Flinstone Vitamins=My Nemesis

So after doing a dozen or so hours of vitamin research and reading, rereading and reading again all of the vitamin related posts on here, I am newly enlightened about vitamins.  If there is anything I have learned it's that Flinstone Vitamins = BAD! 

So I take all my newfound information and have a "vitamin talk" with the hubby who had the band at the end of April.  I explain to him the ASMBS guidelines, what we need every day, that he needs most of the same vitamins I do (just in half the quantity) and that this vitamin deficiency thing can be serious business.  The hubby was a bit annoyed and said "but they TOLD me I could take Flinstones vitamins!"  We agreed to temporarily disagree until he saw his dietician later on in the week. 

Yesterday he came home and said "So the dietician said Flinstones are ok for both of us.  You just have to take two and I only have to take one."  My reaction, "Seriously? Did you ask why they wouldn't bother to follow the ASMBS guidelines? That's just ridiculous."  Hubby "Well she said that they have been recommending Flinstones to their patients for over 10 years and tracking their labs and none have had major vitamin deficiencies as a result." 

My question- HOW THE EFF is that possible?  And why would they continue to go against ASMBS guidelines?  

I did thorough research before finding this surgeon and he was rated and recommended very highly.  I have been pleased by the rest of my experience with them but this makes me wonder a bit.  Flinstones?  2 a day?  Really?  That's only half of what I need... 

UGH!

I take two generic brand Flinstones vitamins a day. My labs are great! I can't say that they are the best for you, but my wallet can only afford this and it's keeping my labs at a good level.  People's bodies react differently to everything though.

Some deficiencies take a long time to develope, you know.  But can I ask a couple questions about your labs?  What was your vitamin A level and your selenium level last time you had labs done?  I ask because Flintstones has a form of vitamin A we don't absorb well and have NO selenium.

Also, I realize that different people's bodies react to things differently.  But I am just wondering, what makes you feel certain that your body will not react to the lack of selenium by developing heart trouble, thyroid disease and a weakened immune systerm, which are the typical problems that occur when someone doesn't get enough selenium?

when we have our labs - they do not test everything. And some of the minerlas that Flinstons do not have - are not tested very often - if ever.

As for price - I buy CVS brand Centrum Equivalent Multi chewables. They are even BOGO on sale this week. The CVS Multi Chewables - silver are app 9 for 60 -- BOGO- get me 2 bottles for 9 (including tax) - or $4.50  for month supply of multi, or $3.50 when I buy the CVS Multi chewables (Centrum equivalent  - with iron)
   Now - I could take the pills - again CVS brand centrum multi equvalent for much cheaper - I think I sa wa bottle for ~$20 for 250 or 360 pilsl, so - yearly supply - what? (since we need 2 or 3) $20 to $30 when they are BOGO... can you really get the Flinstons cheaper?

My NUT also advices Flintstones.  I just smile and nod and take my generic multi vits.  They are much cheaper then the Flintstones, too.  Just what harm could it do to take them instead of Flintstones?  It's not like they are bad for you or anything.  I would err on the side of caution.  What have you got to lose?

While I haven't had my revision to RNY yet, my NUT also advises Flintstones or Centrum chewable. Along with sublingual b-12, chewable caltrate with D, Feosol Iron and Folic acid.
For my Band (same surgeon) they only recommended the fintstones or centrum. No other vitamins.
Editing my post to say that I've always taken the centrum since my banding. Just bought them and liked them, never bothered trying flintstones.

Apparently your nut doesn't understand that after RNY you will not absorb calcium carbonate because you won't have enough stomach acid in your pouch.  That means takeing Caltrate will not do you any good.  You need calcium citrate.  Perhaps you can explain this to your nut next time you see her so she'll stop giving out bad advice (well, hopefully she'd stop; some nuts refuse to follow ASMBS guidelines even when presented with them for reasons I cannot understand).

Well, chances are your surgeon is very, very good at performing surgeries.  After all, that's what he mainly studied in school.  I bet he tries to keep up to date with the latest advances in surgical techniques, too.

But he's not so good at nutrition.  He only took one class in nutrition in medical school and it only covered the basics.  He wants to give patients good advice but doesn't have time to keep up to date on the latest research about vitamins because he's too busy learning and practicing his surgical skills.

I think that's OK.  When you are having major surgery, which do you want?  A surgeon that is really good at performing surgeries, or one that knows lots about vitamins?

I don't believe that the patients that have been taking Flintstones for years have not had any vitamin deficiencies.  What I bet is that they aren't getting very many labs done.  For instance, I bet they are not checking their selenium, which is scary when you consider that Flinstones have NONE.  But most docs don't order that one, unless you specifically request it.  I've actually posted here on OH a couple times, asking if people using Flintstones could please answer a couple questions about their labs for me.  I asked about their vitamin A levels and selenium levels.  Not one person that used Flintstones could answer those questions.

If your hubby really likes Fred and Barney, there's not much you can do.  I do wonder why some people are so attracted to Flintstones.  Even if they were adequate for us (which they are not), why would an adult feel so strongly about wanting to use a kid's vitamin instead of an adult vitamin?  And do they do this in other areas of their lives?  Like, are they using Barbie bubblegum flavored toothpaste?

No offense to the original OP's hubby since I have never seen him but your comment has me picturing some big hairy manly man standing in front of a bottle of Flintstone's, his Spongebob toothpaste (with matching toothbrush, of course), perhaps a few bottles of the Pamper's Kandoo line of shampoo and body wash...and a box of the Kandoo wipes.  

I don't believe for a second that none of their patients who are taking Flintstones have had any deficiencies because even people who take REAL vitamins sometimes get various deficiencies... so when they say "none" of their patients do, it clearly is not true.... OR they are qualifying it with the word "major".  How deficient does someone have tpo be before it is a "major" deficiency?  Does someone have to be ill enough to require hospitalization... or require prescription strength treatment to bring tehir levels up... or just so ill that they feel like crap every day?

That is a pretty pathetic (and clearly defensive) response to why they don't follow the ASMBS guidelines.

Lora