Ive been using the Patches that they sell at this site and they have been a blessing. reduces the amount of pills I have to take and has helped me a lot. My question to anyone. Do you think the patches are enough, or are the pills stronger and still should be taken? the patches can be costly but its a month supply of about $23 each pack. Is anyone else using them and what are your experiences with them?

Sally

I am curious about these too. Where do you wear the patch?

I was too cheap to try them lol I am doing the one a day capsules.

22 minutes ago, Nickycole86 said:

I am curious about these too. Where do you wear the patch?

I wear them on my arms, with all the pills we have to take from now on and it is hard to really swallow with a little water this is a blessing.

My skin is super sensitive to any type of latex or adhesive so I choose not to use these patches. I've been taking vitamins whole since the day of surgery. That was a few years ago now.

Anyway, if these work for you, use them!

Good luck! You are not alone.

The patches seem to work OK for some, and not at all for others, so let your labs be the judge as to whether they work for you, and whether you need to supplement with something else. From what I have seen, most in the DS world find that they don't work at all for them, but there may be something about their altered metabolism at work there that doesn't apply to us with the VSG.

For some nutrients, deficiencies aren't easy to detect until things are pretty low, and it can be hard to catch up if you fall behind the curve, so I would be cautious about depending upon the patches totally. For instance, I would maybe try them for part my calcium needs, using the patch instead of the extra dose or two per day of calcium that we usually need early out, but still take at least one dose with the pills or chewies. OTOH. the iron numbers measure out pretty easily, and we can usually catch up by doubling the dose if need be (something that the bypass folks have a harder time doing with their malabsorption) so that can be a good indicator as to whether the patches work for you.

I thought it looked like a good idea but my surgeon steered me away from doing patches, so I'm doing soft-chews.

OK so for me...It works. Pre-op was able to swallow all the pills. Post-op not a one. So I did the patches. The one that did the most incredible work the I noticed right a way was the night time menopausal. The night time hot flash is under control. I put them on my stomach, hips, side or my arms. I change it around. I will wear up to 4 or 5. I figure cover all the basics. LOL Hair, Multi, Calcium, sleep, Vitm. D, Anti-aging. I can't hurt. I can now take pills, so I do both. They had a special sale of 50% off and I went to town. Labs are good.

On 3/13/2019 at 5:36 PM, Liz The New Me said:

OK so for me...It works. Pre-op was able to swallow all the pills. Post-op not a one. So I did the Patches. The one that did the most incredible work the I noticed right a way was the night time menopausal. The night time hot flash is under control. I put them on my stomach, hips, side or my arms. I change it around. I will wear up to 4 or 5. I figure cover all the basics. LOL hair, Multi, Calcium, sleep, Vitm. D, Anti-aging. I can't hurt. I can now take pills, so I do both. They had a special sale of 50% off and I went to town. Labs are good.

I’m also from NC and I’m also doing patches, works great for me as well...

My dietitian said there wasn't enough research to support the effectiveness of patches yet, so advised against them. The only vitamin I hated taking in pill form was calcium, and I like the Kirkland gummies just fine.

On 03/14/2019 at 08:36, Liz The New Me said:

OK so for me...It works. Pre-op was able to swallow all the pills. Post-op not a one. So I did the Patches. The one that did the most incredible work the I noticed right a way was the night time menopausal. The night time hot flash is under control. I put them on my stomach, hips, side or my arms. I change it around. I will wear up to 4 or 5. I figure cover all the basics. LOL hair, Multi, Calcium, sleep, Vitm. D, Anti-aging. I can't hurt. I can now take pills, so I do both. They had a special sale of 50% off and I went to town. Labs are good.

Which brand of patches did you use?

I’m keen to try some as having discomfort taking so many pills.
Thank you.

My surgeon doesn't approve them.

I have chewable everything. a zillion times a day.

I am curious about these too. Where do you wear the patch?

I did use those before and after surgery for like 4 months recommended by my surgeon. Blood test are normal.

I started them after surgery and blood work is fine. I put on one side of stomach one day then move to hip or upper thigh or to one arm.

I just had an appointment with my nutritionist for the 1 month follow up and I brought the patches up because I have such an issue with nausea with the tablets. I barely got the sentence out of my mouth before she said "absolutely not" to using the patch. She said there's not enough scientific evidence that they have the same benefit as taking the chewables and that it was not right for me. If i have to continue the Zofran in order to get the vitamins down, then keep refilling it, but "do not buy them or use them" was the clear message I received.

Just FYI, I know this site sells them and I'm not trying to do them a disservice by any means.

7 hours ago, Jobber said:

I just had an appointment with my nutritionist for the 1 month follow up and I brought the Patches up because I have such an issue with nausea with the tablets. I barely got the sentence out of my mouth before she said "absolutely not" to using the patch. She said there's not enough scientific evidence that they have the same benefit as taking the chewables and that it was not right for me. If i have to continue the Zofran in order to get the Vitamins down, then keep refilling it, but "do not buy them or use them" was the clear message I received.

Just FYI, I know this site sells them and I'm not trying to do them a disservice by any means.

Not a disservice by any means. Some surgeons recommend them and many don't. This is the notice on all patches sold by BariatricPal:

"Please Note: Nutritional patches are a new technology. As with any nutritional supplements, consumers should use nutrition patches according to their healthcare providers' recommendations and regularly monitor nutrient levels through lab work as they would when taking any dietary supplements."