Trying to get in all these vitamins

My surgeon gave me the list of labs to give to my PCP. Since I have always had an appt for a check up with my PCP about a week or so before each milestone appt with my surgeon, he has done the labs and sent the results to my surgeon. That way Dr. Spaw has the lab results when I see him and we are able to discuss them during my visit. I had labs done at 6 months, 1 year, 18 months, 2 years and will have them annually from here out. The list is: Comprehensive Metabolic Panel PTH Intact Ferritin Folate B-12 Lipid Panel CBC with Differential Vitamin D-25 OH Pre-Albumin My primary already checks some of these things but not all. During the visits when I need these labs done I just let the nurse know when she is drawing blood for my normal bloodwork and she collects a couple of extra tubes. My surgeon even supplied me with the diagnosis codes for my PCP to use to submit to insurance. Does your vitamin pak say how much calcium citrate it contains? We only absorb the calcium citrate. The calcium carbonate is nothing more than an antacid and can actually contribute to kidney stones if you are prone to them.

Thanks so much Susan!!! I really appreciate your time and words of wisdom!! I do not think you come across as a "know it all" at all...you have been there and done that so any info you can share is much appreciated...I really feel like life is one experience after another and we need to learn from the experiences and others experiences...
The calcium just notes that it is Calcium Carbonate/Calcium Citrate/Ascorbate Complex 1,166mg.
My nut said that if I looked for a calcium else where it needed to be at least 1200mg or 1500mg per day I can not remember....
I am an RN but this is so out of my knowledge area. That is why I love the Tennessee board so much...I learn so much from you guys here and the support here is awesome!!
Thanks again!

Betsy, Dr. Boyce did my surgery also.  I take the two multis in the morning with my other meds (thyroid, pepcid, etc.).  I take the sublingual B12 after breakfast.  Then a couple hours later I take one of the calciums, and another at lunch and dinner.  I take my iron at night. I just had my six month blood work and everything was perfect.  I am really so glad that Dr. Boyce has the Perfect Pak.  The other bariatric vitamins that I've looked at (Bariatric Advantage on www.bariatriceating.com) are much more expensive.  The vitamin pack does have on the jar exactly what they are.   I understand that Walgreen's sells a bariatric vitamin also if you can't take what Dr. Boyce sells.  I'm pretty sure you take four a day of those also.  You can talk with Krystal, though, and she can point you in the right direction.  Also, I believe Dr. Boyce's office sells the vitamins separately so you could take a different calcium if you wanted to.  The site that I mentioned above sells different types of calcium as well. Just so others responding to this message know, Dr. Boyce is a Board Certified surgeon, and his is a Bariatric Center of Excellence.  He has a full staff including a nutritionist and excercise physiologist.  The follow-up is excellent.  He's done many many WLS and finally had the Perfect Pak designed after years of studying what WLS patients needed and being frustrated with the quality of bariatric vitamins out there.  This is really a service for his patients, and no one is forced to purchase from him.  The only request made is to have the nutritionist look at the alternative vitamin the patient would rather take and make sure it's appropriate for bariatric patients. Carol

Thanks so much Carol. This helps...but do you find that the multis interfer with your thyroid meds?

Betsy, You aren't supposed to take calcium with your thyroid meds.  It says this on the thyroid med insert but makes no mention of multi-vitamins.  You also aren't supposed to take calcium and iron together.  The multis shouldn't interfere.  I've always taken a multi-vitamin and it's never interfered with my thyroid medication.  You could ask Krystal about this, too, though, or one of the nurses.  I'd be interested to know if she says you shouldn't take them together.  In the past, though (prior to WLS) I've had thyroid bloodwork done every six months and haven't had to increase my dosage since originally getting it regulated. Carol

Thanks Carol. I have found that the multis intervere with my thyroid med too...must just be how I respond.
Thanks for your words of wisdom...I appreciate your input!
Betsy