Your Vitamin Regimen (Kelly...)

Hi - I was wondering how you worked your daily vitamin regimen.  I am 2.5 years out and still struggling with this. (Kelly - I thought we were OH friends, and was going to PM you, but we're not)  Please say the strength/mg and what brand of multi that you take.  Also, note if you take certain vitamins only a few times a week.  Thanks so much!  Pam

As long as you are not blocked, you can PM anyone.   Just hover over their avatar picture and "Send Message" comes up - along with "Friend" , "Recent Posts" and "Block" !

This is not new, it's been like this for a couple of years, I think and it works for everyone, friend or not!

Breakfast -

multi (Family Wellness brand from Family Dollar, equivalent to Centrum), 630 mg calcium ctirate (generic from Kroger), 50,000 IU D3 three times a week (Tender D3 from vitalady), 25,000 IU A three times a week (Tender A from vitalady), 50 mg zinc twice a week (Sundown Naturals brand)

Lunch - 500 mg calcium citrate (Upcal D)

Dinner- multi (Family Wellness), 630 mg calcium citrate (generic from Kroger)

Bedtime - 300 mg carbonyl iron (Sundown Perfect iron), 2000 mg vitamin C (Sundown Naturals brand)

B12 shots every other Friday

Thanks Kelly.  We've spoken before about the vitamins, and you have to take the D3, Iron and Zinc, as do I.... I was just seeing how you spaced everything out.  Life has been so hectic with grad school, internship, still working full time and being kinda old... LOL... it helps to see others' schedules. 

Pam I know you are asking Kelly what she takes which I suppose gives you an idea.  May I suggest you not specifically follow ANYONE else's vitamin regimen.  Depending on YOUR labs, you may need more or less of what someone else is taking.  The ASMBS recommends a minimum requirement which is a good start although some of us take way more than the minimum recommended and I'm sure some don't take what is recommended.

Have you had labs done recently?  Do you have copies and are you trending them to see what is going on?  Most PCPs and surgeons do not worry about vitamin levels until a deficiency occurs.  Being proactive and watching trends and adjusting supplements really is key to avoid some deficiencies.

I agree.  The reason I take vitamin A and zinc is because my labs showed I needed those.  I do not recommend taking them unless your labs show you need them, because it is possible to take too much of those and too much is bad for you just like too little is bad for you.

Hi - yes, I do know that each of us has their own regimen they need to follow.  Kelly and I have similar issues (i.e., low zinc, D3, iron), which is why I kind asked her how she works her vitamins.  I also wanted to see what others were taking, and how they scheduled theirs as well.  Thanks for the response.

Didn't your doctor have a recommended vitamin program?  I just had surgery and have specific vitamins I have to take from surgery unti I have blood work done at 2 months post-op.

1 multi vitamin containing at least 20 nutrients and 18g of iron 2X a day (I take a separate iron supplement)

Calcium Citrate with vitamin D- 1500 mg/day

Sublingual B12 1,000 mcg/wk

I will begin blood work at 2 months and we will tweak this from there.

Here is mine:

Breakfast: 3 Citracal Petites, B12 (1000 mcg), 

Lunch: Sundown Brand Iron (75 mg), vitamin C (500 mg), centrum silver x2

Evening:  3 Citracal Petites

Labs done soon to see if anything needs added.