Vitamins?? Anyone?

4khansen
on 11/8/15 4:17 pm - IA
VSG on 07/01/15

Just a quick question about your vitamin intake?  Do all of you who have had VSG continue to take vitamins in the long-term?  My numbers seem to be very good and just wonder how necessary the vitamin intake will be over the long haul?  Not that I won't take them, but just curious as to whether any of you have found it unnecessary after 1, 2, 3 or more years?

HW: 336.5 (March 1, 2015), Height: 5'11", Birthdate: November 8, 1955

VSG: July 1, 2015 288.0 lbs, University of Iowa Hospitals -- Dr. Isaac Samuel

CW: 196 lbs, goal: 186

8/2/15 -- 263.8 | 8/30/15 -- 256.0 | 9/20/15 -- 248.6 | 11/1/15 -- 240.6 | 11/29/15 -- 233.2 | 1/3/16 -- 227.4 | 1/31/16 -- 218.6 | 2/28/16 -- 211.2 | 3/27/16 -- 204.6 | 5/2/2016 -- 206.6 | 5/30/2016 -- 203.8 | 7/7/2016 --198.8 | 8/1/2016 -- 197.8 | 1/25/2017 -- 196.3 | 3/23/2017 -- 194

Donna L.
on 11/8/15 4:38 pm - Chicago, IL
Revision on 02/19/18

I'm curious to know, as well.  Four months out I had a b6 deficiency even with my vites.

I follow a ketogenic diet post-op. I also have a diagnosis of binge eating disorder. Feel free to ask me about either!

It is not that we have so little time but that we lose so much...the life we receive is not short but we make it so; we are not ill provided but use what we have wastefully. -- Seneca, On the Shortness of Life

Dan1962
on 11/8/15 4:39 pm - Syracuse, NY
VSG on 09/23/14

My dr tells me the vitamins and calcium pills I'm taking are forever.  

  

    

    
SDenae
on 11/8/15 4:53 pm - Greenwood, IN
VSG on 09/23/15

I was told that these vitamins would be required for the rest of my life. I should, eventually, be able to switch from the chewables to regular tablets. I can't wait for that time to come.

Age: 40 | Height: 5'3" | HW: 245 | Program Start: 231 | SW: 208.5 | CW: 148.2 | GW: 130
M1: 15 M2: 15 M3: 6.7 M4: 10 M5: 6.6 M6: 3.3

^ Total weight lost
LilySlim Weight loss tickers

BankerBethany
on 11/8/15 6:16 pm
VSG on 04/11/16

Hi 4khansen! I noticed you had your surgery at UIHC. I am starting the consultations with doctors and I am considering Mercy IC and Grinnell. Did you consider Mercy Bariatric program? If so, what made you choose the UofI? Thanks for your help! I'm just nervous over who I should pick!

4khansen
on 11/9/15 12:50 pm - IA
VSG on 07/01/15

hi BankerBethany:

I live in Council Bluffs and am covered by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Iowa.  I started the journey hoping to work with a surgeon in Omaha, but my insurance would only cover bariatric surgeons in Iowa.  The closest program was Des Moines, but I didn't think that program looked as if it had been around very long.  So I thought if I had to drive so far anyway I would go to the University of Iowa hospitals as the program had been in existence for a long time and seemed to be highly thought of as a bariatric unit.  Also, the "Father of Bariatric surgery" had been on the staff at the University of Iowa.

So instead of going 8 miles to the hospital in Omaha, I drove 3.5 hours to Iowa City :-).  I thought they did an awesome job working with me.

HW: 336.5 (March 1, 2015), Height: 5'11", Birthdate: November 8, 1955

VSG: July 1, 2015 288.0 lbs, University of Iowa Hospitals -- Dr. Isaac Samuel

CW: 196 lbs, goal: 186

8/2/15 -- 263.8 | 8/30/15 -- 256.0 | 9/20/15 -- 248.6 | 11/1/15 -- 240.6 | 11/29/15 -- 233.2 | 1/3/16 -- 227.4 | 1/31/16 -- 218.6 | 2/28/16 -- 211.2 | 3/27/16 -- 204.6 | 5/2/2016 -- 206.6 | 5/30/2016 -- 203.8 | 7/7/2016 --198.8 | 8/1/2016 -- 197.8 | 1/25/2017 -- 196.3 | 3/23/2017 -- 194

Gwen M.
on 11/8/15 6:58 pm
VSG on 03/13/14

Yes, you will need to supplement vitamins for life.  

VSG with Dr. Salameh - 3/13/2014
Diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and started Vyvanse - 7/22/2016
Reconstructive Surgeries with Dr. Michaels - 6/5/2017 (LBL & brachioplasty), 8/14/2017 (UBL & mastopexy), 11/6/2017 (medial leg lift)

Age 42 Height 5'4" HW 319 (1/3/2014) SW 293 (3/13/2014) CW 149 (7/16/2017)
Next Goal 145 - normal BMI | Total Weight Lost 170

TrendWeight | Food Blog (sort of functional) | Journal (down for maintenance)

Tracy D.
on 11/9/15 11:27 am - Papillion, NE
VSG on 05/24/13

I took vitamins for years before surgery and will continue to take them.  I'm one of those that has never needed B-12 supplementation but I'll continue to get yearly labs done to check on it.  

It's very easy to find yourself in serious deficiencies at 3 years out or more, especially with iron and calcium.  At the very least I would encourage to continue taking a multi-vitamin and extra Vit D for life.  B-12 if your labs indicate it. 

 Tracy  5'3"     HW: 235  SW: 218  CW: 132    M1: -22  M2: -13  M3: -12  M4: -9  M5: -8   M6: -10   M7: -4

 Goal reached in 7 months and 1 week

 Lower Body Lift w/Dr. Barnthouse 7-8-15

   

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

KathyA999
on 11/9/15 11:42 pm

So, civilians get their vitamins from the food they eat, or should if they eat a balanced diet. In the months after surgery we need to supplement because we don't eat enough food to get all the vites/minerals we need, and we focus on nutrient macros rather than vitamin content (protein, fat, carbs).  At five years out, my capacity has increased over the years, but my diet plan is still pretty close to what it was during the weight loss phase, so for that reason I still supplement and will continue as long as I'm eating this way (which I plan to keep up for the rest of my life, God willin' and the creek don't rise).

The only vitamin I'm aware of that VSG patients truly need to take for life is B12.  When taken orally (by non-ops), B12 binds with a thing called Intrinsic Factor, which is made in the part of the stomach that's removed.  That's why, after surgery, swallowing B12 wouldn't be much help, it needs to be sublingual or a patch or an injection.

Also, if you are on an acid reducer, you may need to supplement calcium (most women need to anyway) and iron (ditto).  Both of these need an acidic environment in the stomach in order to be properly absorbed.  For this reason, it's good to try to get off the acid reducer as soon as possible, something I haven't been able to do.  I'll probably be on it for life.

All that said, regular labs should help you decide whether and what to supplement.

Height 5' 7"   High Wt 268 / Consult Wt 246 / Surgery Wt 241 / Goal Wt 150 / Happy place 135-137 / Current Wt 143
Tracker starts at consult weight       
                               
In maintenance since December 2011.
 

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