I haven't had surgery yet but I'm trying to research and get everything I'll need ahead of time.  I think I have most everything except vitamins and I can't decide which ones to get.  I'm considering these, partly because I would only need to have two per day.  I would appreciate your thoughts - what's your opinion of these vitamins?  (I do realize I'll need calcium citrate in addition to these vitamins.)

Celebrate - Multivitamin Chewable

Gastric Bypass / Sleeve Gastrectomy

Description

When it comes to chewable multivitamins, there are two important things to consider, formulation and taste. No other bariatric multivitamin can compete with us on either. Developed specifically for surgical weight loss patients, Celebrate's Bariatric Multivitamin provides the most thorough blend of vitamins and minerals available in a great tasting chewable. Our integrated formula provides maximum bioavailability as we have carefully selected each vitamin and mineral level and form to ensure proper interaction and absorption.

Key things to look for in our multivitamin:

• Taste - When you have to take a product every day, it needs to be something that you like. Our Mandarin Orange flavor chewable is unbeatable with a smooth texture (no grit) and great taste, it will be easy to maintain your compliance.
  
  
• Vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin)  - With nearly 6,000% of the RDI of vitamin B-12, Celebrate Bariatric Multivitamin contains the highest level of B-12 available in a bariatric multivitamin. Studies have shown that at these levels, 95% of patients will NOT need additional sublingual B-12.
  
  
• B-Complex - In addition to vitamin B-12, the other b-complex vitamins are critical for your health following surgery. Certain B vitamins such as vitamin B1 (thiamin) are critical immediately following surgery and our multivitamin contains the most appropriate levels of each vitamin, in the proper form for bariatric surgery patients.
  
  
• Vitamin A - By blending pre-formed (retinyl palmitate) and beta-carotene to make up our vitamin A, we are providing the safest and most effective approach available for this key vitamin.  This blend allows your body to regulate its intake of vitamin A, absorbing only what it needs to function properly.
  
  
• Magnesium - This critical mineral is most effective in the citrate form.  Celebrate contains the highest percentage of magnesium citrate of any bariatric supplement.
  
  
• Chelated minerals - Chelation simply means,  "attaching to".  By chelating our mineral forms to amino acid, we have increased the likelihood that these minerals will be absorbed in a reduced acidic environment.
  
  
• Water Miscible ADEK - We utilize dry, water miscible forms of vitamins A, D, E, and K to further enhance absorption.

Directions

Daily Dosage = 2 chewables

They are sweetened with sorbitol and mannitol.  They give me terrible gas and diarrhea.  Unjury sells a vitamin for sleeve and gastric bypass patients that is one a day and has no sugar alcohols as well as no ingredients from China.  They are a much better choice for me.

I could not stomach them, they were so sweet and large and upset my stomach.  I was allowed to swallo regular vitamins and pills from day 1.  

With any good multi (one that has 100% of the RDA of stuff) you'd only need two a day.  Plus calcium citrate, iron, B12 and most likely D3.  But only two multis.

Nutritionally speaking, these are a good choice.  Taste-wise, some people like them, some don't.

I did not like them.  Chewable vitamins are nasty.  So you have to take something twice per day (calcium not included) and so it is not really that much more trouble to swallow a handful.  It is cheaper to - here is what I do:

6:30am

2 250 mg calcium citrate

1 potassium

2 colace (stool softener)

500 sublingual b12

2x per week I take 50,000 vitamin D

10am - 500 mg calcium chewy bite

2pm 500 mg calcium chewy bite

7pm - another chewy bite for a total of 2000mg per day

10pm (or bedtime)

2 multivitamins (non chewable - CVS generic multi)

magnesium

27mg iron

2 colace

 

The chewy bites are like dessert. I use Celebrate Caramel. Delicious!!!  I keep my vitamins in a little pill box. I take them in the morning getting ready for work and then at night when I am brushing my teeth for bed.  

 

They will send you a sample pack for $3.00 including shipping. There is supposed to be a $3.00 coupon if you order. They are considered to be quality vitamins. When I have dealt with them the customer service was very nice.

I love their vitamins. Their customer service is top notch. I use the iron, multi and calcium citrate chews/tablets and creamy bites. I will switch over the multi once I run out to centrum or something. The sample pack they sell will give you a good idea of what they have to offer. 

I use OptiSource Post Bariatric Surgery. You can get them from Walgreens. They're not great, but they do the job.

I understand you are trying to get prepared before surgery, as I did.  I liked the optisource prior to surgery but within a week, I could barely stomach one, let alone 4 per day.  I talked to the dietician at my recent 2 week check and have switched from that to flintstones (1 per day) plus b12 and d.  You have to supplement calcium with all of them.  So far it's working great.  I didn't know before this that I didn't have to take a bariatric vitamin.  I think I will be more compliant this way and that's what's important! Just wanted you to have another perspective to consider :)

One Flintstones a day doesn't give you all the vitamins and minerals you need.  If you took two a day you'd be closer, but they have no selenium and very low levels of some other nutrients.  You don't need a special "bariatric" vitamin but the ASMBS says you DO need an ADULT multi that has minerals like selenium in it.  And if you take a good adult multi, you need TWO of them a day.