I just got sleeve on 7/25 How long did it take for you guys to use a straw? Also, what’s the best recommended bariatric brand for vitamins

I used a straw a couple weeks after surgery. as for vitamins. its more about finding what works best for you. Its trial and error to find one that wont make you throw up or feel nausea. I personally take 1 of these a day. and even these cause me to throw up every once in a while.

I take the pro care health one a day. They don’t make me nauseous (I drink a full shake every morning and then take it). They are reasonably priced and truly one a day. Like liveaboard15 said though it’s really a matter of finding one that works for you. I didn’t use a straw until about 6 months out I got a smoothie out and didn’t think about it having a straw. It was fine. Didn’t cause any issues so now I use one all the time.

Edited August 6, 20224 yr by ShoppGirl

Ask your dietician of nutritionist about what vitamins are best for you. Your type of surgery will also have some bearing on what you take. Not all vitamins are created equal.

18 minutes ago, Possum220 said:

Ask your dietician of nutritionist about what Vitamins are best for you. Your type of surgery will also have some bearing on what you take. Not all vitamins are created equal.

Ooh good idea. My nutritionist gave me samples of bariatric advantage that my surgeon recommended. I later showed them the literature for the pro care health and they said those were fine as well but the bariatric advantage was convenient immediately post op because the multivitamin is chewable and so is the calcium.

I have been using a patch vitamin for the last 4 years (after RNY) I take enough supplements & I didn’t wanna swallow another pill & chewables make me nauseous because of the artificial sweeteners.

I haven’t had any of my labs for vitamins & minerals come back crazy when I have done them each year since surgery.

IIRC, I used a straw in the hospital - one of those little juice boxes. I never used any particular bariatric vitamins as the sleeve doesn't really have any special requirements that a normal good quality multivitamin doesn't cover. I did use the Bariatric Advantage chewable calcium for a while as the normal pills tend to be so large, but I used them a lot longer than I needed to because I bought such a large box of them.

11 hours ago, toodlerue said:

I have been using a patch Vitamin for the last 4 years (after RNY) I take enough supplements & I didn’t wanna swallow another pill & chewables make me nauseous because of the artificial sweeteners.

I haven’t had any of my labs for Vitamins & minerals come back crazy when I have done them each year since surgery.

I have been using the patch multivitamin too for about 7 years. First with the VSG, and a year now after my RNY revision. I do add the Calcium chews caramel apples or grape flavor from time to time. If I don't use my patches (i.e. ran out and waiting for new order) I like the Barimelts ADEK. Vitamin/mineral blood tests good. This year I switched brands though and went to PatchAid since my old brand changed vitamin/mineral percentage.

I used vitamin patches for the first few months. I found the chalk vitamins disgusting and there would be too many to take. Now I eat a lot of fruit veg & take gummy vitamins. I knowwww they aren’t as good as other vitamins but I don’t forget to take them everyday bc I like them and my levels are perfect. I vote patches in the beginning!!

I had Celebrate Multivitamin with Iron chewables, Celebrate B12 and Calcium chewable until 6 weeks post op. I didn't take the calcium chewable because they just made me nauseous. Now I'm taking Celebrate Multivitamin with iron capsule (warning it's huge), Celebrate b12, Celebrate Calcium tablet (another not so small pill and I take 3-2x a day separate from my multi) and Bariatric Fusion B-50 complex. I haven't had any nausea but I have to be careful with my night dose of Calcium because it's also with my meds and I've learned it needs to be at least 2-3 hours since dinner or I'll be uncomfortable for a 30 minute to an hour because it's a lot. I'm off most of my medical meds but I have mental meds, Progesterone, colace and the Calcium and that takes like 4-5 swallows with a couple pills at a time. I think I'm doing well on them though. I've had better energy and not as tired as pre-surgery.

My program allows straws right away (I’m still pre-op, surgery is the 16th) - but I asked them about that because some days I just drink better with a straw.

We were given a list of several vitamins to choose from. I opted to start with the Flintsones Complete (or the Walmart brand version - both are on the list) because I knew I could tolerate the taste and I prefer chewable or ez-melts (my b complex is an ez-melt - I was taking that long before my bariatric program vitamins, along with a chewable vitamin C). My program doesn’t recommend starting calcium until after the surgery, once I have blood work done. I’m hoping I don’t need that one - but I will have to look at the list to see the options. I remember my mom taking a chocolate chewable one that wasn’t to bad. I thought about the patch vitamins, but my program doesn’t allow those.