Vitamins and supplement prices..
Hello to everyone. I am a pre-op Roux en Y patient, and today I had my NUT consultation . We spoke about the monthly cost of vitamins and supplements. It seems as it if it can be very costly.
How much do you spend on your vitamins and other supplements ? How long will they last you ? Where do you buy them, and what brand ?
My vitamins are Centrum chewable and run no more than .30 a day. Generics are perfectly okay with my doctor. The calcium bites are more because I prefer them to the large pills that you have to swallow. You will save on food costs but have no choice with your supplements. B-12 from Walmart is cheap and a potassium pill is prescribed but inexpensive, it isn't a routine drug for most people.
Vitamins and supplements can be costly but you can keep the cost down if you shop well. I get my protein from Walmart. There are a lot better ones but they cost a lot and for the amount I need daily I just can't afford it when I can get the same amount of protein for a lot less. I just add it to things to fix up the flavor and it works well for me.
I usually get generic vitamins and calcium. I can usually spend about $30 a month on 2 containers of protein and about $20 or so average on vitamins and calcium. Just look for deals like buy one, get one (or more with Puritan). There really is no need for special bariatric vitamins or chewables unless that is your preference. Just make sure you have complete labs done regularly and adjust your vitamins as needed. If money were no object I would get the Calcet calcium bites since they are so good but generic calcium works as long as it's citrate. I save a lot of money on food since I don't get fast food or processed food so it all comes out about the same.
WLS 10/28/2002 Revision 7/23/2010
High Weight (2002) 240 Revision Weight (2010) 220 Current Weight 115.
I did the math not long ago and I spend $1.06 per day on vitamins. Now, that's not counting protein supplements. But it is counting the multi, calcium citrate, iron and B12 recommended by the ASMBS, and additional D3, A, zinc, C, and mag oxide.
If you want chewables, they will cost more.
I get the generic multi (equivalent to Centrum) at Meijer, generic calcium citrate and Upcal D, generic vitamin C, Sundown Perfect Iron, and Vitalady D3, A, zinc and mag oxide. I also do B12 shots - last ones purchased at CVS.
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.
Here is everything I priced through Amazon (all chewable) and works out to about 1.20 a day:
Centrum chewables 50 day supply $10 (800 D3) Now Foods BerryDophilus 30 day supply $7.19 Coromega Omega3 +D 1000 D3 60 day supply $30. Nature Made B1 - $3 100 day supply Spring Valley Sublingual B12 Dots 200 day supply $9.00 Caltrate Calcium and Vit D x 3 daily 1200 D3 50 day supply $15
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HW: 375 SW: 342 GW: 140 HT: 5'7"
I take "OPURITY" vitamins and their calcium as well. Opurity is specifically for RNY gastric bypass people, and have everything in them we need. You can order them on line, I can get mine at my clinic. They are like a big chewable sweet tart, I take one daily , and three chewable calciums that are orange flavored. That's it!!! the vitamin cost .40 cents and three calciums .12 cents , so about .50 cents a day. I might find cheaper products out there but this is what was recommended, and what I have started out with . So I guess that' rounding out to about $15 a month. for what it's worth, good luck
What about iron and B12?
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.
