post op vitamin schedule

Help, I cannot remember what my nut told me I shouldn't take together. Can some one give me a rundown of the vitamin and supplement schedule they use? It would be greatly appreciated. Anna

do not take Iron and Calcium together. They negate their affect on you. Iron will win out over the calcium everytime. Take them at least 3 hours apart. I find it easier to take my Multi vit in the morning with my Iron pills and B-12 Complex sublingual (Plus my hair vits). I then take 500 Mg of Calcium at lunch and then 2 hours later another 500 mg and then again before bed. After dinner I take another Multi-vit and any other misc vits that I take like niacin and bromelain (Don't worry about those). This works for me. For some people it might be different. basically just worry about your Multi-vit, B-12 and calcium. I was not put on Iron pills until after my 6 month bloodwork. Most multi's have iron in them, so don't take your calcium with them.

Thanks Jane! That will be a big help. Just trying to get into the swing of things... Anna

Welcome to the LOSERS bench, sweet stuff!!! Here is a write up that I shared with others a few months ago - yes, Im a tad bit on the lazy side and will just be cutting and pasting it below. Might need some MAJOR tweaking to suit your current "new post op" status. Lord knows, when I was early into my journey - if I couldn't chew or drink the vitamin, it didn't go down any other way. So when you read my 'drill' keep in mind, it's based on being 4 years post op and NOTHING bothering my stomach this late in the game. Hope you're doing well - don't over do it. Hugs, Lei . ========== VITAMIN ROUTINE ============= **Disclaimer** ...yes, boring but necessary. Keep in mind, what works for me in quantities and scheduling, are just that.... "what works for ME." I'm also a DISTAL bypass at 150+ cm. More of the intestines were bypassed allowing for less absorption, including vitamins. Below are the vitamins I take and the routine that works for me. IF it says "script" next to it, my doc writes a prescription for and I don't pay anything out of pocket (through the military). ? 1 Prenatal w/iron (script) ? 1 Multi Vitamin ? B-12 Injections mo. 1000 mg (script) I give myself a shot bi-monthly. ? 1 Trinsicon Iron capsule (script) ? Ester-C taken w/my Iron - 1000 mg ? Calcium Citrate w/Magnesium and D (from Sams) - 1890 mg /6 caplets ? Zinc - 100 mg - daily (personal choice) ? Biotin and Niacin - daily (personal choice, for my nails and hair) ? B-Complex - daily (personal choice) I take a wide variety of vitamins a day, some are based on research and deficiency patterns, some are based on my bodies personal short comings (my hair and nails have never bounced back to the healthy status I had before WLS, although they are getting better). Because of the volume of vitamins and medical related pills I take, this is the routine I've come up with to get them all in. I've also tried to keep them from clashing, since some vitamins rob from the absorption of others. Obviously my day does NOT start at the same time each morning, so I'll just give you the basics, minus "real" time. First thing - Thyroid pill (on an empty stomach) 2 hrs later - (after a light breakfast) - Pre-Natal, 1 Ester-C, zinc, B-complex. 2 hrs later - Calcium, Niacin and Biotin 2 hrs later - Calcium (w/protein shake) 2 hrs later - Calcium, Multi, B-complex, Niacin, Biotin Before sleep - Trinsicon Iron, 1 Ester-C and ANYTHING I forgot or haven't taken yet. ** ** Although some vitamins may drain from others, I still believe the best vitamin/routine are the ones you actually take/follow. So even if I risk some absorption issues by mixing the remaining vitamins at the end of a day, it's better then a 100% NO absorption by not taking any. Good luck with working it all out - it's doable, just takes tweaking!

Thanks Lei!! It is great to be on the losers bench!!! Now I am just trying to come up with a schedule that works for me and well like you said one that I will follow. Thanks for the breakdown!! It is much appreciated!! Anna

For myself: Morning: Flintstone Chewable Calcium Citrate Chewable (we can only digest 600 at a time, what I was told) Protein Smoothie or Shooter. Noon: B12 (500mcg, Sublingual under tongue, if I miss a day, I take 1000 the next day) Calcium Citrate Chewable Protein Snack Evening: Flintstone Chewable Calcium Citrate Chewable Eat something high in protein (fish, chicken, etc.) That's all I have to take. However, I add Niacin from time to time. I'm really looking into taking more supplements. It's just hard when I have to take my "coo-coo" meds on top of all these. No more Extended Release pills, so I have to take them multiple times a day. Boo! Hope that helps. Amber

Amber- I just looked back at Anna's post and realized that we posted at the exact same time! I would have added your name to my post if I'd known you responded as well! Keep up the good work! I kinda like the "coo-coo" you! Christina S

Thanks Amber, yes it does help. Just trying to get a feel for what and I need to take and when. (((hugs))) Anna

Anna- Welcome to the Loser's Bench! Jane and Lei gave you some good schedule/timing advice. My nut. basically said the same thing as Jane about the Iron and Calcuim. SO...here's what I try to do each day w/my vitamins: First round...in AM 1 multi-vitamin 1 iron 1 vitamin K (because my multi doesn't have enough) 1 Omega 3-6-9 (because my good cholestrol was/is low) 1 B-12 Sub. (every other day) Second round...usually much later in the AM or early aftn. 1 multi-vitamin 1 iron 1 Omega 3-6-9 (because my good cholestrol was/is low) The rest of the day (at least 2-3 hours after the last round) I get in my 3 calcuim tablets...2 hours apart. The PT at my Dr. said I can absorb about 600 mg (I think it's mg could be mcg...basically it's 2 tablets for me!) of calcuim at one time and that a "normal" serving (like a yogurt) of dairy contains that much. SO....if you're eating calcuim too then you should be good to go. DISCLAIMER: This is what works for me. I'm sure you could do it a little different and still be just fine. Hope that helps Christina S

Thanks Christina, everyone has given me such great advice. I will take advice from all and try to work it into a schedule that is good for me. Anna