Question:
WHAT IS THE RECOMMENED AMOUNT OF B-12 NEEDED POST-OP?

I recently bought some Unicap T dietary supplements (trying to find a good vitamin for post-op) and it has 18mcg of B-12 and would like to know what exactly is the amount needed postop? Input greatly appreciated.    — Tanya F. (posted on October 6, 2003)

October 6, 2003
I am not sure of the amount we need but I do know that according to my surgeon, the only form of B12 that we absorb is the spray kind (not very effective) or the perferred kind sublingual.(under the tongue).
   — Delores S.

October 6, 2003
My surgeon's office says 500mg per day, sublingual.
   — Cathy S.

October 6, 2003
My surgeon told us we would have to take a minimum of 1000 mcg of B-12 per week; meaning I would need to take 1 sublingual B-12 pill each week. I get mine from GNC, 30 pills for $6.99. The B-12 in our multivitamins is not near enough as we don't absorb the B-12 from our foods anymore, or even from our multivitamin for that matter. B-12 absorption occurs in the part of our intestine that was bypassed, which is why post-op we need the sublingual (it is absorbed into the blood vessels under the tongue), spray, or shot. <p>As for my multivitamin, I take a daily Centrum Chewable. Hope this helps!
   — Moysa B.

October 6, 2003
My surgeon recommends 1 sublingual B12 weekly for maintenance - if all bloodwork is normal. If your labs come back bad, then it's increased. Instead of the weekly sublinguals, I have one injection monthly.
   — Patty_Butler

October 6, 2003
This seems to vary by doc, so do what your doctor says. Your lab results will say if any adjustments are needed. My doctor says one sublingual B-12 once a week. So, far that works fine for me. I agree with others that the conscensus seems to be that we need the under-the-tongue variety for it to be absorbed.
   — Vespa R.

October 6, 2003
B-12 is measured in units of Mcg, not Mg. You can no longer absorb the B-12 in tablet or capsule form and 18 mcg is not nearly enough any way. Doctors vary in the amount they recommend and your body may require more or less. I started at 500 mcg sublingual every day and am now taking 1000 mcg each day.
   — LLinderman

October 6, 2003
B-12 is attached to protiens when you eat it in foods or in a multivitamin. You must have some intrinsic factor in your stomach acid in order to separate the B-12 from the protien for it to be absorbed. Because the RNY surgery bypasses so much of your stomach and intestines the B-12 is not able to be separated therefor not absorbed. This is why most surgeons recommend injections or sublingual. I personally give myself injections monthly. 1 ML per month. thats 10cc's right? Whew...I hope I got all that right. lol
   — RebeccaP

October 6, 2003
I do shots myself. Don't like lozenges of any kind, so won't do them. Just personal preference. The usual sublingual B12 is 500 micrograms (mcg) or 1000. Some say weekly, some say 3 per week, some say daily. If they were swallow pills, I'd have to do them daily, until labs proved not. I would not be good at other than daily. 3X a week, 1X per week---I couldn't keep track of that. What goes in my pill pack goes in my face. And all pill packs are identical. So, working with who you are, HOW you are, and no set standard, just be sure they are the right kind, as several people have mentioned.
   — vitalady

October 8, 2003
I just purchased mine at Wal-Mart. They were subling. They were 1200mg for 3.97.
   — cookiedough

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