Read the directions!

I got some chewable vitamins as well as some calcium citrate from Costco. Without reading the labels I took it for granted that I should take one of each a day. One multivitamin and one calcium. WRONG. After taking these for 3 months I got to wonder just how much calcium I was getting and read the directions. The directions on each the vitamin AND the calcium citrate said to take TWO a day. I was shocked. I learned a valuable lesson. I need to read the directions and not take everything for granted. Melody

OOOOOOOPS!! I take horse pills and have to take 2 a day so I can imagine with chewables that would apply!! hows everything going, Melody? -Sherrie

Hi Sherrie. I'm doing wonderful. I was expecting my weight loss to REALLY slow down. I was expecting only about 4 pounds a month. I've been working on increasing my water and my protein. I'm getting in between 72-90 oz of water a day and between 65-80 grams of protein a day. I just started doing this and in one week I've lost 5 pounds! I'm under 200 pounds for the first time in years. Feels good. How are YOU doing? Melody 260/195/???

I am currently STUCK at -97 and not molving. I just hired a personal trainer at my gym to get me back on track. Hopefully that will put me into that century club quickly! My work is going ok - still waiting to hear on that teaching position I interviewed for - I should find out about that by about Aug 5th. Wish me luck on that one! What kind of work do you do? -Sherrie

What do I do? What a complicated question. My work history includes working for 22 years on an ambulance taking emergency calls. Since my DH and myself owned the ambulance service, it was my responsibility to do all the patient and insurance billing. In other words, do all the books. During this time I also worked part time at a pharmacy as a pharmacy technician. With my EMS work I also taught EMS classes. Taught others to also work in the emergency field. I was highly regarded as being one of the best in our area and I LOVED IT! I've been diagnosed with multiple schlerosis since 1991. In 2001 my MS got sooo bad and I deteriorated so much that I had to stop taking the emergency calls. However I continued to do all the office work and teaching of the classes. My MS forced me to quit my pharmacy job too. Now I just do the office work for the business. I finished my last EMS class in May of this year. I won't do any more. Sad time in my life to give up things I enjoyed sooo much. It reminds me of the verses in Proverbs - "To every thing there is a season". My season in EMS has ended. Now I'm waiting to see what the next season will bring to me. What do YOU teach? Have you been teaching this past year? Will this new teaching position be a real change for you? I've enjoyed chatting. I wish others would chat with us more. Melody

That's okay. My DH just figured out he was doing the same thing w/the Tums. I haven't started any vitamens yet. I have NEVER taken any vitamins and want to get "settled" with this first before starting anything new. I have in the past I am should say taken vitamins and gotten very constipated. SO I am little leary right now. Gala

Gala have your DH ask his doctor about the Tums. Tums is MY preference because they are so easy to chew, affordable and besides they taste good. I was told that Tums would NOT do it for calcium after WLS. I was told that because of the RNY, the calcium in Tums is not absorbed. I was told that we need to take Calcium Citrate NOT calicium carbanate. Have your DH talk to his doctor. How are YOU doing? You were struggling with a bladder infection, being overwhelmed with little/no help and feeling pretty miserable. How are you doing now? Hopefully things are healing and you're feeling better physically. Constipation is an issue with vitamins but with this surgery vitamins are vital for our health. SOME people (I'm not one of them) have a touch of diarrhea with this surgery. For me, I just struggle along with the constipation. Glycerin suppositories are a blessing. You can't go without your vitamins. They are too important. Let us know how you are doing. Melody 260/195/???

James talked to his dr. -- and with everything they have not said he "can't" -- but this is the same dr. that told him "Sure you can take XR Wellbutrin you just will not get the "full effect". Sorry...but wake up dummy...if you need the "full dose than you wouldn't be on it?"" Right? I can only tell James so much. I have told him what the "reccommendations are" I have done this and that and he continues to do as he pleases because "his" dr. said he could. SOrry...this is a real sore spot with me right now. As for me...I amo okay. I plan on starting the vitamins first part of next week. I go from one extreme to the other as far as constipation and diarrhea go. I am struggling ALOT with staying hydrated. This is a huge issue right now. And I can't seem to win the battle. I am trying. Just not getting there. Thanks, Gala 305/287/THINNER

Sorry Gala, didn't mean to hit a sore spot with you. Your water intake will improve with time. It was a good month before I was able to drink more than 32 oz a day. It was a real struggle for me to even get 32 oz in. It WILL get better. I promise. Melody

Don't worry about it Melody. It irratates me that he has this "I know everything attitude". His surgeon doesn't do nearly as many as mine does. He seems to me one of the "stop and shop" type of doctors. James ONLY went to him because my surgeon's team would not approve him on the psych end -- and by the time they did he was already approved and scheduled for surgery w/his dr. So he just went a head with them and at the same time says "Well, I can always follow your plan of food and such"....Well here he is and he is doing his own thing some days and then asking me for guidance the others. His dr. didn't even schedule lab work to be done post op at his 1 month appt. Didn't schedule diatitian appts....heck I have them 2, 6 weeks and then every 3 months the first year. Where as he was left on his own. It might be a pain for me to drive over an hour each way -- but in the end - I feel much more confident!!! Anyway...thanks. Have good Weekend. Gala