Question:
Vitamins
Has anyone found 1 source of vitamins that covers everything? Or an easy source of vitamins? I was taking a 10 in 1...but it doesn't match up with 2 flinstones & 2 calcium chewables. However I have heard that the liquid vitamins absorb better in your system. — shellymarie (posted on March 18, 2008)
March 18, 2008
Yes, I have a web site that is great. Building Blocks at
www.bbvitamins.com. They only sell Bariatric supplements and they carry
liquid for after surgery, chewable and regular tablets. I have been anemic
for three years before surgery, and gone to a Hematologist. They have had
me take all kinds of iron and nothing helps. I had surgery and when to the
iron offered by building blocks and within three months my anemia was gone.
— William (Bill) wmil
March 18, 2008
You cannot find one source to cover every vitamin for a few reasons...First
being that some specific vitamins you will need more than the average
person due to malabsorption. Those being the most commonly Calcium, Iron,
and B-12. Calcuim cancels out Iron. They fight for absorption and calcium
wins over Iron. Iron is most important for menstruating women...and cannot
be take within two hours of taking calcium or coffee.
You need Iron with Vit C and Calcium CITRATE(NOT carbonate like tums and
many calcium chews) with Vit D and magnesium is helpful for absorption.
B-12 is something you will have to take an extra supplement for the rest of
your life, most likely. The more protein you take the more your body needs
calcium to turn protein acids into a neutral. With all the protein
requirements, you must do calcium too.
Take this from a person who thought she was safely eating enough healthy
foods at 4 years to get enough vits without ALL the extra supplementation.
A flintstone vitamin is not enough and tums and calcium carbonate are not a
good form of calcium which is what is in most multi vitamins! Just some
thoughts from someone who learned this the hard way!
— .Anita R.
March 18, 2008
Yes you can find one vitamin that covers all. My dr. recomends it and I
have taken it for over a year. It is called Optisource. It is for Post
Bariatric Surgery patients. You get it at Walgreen's only. You can order it
on line also. It saves you from buying a lot of bottles of other types. You
chew 4 a day. I asked the dr. if we needed extra calcium and he said that
Optisource covers everything you nee. It also tastes good too. Here is a
link you can use.
http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=301120&navAction=jump&navCount=0&skuid=sku403360&id=prod403359
If the link doesn't work just go to Walgreen and type in Optisource.
— Claudia C.
March 18, 2008
According to my surgeon and nutritionist (both gave this information)...
the Flintstone COMPLETE Children's Chewable (or one equal to it--like Once
Source Complete), taken twice daily is efficient for the majority of
patients (some will have special needs). Beyond that, I use the UpCalD
calcium citrate powder four times a day for my calcium suppliment. I find
by taking it four times a day I'm more able to get my fluids in, sorta the
"two birds with one stone" theory.
Good Luck, Leslie
— LuvNSummer
March 18, 2008
One major problem in finding a vitamin that "covers everything"
is that there are some unwanted interractions. Example: iron bonds to
caclim, and negates the full effect them, so you can't take them both
together. The only way to see exactly what is in any vitamin is to examine
the supplemental facts of that vitamin. Yes, liquids do work quicker, as
they don't have to be digested in the pouch. I use a good liquid vitamin,
that I mention on my profile page. You should always take your calcium
citrate and vitmamins or iron supplements at separte times, about an hour
apart. Reading the supplemental facts is the only way to find out what's
best. Some liquid vitamins don't taste very good, as I've tried at least 3.
I prefer the one I currently use, and it tastes like an orange punch.
— Dave Chambers
March 18, 2008
I had no problem with taking the regular centrum pill after surgery. I was
taking something else and my labs weren't up to par. The minute I started
taking centrum, my labs were fine...including my iron! However, not
everyone can take them, and it must be noted that I was taking Centrum
before surgery as well. Good luck and God bless!
— crystalsno
March 18, 2008
I do the Flintstones complete, and a chocolate calcium chew- 500mg, twice a
day.
I like the vitamins, and the cal chews are Walmart - Spring Valley, and
much cheaper than Citrical.
— 29Diesel
March 18, 2008
I take a chewable made especially for bariatric patients called Bariatric
Advantage. It has more of each vitatmin in it because we have malabsorption
due to the surgery. My labs are always fine. I take a separate iron pill
(Chromagen) prescribed by my surgeon. You can order the vitamins from this
web site:
http://www.bariatricadvantage.com/catalog?cat=Multi-Vitamins&so=
— [Deactivated Member]
March 19, 2008
prenatals are really good too! I know there is at least 1 company that even
makes chewables :-)
— Ravenwulf
March 19, 2008
Hi Shelly,
I use the Bariatric Advantage chewable vitamin. It tastes kind of like a
sweettart although it doesn't have sugar, it has sucralose. I also take
their chewable iron. I use their chewable calcium citrate tablets three
times a day spaced throughout the day in between meals because like many
other folks have mentioned, you can't take the iron and calcium at the same
time. My nutritionist said that I could not use the Optisource from
Walgreens because it does not contain the right form of calcium.
Optisource has calcium carbonate which is not absorbed in the body as well
as calcium citrate. When I mentioned that to my DML, she said that her
surgeon wouldn't have recommended it if it wasn't good. I guess there's a
lot of differing information out there. The main thing is what your
bloodwork shows and how your body feels with what you're using. Best
wishes in your search. Regina
— Bigwyfan1964
March 19, 2008
Depends on your goal. If you want a one size fits all, Bariatric Advantage
is the best,. If you want to save your eyes, bones, brain cells, nerve
function, etc, you'll need to address those separately above your
multi-type. The BA is a good start, but you can't get 10-20,000 IU of vit
D in it, for example.
— vitalady
March 19, 2008
Centrum chewables twice a day with breakfast/dinner. Twinlabs chewable
calcium citrate, 1000 mg mid morn and again mid afternoon. Twinlabs is
expensive, but I just found it online at half price at
www.vitaminshoppe.com. Don't take calcium at same time as
multivitamin/mineral. Calcium citrate is absorbed better than carbonate.
— Susan C.
Click Here to Return