Dessicated Stomach Substance

So I went for my final pre-surgery meeting with my surgeon yesterday... and he gave me prescriptions and such. He also gave me some samples.... one of which was the Chromagen/Trinsicon vitamin. Each soft gel capsule contains: Iron 70mg Vitamin C 150mg Vitamn B-12 10mcg Dessicated Stomach Substance 100mg (infinity) EXCUSE ME? (And this has got to be the key ingrediant -- to fix the fact we can't absorb properly anymore (so it is pre-digested for us?????))

Yuk, I have never heard of this! Has anybody else?

That ingredient has to be THE one that fixed our B-12 (and such) absorption problem. Like it is pre-digested -- so we don't have to go through the whole process and can get straight to absorption. And we ALL take a prescription multivitamin now.... and the reason is becasue of a "special" ingredient.

Very interesting. Never heard of it or it's benefit. I'll have to ask when I go see my nut/doc. Kathy

I've got a call into my surgeons' office to clarify. But what I recall is this: Our nutritionist and surgeon has stated that the reason for the prescription mulitvitamin is the because we can take all the B-12 and (some other vitamins that apply) we want... but because of our post-op tummy/intestines they are not absorbed properly. This lack of absorption can lead to neuropathy (sp?) --- the numbness of hands, feet, etc 5-10 years down the line. This prescription vitamin, has a key "intrinsic" ingredient that takes care of that issue. I am pretty sure I know WHY... but I GOTTA ASK about something called Dessicated Stomach Substance!

What's the name of the vitamin that your doctor prescribed? TIA

The sample I have in my hand is called Chromagen. He is prescribing either Chromagen or Trinsicon -- whichever is easier to get I guess. It is basically the same thing.

I know that we cannot take B12 orally but we can take B12 subliqually and it is absorbed. I should say...hopefully enough is absorbed. Some have to resort to B12 injections. I've heard of a number of folks that have neuropathy from B12 deficiencies. SOme of whom got a bit sloppy about taking their vitamins. I'm a fairly new post-op (6 weeks today) but my husband is almost 11 months post-op and B12 isn't what he has been deficient in thus far. He has had to add iron and supplemental follic acid and vit A into his repetoire based on his blood tests. Hey, if I were given something with dessicated stomach substance... I'd just HAVE to ask! Kathy

Ok.. here is the official word from my surgeon himself: Dessicated stomach substance is dried up pig stomach lining It is Intrinsic Factor -- which we need to help our bodies bind to the B-12 and absorb it properly. (Cause if we don't we get nueropathy down the line.) There is a part of our stomaches that normally produces this intrinsict factor (unless you have a condition called "Pernicious Anemia"). During the RNY, this part of the stomach is bypassed. Therefore we now need the substance provided artifically to get proper binding and absorption of the B-12. The choice is this prescription mulitvamin -- or monthly B-12 shots.

Most interesting! Thanks for the update! Kathy