I'm 11 months post OP and have lost 120 LBs. Overall it's a great experience but my calcium and Vitmain levels keep dropping. I'm finding it more and more difficult to buy supplements. It was a cost that I wasnt warned about during my consultations. I work full time and have been raising my brother and sister because my parents where deported to Mexico in 2010. I made the decision to raise them when I turned 18. It's a difficult journey and unfortunately my supplements go on the back burner because of how expensive they are. Anyone have advice on how to get supplements cheaper. I'd greatly appreciate any helpful information.

I use a Procare brand of multivitamin. It is only 1 pill a day and includes Iron. It is around $12 a month and if you order 6 months worth at once you can save or get free shipping. If you are able to swallow calcium pills (you can cut them in half since they are kind of big) Citracal is not too expensive either. I think you can get that at a local Walmart etc. I drink a Premier protein shake everyday and it has added vitamins and calcium too.

I just go to Walgreens or CVS when they're having a buy one get one free sale (which they seem to have a lot) and stock up on their generic brands. Both have generics of Centrum, for one - and both also have calcium citrate generics.

First, congratulations on your weight loss. Oh yeah, supplements can be crazy expensive.

I don't take vitamins or any supplements at all now. I have the support of my medical team & successive blood tests have shown my levels are all very good. I get all my vitamins through what I eat.

Are you eating a balanced diet? How much dairy are you consuming? If you struggle with lactose, canned sardines & salmon (you have to eat the bones too), almonds, kale, spinach, beans, lentils, tofu are good sources of calcium too. If you can up your natural intake of calcium each day you may not need to take as many supplements & reduce the costs that way.

Have they checked to make sure there is not an underlying cause, beside diet, for your low calcium levels?

This is simple, but my dietitian recommended a Flintstones complete multivitamin chewable and calcium chews. The Flintstones are very inexpensive.

1 hour ago, Arabesque said:

First, congratulations on your weight loss. Oh yeah, supplements can be crazy expensive.

I don't take Vitamins or any supplements at all now. I have the support of my medical team & successive blood tests have shown my levels are all very good. I get all my vitamins through what I eat.

Are you eating a balanced diet? How much dairy are you consuming? If you struggle with lactose, canned sardines & salmon (you have to eat the bones too), almonds, kale, spinach, Beans, lentils, tofu are good sources of Calcium too. If you can up your natural intake of calcium each day you may not need to take as many supplements & reduce the costs that way.

Have they checked to make sure there is not an underlying cause, beside diet, for your low calcium levels?

I didnt know you can get enough calcium and vitamins from just eating the correct things. The way it was explained to me was that I would have to take supplements for the rest of my life. This is really good advice!

39 minutes ago, Gorgonio said:

I didnt know you can get enough calcium and vitamins from just eating the correct things. The way it was explained to me was that I would have to take supplements for the rest of my life. This is really good advice!

I would say that's not common. I get enough calcium through my food, so I was told I could stop taking that, but I still have to take my other vitamins.

2 minutes ago, catwoman7 said:

I would say that's not common. I get enough calcium through my food, so I was told I could stop taking that, but I still have to take my other vitamins.

What types of food do you eat to get your calcium?

21 minutes ago, Gorgonio said:

What types of food do you eat to get your calcium?

I eat a lot of Greek yogurt. Like at least twice a day. Also, I have a protein shake every day because I malabsorb protein - I usually use whey protein isolate, which also has calcium. And I mix the powder with unsweetened almond milk, which also has calcium.

There’s not as a great an issue with malabsorption with sleeve patients compared with those with a bypass. I get my calcium from at least three serves of dairy a day: yoghurt, milk, cheese. I get a 4th serve a few times a week from chia pudding which I make on dairy milk & powdered milk.

Ask your medical team if you can have more frequent blood tests to see if upping your calcium through your diet has any impact. I have one about every three months requested by either my surgical team or my GP.

Which procedure did you have? Broccoli is an excellent source of calcium, by the way.

On 11/10/2020 at 8:36 PM, CheerfulLoser said:

This is simple, but my dietitian recommended a Flintstones complete Multivitamin chewable and calcium chews. The Flintstones are very inexpensive.

Mine too!!! They are so cheap! Calcium is expensive, but I just keep my eye out for coupons and sales and buy in advance if I have to.

I get mine at Walgreens or Kroger now for about $6/bottle.