Does anyone use the BariatricPal multivitamins or have any suggestions on a good multivitamin to use postoperatively? I’m trying to order some vitamins in advance the BariatricPal multivitamins are 105.00 for a year supply which seems very reasonable. I’m curious to know what brands other have purchased.

Wow! $105 for a year is a great price!
I personally use the PatchMD multi. I already take so many pills a day so that’s why I love the patches. I am almost 3 years out. I have my vitamin levels check each year & everything has always been good! They are about $23 a month with shipping but worth it for me.

Most surgeons recommend using chewable vitamins for the first several weeks after surgery. I used Barimelts for the first 6 weeks and then I switched to BariatricPal Multivitamin One. I tried the chewables and did not like the taste, but now I take the capsules so that's not an issue. I also tried a sample pack from Bariatric Fusion, but I preferred the taste of Barimelts. Next time I order multivitamins, I am going to start the annual BariatricPal MultivitaminOne subscription because it's a great price. Some people take regular (non-bariatric) drugstore vitamins, but if you do that, you have to take a double dose, so you don't really save any money.

I've always just taken Centrum or the generic equivalent (Walgreens and CVS both have a generic version - some other places probably do as well). They seem to go on sale at least a month, either BOGO or buy one, get second one half off, so I'm always stocked up. If you go with a drug store/grocery store vitamin, get one of the better ones (Centrum would qualify for that), and you'll need to take two of them a day to meet our requirements.

I also take Centrum Fruity Chewable. Like catwoman7, I get them on sale and I've had no problems with my vitamin levels. I also take 2 Viactiv chews for calcium, a daily 65 mg iron pill (Nature Made BOGO) and a subligual B12 (Nature Made BOGO).

Edited April 6, 20215 yr by mae7365

10 minutes ago, mae7365 said:

I also take Centrum Fruity chewable. Like catwoman7, I get them on sale and I've had no problems with my Vitamin levels. I also take 2 Viactiv chews for Calcium, a daily 65 mg Iron pill (Nature Made BOGO) and a subligual B12 (Nature Made BOGO).

Hi - I think Viactiv are calcium carbonate. We were told to take calcium citrate instead. Although if your clinic is OK with Viactiv, then who am I to say??...

Edited April 6, 20215 yr by catwoman7

13 minutes ago, catwoman7 said:

Hi - I think Viactiv are Calcium carbonate. We were told to take calcium citrate instead. Although if your clinic is OK with Viactiv, then who am I to say??...

I was told to make sure to get calcium citrate too, it absorbs better for the gastric bypass patients (which is what I am). So I’m not sure if sleeve patients have to get the citrate specifically since the parts of their bowels which absorb the vitamins were not altered.

Edited April 6, 20215 yr by Katiebal_Lecter

14 minutes ago, catwoman7 said:

Hi - I think Viactiv are Calcium carbonate. We were told to take calcium citrate instead. Although if your clinic is OK with Viactiv, then who am I to say??...

I think the citrate is better absorbed for people using acid reducing medication, plus more easily absorbed on an empty stomach. The carbonate should be taken with food as its better absorbed that way.

14 minutes ago, Katiebal_Lecter said:

I was told to make sure to get calcium citrate too, it absorbs better for the gastric bypass patients (which is what I am). So I’m not sure if sleeve patients have to get the citrate specifically since the parts of their bowels which absorb the Vitamins were not altered.

yes - it may be that the calcium carbonate vs citrate issue is more for an issue for bypass patients than sleeve patients.

1 hour ago, catwoman7 said:

Hi - I think Viactiv are Calcium carbonate. We were told to take calcium citrate instead. Although if your clinic is OK with Viactiv, then who am I to say??...

I just checked my education manual and calcium citrate is recommended. It's funny, my surgeon's office doesn't even ask me what vitamins I'm taking (even when I try to tell then). My surgeon told me he uses my lab results to monitor my nutritional status. Since my levels are ok, I guess I'm doing ok. But I will look for a calcium citrate option once I've finished this container of Viativ.

4 minutes ago, mae7365 said:

I just checked my education manual and calcium citrate is recommended. It's funny, my surgeon's office doesn't even ask me what Vitamins I'm taking (even when I try to tell then). My surgeon told me he uses my lab results to monitor my nutritional status. Since my levels are ok, I guess I'm doing ok. But I will look for a Calcium citrate option once I've finished this container of Viativ.

they do make chewable calcium citrate, but I've never found any in stores - I've always ordered it online. Bariatric Advantage is one brand of chewable calcium citrate, but there are probably others. BariatricPal Store sells Bariatric Advantage chewables - but you can find it on other sites as well. Calcium citrate tablets you can find at places like Walgreens and CVS

Great advice on the vitamins! Thank you for sharing!

I take the BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE with Iron, which tastes really good for a vitamin. I also consume three BariatricPal calcium citrate chews per day.

I actually just purchased a year worth of the bariatric pal multivitamin one w/iron chewable to be stocked up. It was 140.00 after the 10.00 off coupon which isn’t too bad. I am going to order the calcium chews as well. I was hoping to find them somewhere else cheaper as 32.00 monthly seems very expensive or the calcium tabs. Does anyone else have any advice on the calcium tabs? And did anyone start these vitamins before the surgery?

Bariatric Fusion Chewable. It contains everything you need so you don't have to take as many pills, unless you have a deficiency. You can also crush it up and add it to water or food.

Crap! I have been alternating between Viactiv caramel chewables and Bari Advantage chews for about 2 months now. Had no idea the Viactivs are calcium carbonate.

That would explain why my constipation got a little better. Less calcium absorption ?