Vitamins first week post up

Hi I was released from hospital yesterday and I'm not able to eat both my multivitamin in the morning, I have the quest which are huge and not the best lol but I felt a little full with my b12 and one vitamin, did you have to work up to all your vitamins?

2+ years out I still don't take all the vitamins/minerals all at once. 

I split them throughout the day - morning [5am] and evening [10pm] is multi, vit c & d, iron.  Afternoon is calcium - 2 doses taken 3 hours apart.

Hi Jessica,

I honestly didn't bother to take my vitamins until my second day home. 

I have Bariatric Advantage Multi Formula Tropical Chewable Tablets which actually taste very good, compared to the Jamieson chewable Vita Vims.  They tasted sour and rather too much like regular B vitamins for me to chew.  They have mannitol and fructose, but I can have the recommended 3 at once without feeling nauseous or dumping.

I know you can buy Bariatric Advantage brand vitamins online or in the pharmacy at TWH.  If you sign up for one of their delivery plans online (and there are many options about how often you want them delivered), delivery is free.  You get 180 tablets/bottle of the kind I bought.  I have heard once that they are available at HRRH's pharmacy, but I can't confirm that.

I always try to have my vitamins (especially the multis and B12) in the middle of a protein shake.  The Calcium and Vitamin D don't seem to be as likely to upset my stomach, but I also try to eat something when I take them.  I have a liquid form for those.  My B12 is a strip that just dissolves on your tongue.

I think as time goes by, you will be able to take all your vitamins easily, although remembering to take them - and remembering to space them 2 hours apart is a pain.  You can take the multis and your B12 together though.

It does get easier!

Jenn.  :)

 

I'm sure I read somewhere in the literature not to take any vitamins until the puréed stage. My surgery is in three weeks and that's what I will be doing.  

Nope vitamins begin right away. Most docs tell you to bring them with you to your surgery so the nurse can go over them with you. If I am not mistaken you take them the day after surgery. The hospital provides them then you use your own after release. I may be wrong but I was told to bring them with. It would be dangerous to not take them right away, you would become deficient and possibly ill. Your body needs them. I bought a pill crusher also even for the chewables.

Arlene's right, I got crushed vitamins in the hospital the first morning.  Yuck, they just crushed a regular multi and gave me Vitamin C powder, so bring your own, more palatable, chewable vitamins with you for them to crush (at least if you go to TEGH).  That first day, they tasted so bad I got very nauseous and needed Gravol.  That afternoon, my surgeon said I didn't have to take my vitamins until I went home the following day.

Luckily, I had been taking my post-op vitamins pre-op for 3 months, so I was able to skip the one day in the hospital and the next day at home (when I basically just forgot them) without harm.

You should have no problems with taking the supplements in the full fluid stage/first 2 weeks.

Jenn.  :)

Thanks Jenn, I was so afraid to be mis quoted or give incorrect info, but I was told by the nurse and given the list of what to buy and bring and when to start. Thanks for confirming !!!!!

Space them out if it is hard to take all at once.

Here is my schedule:

Morning

1 multivitamin (no iron)

2 calcium with Vit D

1 B12 sublingual

 

Mid-morning

1 iron (feramax)

 

Just before lunch:

1 Vit C

1 iron (feramax)

 

Mid-afternoon

2 Calcium with Vit D

 

Just before dinner

1 multivitamin

2 calcium with Vit D

 

Just before bed:

thyroid medication (has to be 4 hours apart from anything else)

 

 

Judy

 

p.s.  Remember that the internal swelling will go down over time.  It will become easier to handle.  You are trying your best and at 3 months out you will have new blood work done.

 

 

ohhh, I am on thyroid so that is good to know Judy. Lord getting all those in will be a challenge.

Hi,

I was taught that you had to take your Calcium and Vitamin D in two doses, at least 2 hours apart, and your multis and B12 another two hours apart, and that when you take the Calcium and Vitamin D together with a multi, some of one or the other won't get absorbed.

Jenn.  :)