All in One Bariatric Vitamins
I've seen a lot of discussion about Bariatric Fusion lately so I thought it might be helpful to post this again. Keep in mind that if your surgery was less than a year ago, you may not have had time to develop many deficiencies yet but that doesn't mean you won't down the road. Also keep in mind that some docs don't order a full set of labs (including things like vitamin A, zinc, and copper) unless you specifically request those tests, and if you don't get the tests done, you don't know if your labs are good. Finally, if you aren't taking enough calcium, that will not show up in your blood work. You won't know about it until you have a bone density test done at one year post op, or even further down the road (which some docs also do not order unless you specifically request it).
There are several different companies that make all-in-one bariatric vitamins. Most of them say you only need four tablets a day.
Most post ops take vitamins four or five times a day. I have a shoe box full of vitamin bottles and once a week I set up my pill container. You know, those things that have little spaces for pills for each day of the week? Otherwise opening all those pill bottles and getting out my vitamins several time a day would be a huge hassle. And most people would love to be able to only take four pills a day, all out of the same bottle. It would make life a lot easier and it would save money.
So how come most of us aren’t taking those all-in-one deals?
Because they don’t meet our needs. It would be great if they did, but they don’t. Just because they print “bariatric" on the label and say you only need four a day, that just doesn’t make it true. Even though some surgeons sell these in their offices (which makes me cringe), that doesn’t mean they meet our needs.
The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery says we need 200% of the RDA of most things. But most of those brands that say you only have to take four a day, do not give you 200% in just four. With most of those, you’d need EIGHT a day.
The ASMBS also says we need 1500-2000 mg calcium CITRATE a day. It needs to be citrate because we no longer have enough stomach acid to absorb calcium carbonate. But those all-in-one brands usually have calcium carbonate.
We also must take a B12 supplement. We can’t absorb B12 from a chewable multi, or any multi we swallow. We do not have enough intrinsic factor in our pouches. So we have to take a sublingual B12, or the nasal spray, or the shots.
In addition, many of the all-in-one brands contain forms of some vitamins or minerals that we do not absorb well because of our RNY. If you want to take one of these, you can, but if you want to get the nutrients you need, you will need to take a LOT of other vitamins in addition to the EIGHT all-in-one tablets you’d need. Personally, I find a good multi I can take just twice a day more convenient and more affordable.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
There are some really yummy calcium chews. I think they are like a treat.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
There are some really yummy calcium chews. I think they are like a treat.
There are some really yummy calcium chews. I think they are like a treat.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
I do have a question about one multi vitamin. How do we absorb liquid vitamin B complex? My primary put me on this. I know we don't absorb B12 that way but what about the others?
RNY at Vanderbilt Nashville, TN July 26, 2010 with Dr Clements. All loss is post op
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
