When to take vitamins?

[Krestel 329]

I keep hearing about people spacing out the timing of certain Vitamins. What is that about? My surgeon hasn't said anything about this. Can those of you who git information please tell me what your surgeon said? I want to be as effective with my vitamins as possible.

[Briswife15 889]

You shouldn't take Calcium within 2 hours of taking Iron, or iron containing Multivitamins. It affects the absorption. I take a multi in the early morning. Then calcium at about 8 am, 11 m, 3pm, and another Multivitamin at 7 pm. Hope this helps.

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[RickM 1,747]

Yes - Calcium and Iron compete for the same absorbancy feature in the intestine, so need to be taken apart, further, calcium is limited to around 600mg per dose, so that needs to be spaced out as well. Typically, the bypass procedures call for about 1500 mg Ca, or three doses, and the VSG usually starts at 1000 mg or two dose, and then adjustments are made later on as diets improve and volume increases. I target 2000mg per day of Ca, but only take one dose as diet provides the rest.

[catwoman7 10,876]

I agree with the above posters. What a lot of people do is take their Iron right before going to bed so nothing else interferes with it.

[Frustr8 7,886]

That's when I take my liquid Calcium, that way I'm eating within 2 hours after!

[Frustr8 7,886]

OOPS I MEANT NOT EATING 2 HOURS AFTER!

[Krestel 329]

Ive also read that taking Vitamin C and Iron together improve their effectiveness. Do any of you follow that one as well?

[catwoman7 10,876]

21 minutes ago, Krestel said:

Ive also read that taking Vitamin C and Iron together improve their effectiveness. Do any of you follow that one as well?

yes. Some Iron tablets do include Vitamin C, but many do not - it'll say on the bottle if it does. If it doesn't include it, then yes - you should take Vitamin C with it to improve absorption.

[KCgirl061 1,529]

I don't take Vitamin C with my multi - there is some already in there. I do take it with a (non dairy) snack to minimize nausea at bedtime. My calciums I take with Breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack.

[JessLess 1,163]

This is my schedule. The Vitamins were all part of my plan.

With Breakfast, I take these with Tomato juice to help get them down:

• Multivitamin w/iron
• High potency iron/vitamin C
• B12
• Vitamin D

Then I take my 650 of Calcium at lunch, dinner, and bedtime.

I was taking my Iron all at night, but lying down after taking it + not drinking enough Water with it made me feel sick.

[James Marusek 5,244]

The Vitamin requirements will vary by the type of surgery. Sleeve patients require the least. Duodenal Switch patients have the most. And RNY gastric bypass patients are in-between.

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. According to my nutritionist,, 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 finger bowl for my calcium supplements. I put my calciums in the bowl in the morning and take them throughout the day, a couple every two hours. If I am up and about I put my calciums in a ziplock bag and carry them with me.

[JessLess 1,163]

Raise your hand if you have Calcium in a plastic bag in your purse or backpack.

[Briswife15 889]

Raise your hand if you have Calcium in a plastic bag in your purse or backpack.

Yes! Along with Zofran!! But that's just me!!

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