diuretic I was taking to treat high blood pressure. I am no longer taking the diuretic- so hopefully my potassium was will go up. My nutrition doctor did not seem concerned by the iron level.

Really, when choosing a multivitamin you should pick one that you can tolerate the taste of. After surgery, my taste buds seemed a bit more alert and it was certainly harder to tolerate things that I didn’t think tasted good. It is very important that you take your vitamins so pick whatever you will tolerate the best!

My surgeon was adamant to not take Flinstones or children’s vitamins post-WLS. He recommends Centrum or One A Day vitamins or their generics (e.g. Kirkland brand vitamins at Costco). I take One A Day Women’s 50+ Healthy Advantage vitamins (2x per day) because they don’t contain iron, which I take at another time. Note: You don’t have to be over 50 or a woman to take them.

Heme iron absorbs better and doesn’t cause GI issues like ferrous sulfate. I take Proferrin ES, which I buy online.

Most chewable vitamins contain sugar alcohols, which I can’t take post-GB because they cause nausea & vomiting. YMMV You do not have to take chewable vitamins after bariatric surgery.

Make sure you get complete lab work at least once a year to see if you need to take more or less of any vitamins or minerals as every BODY has unique requirements.

And if you have vitamin deficiencies BEFORE surgery you should correct them as quickly as possible and discuss them with your surgeon and PCP.

Edited August 26, 20187 yr by MarinaGirl

Good Advice Marina Girl, I also will take it to ❤. Thank you Again!