For the newbies out there...

...and by "newbies", I mean newer than me!  hehe  I posted this a few months ago, but there seems to be a lot of people on the boards again just beginning this process, so I thought I'd post all this info again.

I am far from being a vet here, as I will be 10 weeks post op tomorrow.  There are a lot of useful links and places to go to get samples of vitamins and protein powders.  It's nice to have all the links in one place!

Here are some links with good samples:

Celebrate Vitamins, free samples.
http://www.celebratevitamins.com/component/chronocontact/?ch ronoformname=sample 

Email [email protected] with your name, address, phone number, and stating you are about to have RNY and are interested in samples.  Also free.  The vitamins they include are usually (maybe always) Bariatric Advantage.  This website also has other products.

Bariatric Advantage.  $8.95 for a  sample pack, but you will get many of these with your bariatric choice free samples.
http://www.bariatricadvantage.com/catalog/itemHandler?id=116 3

Unjury Protein...my personal favorite.  $15.95 for samples.  If you email them at [email protected] immediately after you order with your order number, and tell them you are interested in their OPurity Calcium and Multi Vitamin, they will include samples of those too.
http://www.unjury.com/store/protein/unjury-protein/unjury-st arter-pack.html

About time protein $2.99 for a two pack samples
http://www.shopabouttime.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode= TrialPack

Chike protein.  Free samples, pay $6.95 for shipping
http://www.chikenutrition.com/free-sample.html

Bariatric Eating has a bunch of products.  I didn't buy this, but a friend gave it to me as a gift.  I haven't tried everything yet.  The vitamins they include are Bariatric Advantage.  $42.99...a bit spendy, but a lot of items.
http://shop.bariatriceating.com/Protein-Sample-Kit--our-best -tasting-proteins-PLUS-bariatric-bestseller-Before-After_p_1 -77.html

My Bariatric Pantry also offers samples on a bunch of different products.  I haven't personally used this site, but I see they have samples for decent prices.
http://www.mybariatricpantry.com/Bariatric_Protein_Samples_s /35.htm

And lastly, but DEFINITELY not least, Vita Lady.  She posts here and is a veteran, and also has her own site for vitamins and protein.  You can buy samples of many of the other protein powders that you can't get elsewhere.  I bought Isopure samples from her.  And Syntrax Nectars.  Two brands a lot of people like, but don't offer samples on their websites.  She has good prices, reliable and quick shipping, and is great at answering questions.  She has developed some of her own brands even that are a lot less expensive than some of the brand names for vitamins.  I am giving you the link directly with a list of samples, but she has a lot.
http://www.vitalady.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi

And this is my FAVORITE way to mix protein powder.  It mixes them nicely without making foamy like a lot of blenders.  And gets rid of the chunks, unlike a lot of the other bottles.  You can buy them elsewhere...Amazon.com has some good prices, as does QVC.  But this product is good.
http://www.blenderbottle.com/

Hope all this helps!  It definitely helped me!  And I am sure there are other places, but these are the ones that were suggested to me or that I came across during my "research" phase.

Lena, thank you so much for this post.  I just received my surgery date this morning (28 days yay!!) and now am on the hunt for getting all my info, resources and shops together in one spot.  I hadn't checked out several of these and am so excited to try some of these out.  Thanks again!