B12 Sublingual or Dry Capsule?

thinthing
on 9/1/10 2:33 am - Bourbon, IN
Does it matter which you use?

thinthing    
SW 242~CW 147~GW 140~Lowest 129 (normal BMI 24.8) Total Loss: 113 lbs

        

    
Andrew Thompson
on 9/1/10 2:39 am - Canada
I prefer sublingual so that it's one less thing the pouch can hate.


Before the surgery I kept putting things off. I was never good enough. One of the benefits of WLS is that you start to believe in yourself. Check out my blog:
All Things CPAP
 

tknow1978
on 9/1/10 2:44 am - Pensacola, FL
We don't absorb B12 from food or oral supplements, because of the bypassed part of the stomach.  You need sublingual.
poet_kelly
on 9/1/10 2:55 am - OH
Yes, it matters.  We cannot absorb B12 that we swallow because we lack intrinsic factor in our pouch.  So you need a sublingual, or you can use the patch, nasal spray, or shots.

Kelly
Andrew Thompson
on 9/1/10 8:41 am - Canada
Live and learn. Thanks for the info.


Before the surgery I kept putting things off. I was never good enough. One of the benefits of WLS is that you start to believe in yourself. Check out my blog:
All Things CPAP
 

vitalady
on 9/1/10 5:29 am - Puyallup, WA
RNY on 10/05/94
Has to be sublingual or shot. Once B12 is swallowed, it's lost. Cannot be absorbed

Michelle
RNY, distal, 10/5/94 

P.S.  My year + long absence has NOTHING to do with my WLS, or my type of WLS. See my profile.

hedrider
on 9/1/10 8:23 am - Midlothian, TX
Yup, sublingual or shots.  Your new tummy can't utilize any B vitamins you swallow.
Heather
Since 2008 my team has raised over $42,000 to fight breast cancer.

   
Jeanne190
on 9/1/10 1:02 pm

Alrighty then!  Two questions!  If we can't absorb B12 then why oh why do they put it in our bariatric vitamins???? and why double oh why don't they just start giving us B12 sublingually or through injections right after surgery instead of waiting for the B12 level to peter out and then we HAVE to have it?  Egads!  I was just told this week mine is low and of course, my doctor prescribed B12 pills for me to take!  And what about Vitamin D?  I'm low on that too....do we absorb that? 

Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.  ~Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Letters to Lucilius
        
rbb825
on 9/1/10 1:17 pm - Suffern, NY

I am sorry you got bad information but sublingual B12 should be started the day you get home from the hospital.  Being B12 deficient is very dangerous, if your levels get low enough it can lead to nerve damage.  If your doctor prescribed pills to take, unless they are sublingual, dont' bother - you can't absorb pills that you swallow.  How low is your B12 level?  You want your B12 level to be between 1200-1500 and can go as high as 2000. If it is under 500, you are at risk for nerve damage.  The normal starting dose is 1000mcg daily but if you haven't been taking it all this time, I tend to think you are very low and probably need a much higher dose like 2500 or 5000mcg but with out your exact level, I can't say for sure.  Another option is injections = weekly, they will bring your levels up quicker but you need a prescription for that and you have to give yourself the injections.  Please PM me with your B12 level and I can advise you better


How low is your vitamin D?  We need to take Dry D3 from vitalady.com - depending on how low your level is, determines how much you need.  It is D3-50, 50,000 units and you take a few times per week but how many depends on your level. Again, if you PM me your level, I can advise you better.

How is your iron and ferritin?  PTH?  How much calcium are you taking? Is it calcium citrate or carbonate?

 

Jeanne190
on 9/2/10 2:32 am
rbb825, thank you so much for the offer.  I will respond here instead of PMing you because I don't mind and I think it might benefit other people! 

I called and got my latest blood results faxed to me today.  I also emailed my nutritionist at my WL center and she stated to me  "you are correct that after the surgery the absorption of B12 is decreased however, the body is still able to absorb some amounts.  It is recommended by injection once a month or sublingual tabs 2-3 times a week.  In the Bari Pak there is  a very high dose of B12 and in most cases that high dose will maintain normal B12 level.  If your B12 levels are low, I would not suggest a pill.  You need to consider either sublingual or injections."
Not sure this is correct information but, it's what I have and I assume my surgeon thinks the B12 in the Bari Pak is sufficient or they would have started me on an alternative sooner! 

Anyway, here are some results:
B12 is 363.   I called my pharmacist and she said the injections are daily, then weekly then monthly and they are 1000mcg so, I should be fine there, right?  Where do you give the injections? 

Vit D total is 41.  Currently I'm taking a RX for 50,000 units.  I take 1 a week.  I started those last month and my Rx is for 3 months.  After that, I think she said if my level is up, I can start taking an OTC Vit D?  The vitalady.com Vit D sounds good.  With my current level, what dosage would you think? 

Iron is I don't know!  LOL  I can't seem to find it on here at all!  I can't find that or PTH or ferritin!  It must be on here!  Where is it?

My calcium is 10.4 which says it's actually high (range 8.6-10.2).  I do not take any calcium supplements at all other than what is in my BariPak. 

Are you a hematologist/physician/nutritionist/nurse?  Sorry to ask but, just wonder!  I'm a dentist but, as you can imagine I don't deal much with bloodwork, vitamins, etc!  I will do well giving myself injections though...that's for sure! 
Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.  ~Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Letters to Lucilius
        
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