Vitamins

I just had my lap band removed in January and will be having revision surgery on March 10.  I will be getting the sleeve.  My biggest concern is having to take bariatric vitamins for the rest of my life.  They seem to be expensive and I worry as I get older I might not be able to afford them.  I also wasn't aware of the fact you have to wear a medical alert braclet.  Have you all been told these same facts?  Just wondering

Hi Grandma Sandy,

You asked a very important question and I'll offer my two cents. My RNY was 2001 and unfortunately I didn't have the follow-up care and nutritional guidance that is available now. I have learned the hard way how important vitamins are after a gastric bypass. This surgical change to ones anatomy does require daily vitamin supplements in the correct type and dosage for a lifetime.

Vitamins must become the most important daily routine in your life, I cannot stress this enough. I never took vitamins after surgery. I thought I was doing good until things started going bad and they really went bad.  My levels of iron, B, calcium, and D were all depleted or nearly depleted.

I know the vitamins are expensive but I would find something to do without instead of going without my vitamins and I tend to be on the frugal side. I take chewable or gel because I have no acid in my stomach to help break down a pill and I want to make sure I absorb as much as possible (get my monies worth instead of flushing it so to speak).

I learned I am not able to absorb iron and need iron infusions when my levels drop. I now give myself Vitamin B12 injections every week. I also take a chewable bariatric multi-vitamin 2 times a day, chewable bariatric calcium 500 mg 2 times a day, 5,000 iu of Vitamin D 2 times a day, 5,000 iu of chewable Biotin (because my hair was falling out), a Super B Complex 1 time a day, and Meletoin 10 mg at night (to help with sleep). Don't do what I did, it hurt my health. I developed tachycardia from not having enough iron, my teeth suffered, my hair fell out by just brushing it, and I looked and felt so, so sick.  

I never heard about the life alert bracelet for gastric bypass, it's not a bad idea. The stomach pouch will be very small and if an emergency room doctor is unaware of this during a life saving procedure he/she may accidently puncture the stomach while trying to save you.

Good luck with your health and happiness.

J.O.

I had a sleeve in 2011 and revised to RNY in 2014.  I had an issue with taking the bariatric vitamins and it caused several discussions with dr. and postponed my surgery by a few months.   I did not want to be chewing all those nasty tasting things

With that being said, I worked with the Nut and provided her a list of the over the counter vitamins that I wanted to take.  They agreed and proceeded with the surgery.  I wanted to make sure before any surgery, I would be comfortable with what I was taking

I have not had a single issue with any vitamin deficiency.  In fact, one time I asked the dr. about my results and he made the comment about I was one of the few that didn't get a call since everything was fine and in a few instances too high.  i thought that was pretty ironic.  This is what I've been taking:

Centrum Silver 2/day

Citracal - 2 pills 3/day

B12 - 1000  (this is the type you put under tongue to dissolve).  I only take  3 x week since my levels are so high

Biotin - 2500 mcg (added this after the RNY hoping the hair loss wouldn't be too bad but it made no difference)

Vitamin D - 1000 1/day

You need to make sure you are comfortable with taking the vitamins but know that you can be very successful taking over the counter too, which of course is a lot cheaper.  I just knew I couldn't be chewing all those vitamins.

I don't wear a medical alert bracelet and its never been mentioned to me.  Can't see where it should matter with the sleeve.  That probably would have been an issue for me.  Very few people know I had the sleeve and even less of that group know I had the RNY so I wouldn't want to be broadcasting the fact I had surgery.

Good luck and just know you can work around some of these items and still be compliant.

Good luck!

I'm about to schedule a roux en y gastric bypass as I 

am not a good candidate for the sleeve due to severe GERD/redux. You stated you had hair loss. Do you mind my asking -- how severe is/was your hair loss with the roux en y gastric bypass? I appreciate your help here. My hair is already 

thinner than it used to be due hhypothyroidism and extreme stress for which I cannot change at this time. 

I want to get weight off before it gets any worse, and just hope the rigid vitamin regimen u will be in will be enough to stop any further issues and/or hair loss. I have no support system at home and spouse is completely against me having the rny and said he will not support me in it and if I have it, it will be against his wishes and advice. I will be tackling this alone (and he is a good cook so it will be even harder smelling and seeing his meals when I won't be able to eat too). He thinks I'm signing my death sentence y having a rny. Tells me to get a will prepared etc.  this, now I'm really having second thoughts  I'm 51 with a Bmi of 35 with diabetes, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and back pain  I want to lose 70 pounds - but need to keep it off this time.  My bmi only qualifies because of my comorbidities. 

I'm worried about possible, unforeseen long term health issues along with hair loss following the surgery. 

Wirried I will never eat normally again and normal type food /meals (although in smaller portions) with my husband /family -- work events, etc again.

BTW, my entire family is also against this surgery too, but my husband is the most vocal and ugly about it.

Any thoughts / advice are appreciated. 

Thanks!

Wow...I don't want to derail the thread but I want to respond to your post. I was 57 with a BMI of 41 when I had my RNY, also bad GERD so no other really good option for me; also hypothyroid.  Completely alone, widowed mom of two grown sons so all on me. Since your husband is not supporting you, you must get into a good mindset that it really is up to you alone. That is not necessarily a bad thing either! ((Also, I had very long, thick hair and lost an absolute freak-ton of it after surgery. But it is coming in just as thick as ever - I kept it mostly long and glad of it, it was very nice hair again, less than two years after surgery so that is the least of your worries)).  

You need to have it set in your heart and mind that this is for YOUR health and well-being. You can eat 'normal' food again eventually -- but you need to realize your head isn't operated on, only your stomach. You are fully responsible to follow THE PLAN: eat protein-forward, don't drink your calories, take your vitamins without fail, get some exercise every day, drink your water, watch the carbs (they will totally derail you if you don't because they go down way too easy)...etc!  You CAN succeed but you have to wrap your head around it really being up to you and you alone.  Just learn to overlook the nasty comments, the snide remarks, and keep your eyes on the prize: your health, your life, your body. Good luck and stay in touch here!

Yes I've had hair loss, probably over 50% of existing (but I had a VERY thick head of hair).  Its already growing back in.  Its about an inch long and most of the time, sticks straight up.    :-)  I went through hair loss with the sleeve too.  There's really no way around it.  I'm taking biotin this time around but to be honest I don't think its made a difference.  I don't think there's a way to avoid it completely but making sure you take your vitamins and get enough protein is the best way to help it.

You'll be able to eat normal foods again.  Just follow your doctor's plan in the beginning.  I have to be careful with sweets. I can eat some in small portions though.    

I'm not married so I probably should speak to that but have to say, you are doing this for yourself, no one else and if you are concerned about your health than move forward with it.  I would imagine the family members who are against it will come around once they see how well you are doing and how healthy you are.

Don't forget this surgery is not a guarantee of permanent weight loss.  You HAVE to change your eating habits or the weight can come back.

I've told very limited people about my surgery, actually told fewer friends about the RNY than I did about the VSG.  Besides any of my doctors, only 3 friends know that I had the surgery.  I chose to tell those who would be supportive.  You may want to talk some more to your husband about why he is so against it.  I've gone to business functions as well as meals with friends who do not know.  If they ask, I just explain that I am eating smaller more frequent meals to help in my weight loss so I wouldn't worry about that.

Good luck with your decision and hopefully your surgery.

You stated that your revision would be to a sleeve, correct. I do not believe that you will need all the vitamin supplements that a person with rny would need.  Even though your food volume would be less, you wouldn't have the malabsorption of nutrients that rny has.  But you would need some. Please go to the sleeve board and post there.

My surgeon did not tell me to take "bariatric" vitamin supplements, because they did not sell them. My friend's surgeon did tell him to use them, because they sold them (and make a profit).  I get my vitamin supplements locally or buy them online (dry vitamin D). All my levels are great.  

With the sleeve you should not need much in the way of extra vitamins because you will absorb all your nutrients so usually one regular multi vitamin will take care of your needs. Some surgeons have you take 2 but probably not really needed. You may need a sublingual (under the tongue)B vitamins as some folks have trouble with that but so do I and I'm a normie. So ask your surgeon but you should be able to get by with just a very few generic vitamins!

There is also really no need for a medic alert bracelet. It sounds like you are being given instructions for the RNY or gastric bypass surgery and none of that applies to the sleeve. You just might want to make sure the surgeon is going to give you the sleeve and not a bypass. You seem to be getting a lot of misinformation from whoever your source is. Good luck to you!

I have never taken bariatric vitamins,just plain ole run of the mill ones,just often more of them. I also don't wear a medic alert bracelet and have Jo plans to wear one. Who told you you "had" to wear one? How they gonna make you? Follow you around everywhere you go?

I have never taken bariatric vitamins,just plain ole run of the mill ones,just often more of them. I also don't wear a medic alert bracelet and have no  plans to wear one. Who told you you "had" to wear one? How they gonna make you? Follow you around everywhere you go?