Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Post VSG Vitamins/Supplements



Recommended Posts

Hi all! I'm almost 2 months post op. I take a chewable bariatric Vitamin and Calcium combo daily, but just want to make sure there's nothing else that should be added. Thank you!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So this question is best for your surgeon/nutritionist... Because we can all be a little different. I had gastric sleeve as well and i take bariatricpal capsules with 18mg of Iron once a day. bariatricpal chewable Calcium 500mg twice a day and i take 1 extra iron supplement a day as well because my last blood work showed slight low iron. Thats all i take. Since you are two months post op you should be having your 3 month check up here soon and hopefully they are having you do blood work to check to see how the Vitamins are working for you. with that information you can adjust if needed.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yea all the teams plans of what they guess ypu will need varies and it is different from patient to patient. It’s best to just take what they recommend and adjust after your labs as necessary. That being said, all I take is a bariatric multi and Calcium as well and I am over a year and a half out from sleeve with excellent labs so far.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree with the others. Speak with your surgeon & dietician & see what your blood tests show is lacking. Of course this may change as you progress & are eating more & a wider variety of food.

I have not taken a Vitamin since 8 months post surgery because I get all I need from what I eat. (Though I do take Vit D in winter when my levels drop - too cold to go outside t get some sun 😉.)

Edited by Arabesque

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Of course, check with your surgeons' team, but I would be inclined to add some calcium citrate to the mix, at least for a while. The Calcium included in Multivitamins is usually not a full dose (check the label) and is usually cheaper calcium carbonate which we don't absorb as well, I would want to aim for at least the standard calcium RDA (1200mg, IIRC) between supplements and food, and since our early diets tend to be fairly scant on everything other than Protein, I would err on the cautious side and go with something in the 1000-1200 mg range, which is two doses that need to be taken a few hours apart.

Calcium can also be tricky to measure on labs as the body seeks to keep serum levels steady, at the expense of bone mass if necessary, so measuring that status involves some inferences from other measurements rather than just calcium blood levels, so a bit of overkill is usually better than not enough (within reason.)

Personally, I target 2000mg per day as I have family and personal history of osteopenia/porosis, but only need one dose of about 600mg to do that on top of diet.

Things to consider, but question your doc and RD about it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What they ^^^ said.

We only started with a multi Vitamin and Calcium and then it changed based on our blood work.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've been wondering when to stop mine! I'm 10 months post surgery and still take a Multivitamin and Calcium, and B12 spray. I have a sleeve and am eating a good balanced diet now. I think I'll ask my dietician if I can stop them at my 1 year check my my blood test results remain good.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I still take a multivitamin (I always have so I plan to continue), the D3 (I have to anyway for my MS, so again, I have no plans to stop), and Biotin (it's not hurting anything, so why not?). I stopped the Calcium a few weeks ago because I get what I need from what I eat (particularly the shakes I have for Breakfast because I make them with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and add chia seeds and flax seeds to them) and I normally have 2 colby jack cheese sticks for a snack. My most recent bloodwork came back good, so I was told I could stop the calcium and see how things go.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Best test for Calcium is a bone density test. I had one before my surgery (rock hard bones apparently) & am going to ask for a referral for another one soon. It’s been three years & I’m female & in my 50s so danger group. I consume way more calcium now than I did before surgery plus on HRT so I don’t expect any change. Heard recently that there are more men having bone density tests these days due to low calcium consumption & alcohol consumption (affects absorption of calcium & Vitamin D).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×