vitamins

I have noticed a few posts that mention taking the vitamins at specific times in the day and more spread out. I was given a list of what I need (B12, multivitamin, calciun, D, iron), but no guidelines on how or when to take them. So, I just down them all before I go to sleep. Should I not? Also, I got a couple of them in the gelcap type, thinking I would need to open them up and add them to yogurt etc after surgery, but was anyone able to digest any of that kind soon after, or would that be considered "food", which I need to avoid for 4 weeks? (I also really like advil liquid gels for pain, so I was curious about those too).

My surgery is on Wed, so any suggestions would be wonderful !

You shouldn't take iron and calcium at the same time. My suggestion with those would be to take your multi, calcium, and D in the morning and your iron and B12 at night. If your multi disagrees with your stomach, you could move that to the night before you go to bed.

In terms of what kind of food you are allowed for four weeks after surgery, that's definitely something you need to check on with your surgeon/dietician. They all have different rules. I know a lot of people are allowed yogurt immediately after surgery, but a lot aren't, and you need to be sure to follow your own practice's rules. If you aren't allowed that sort of thing, they can suggest other methods for your vitamins - crushing them and blending them in with a protein shake, using a chewable vitamin or liquid vitamin (that's what I did), etc. Good luck!

I take two multi-vitamins daily. One in the morning and one at night. I take three calcium tablets throughout the day: one in the morning, one in the afternoon and one at night. I allow two hours between my calcium. I take my B12 in the morning.

I use bariactric vitamins per my doctor's request. The reason for spacing out doses is the body will only absorb so much at any given time.

I take all other meds without crushing or opening the capsule. I haven't experienced any pain since my surgery so I am clueless about the Advil. Good luck with your surgery and post-op.

I had to create a spreadsheet to calculate the best times to take all my vitamins, supplements and prescriptions.  Some prescriptions should be taken on an empty stomach; others with food.  Vitamins need to be spread out over the day in order for your body to absorb them.  You should never take calcium at the same time as iron.  And I don't believe you can take advil after surgery - only tylenol.

Here's my schedule:

Upon Waking Up (while I'm still in bed) - One Lanzoprazole (PPI to reduce stomach acid)

With Breakfast - One Ursodiol (prevent gall stones), one Calcium Citrate chewable, one Multivitamin, blood pressure medication.  I space them out as much as I can during breakfast.

Driving to Work - One Sublingual B12

Lunch - One Calcium Citrate chewable, one D3 capsule

Late Afternoon Snack - One Calcium Citrate chewable, one Multivitamin

Dinner - One Ursodiol

Right before Bedtime - One Iron chewable

I did not have any issues swallowing capsules after surgery.  Just don't take them all at once.

Good luck with your surgery!  

You should be taking 1500 mg of calcium citrate (not calcate) a day.  Only 500mg get absorbed at a time, so the doses need to be separated out by at least 2 hours.  Iron has to be taken at least 2 hours apart from calcium.  Schedule it out however it works best for you.

Ask your doc about taking pills.  I didn't have any restrictions on taking pills, but some practices do.