Can someone simplify the vitamin requirements for DS

[Stefanie S.]

I am trying to put something together myself..So confusing my surgeons office only has me taking 10,000 D, cal citrate 1200mg, 3 multis, B12 500mcg but I think after some of the advice I have got I am going to have to start to add more.My Dr said I dont need it yet but I am kinda worried about it. When is your Dr going to draw the first labs if you dont mind me asking? Mine has told me 6 months.

Same here... 6 months..

 

[Stefanie S.]

Mag Citrate is basically is a laxative. Magnesium bisglycinate is a better form of magnesium for a DS patient.

Thanks Scott! It's one of the reasons I like the citrate - kind of guarantees BM will happen first thing in the morning and then I'm done for the day. However, if it's not providing enough magnesium for other things, I would switch??

 

[Butterfly]

Thanks Scott! It's one of the reasons I like the citrate - kind of guarantees BM will happen first thing in the morning and then I'm done for the day.

Thank you for that pdf you provided earlier, I'll be looking that over!

I do have a question about the quoted part, if you don't mind me asking? I had a VSG and will be revising to a DS next month. My doc has said that the biggest issue he thinks I'll have is frequent, runny, smelly bowel movements. He said that many patients report that within about 30 minutes of eating, they have a loose stool so many of them go 4x a day. I have to admit, that makes me a tad nervous. Do you not have that problem?

Forgive me if I'm being rude by asking. I just noticed that you said "done for the day" and just thought I'd ask.

 

[Butterfly]

Thank you to everyone who is contributing info. The nutritionist I saw didn't even mention potassium at all. The guidelines she gave me are:

2 adult mutlivitamins
1800-2400 g calcium citrate
2000 IU vit D (total daily between multi & calcium if combined w/that)
500 mcg daily B12
B-50 complex 1 per day
Iron 18-27 mg/day elemental but likely will need extra
10,000 IU Vitamin A water soluble or dry
2000 IU vit D (as D-3) water soluble or dry

I trust you guys more than I trust the nutritionists, to be honest. How much K do you guys take daily? Is it dry? I see both K1 and K2, do you take both?

Also, if anyone feels generous enough to list the brands they take of any or all of their vitamins, that would be awesome.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Simple advice?

Take a multi and some calcium and probably Vit A and D and then wait for your labs! Because what someone else might need doesn't really mean squat for you.

 

[Larra]

This is much closer to gastric bypass advice than DS advice. You probably won't need B12 at all and may even develop excess levels of various B vitamins with the B complex. To this day (11 years out) I have never supplemented any B vitamins and my levels are fine. There are exceptions to this but I wouldn't start supplementing anything B until you see your labs, then supplement separately for anything that's getting low.
D - 2000 is NOTHING for a DS'er. You will need at least 50,000/day and possibly 100,000. But at least they did tell you to take D and A in dry form. You might also need more A than that.

Bottom line, follow your labs yourself, don't trust anyone who tells you your levels are "good" just because they are in the normal range because they could be at the bottom and about to tank. Adjust your vitamins according to your labs. There is no one amount that's right for everyone.

 

[southernlady]

Thank you for that pdf you provided earlier, I'll be looking that over!

I do have a question about the quoted part, if you don't mind me asking? I had a VSG and will be revising to a DS next month. My doc has said that the biggest issue he thinks I'll have is frequent, runny, smelly bowel movements. He said that many patients report that within about 30 minutes of eating, they have a loose stool so many of them go 4x a day. I have to admit, that makes me a tad nervous. Do you not have that problem?

Forgive me if I'm being rude by asking. I just noticed that you said "done for the day" and just thought I'd ask.

The first month, yeah most likely while your switch heals and stops being pissy.

Once you are on all the vitamins, esp calcium, constipation is far more likely. Esp if you aren't eating enough fat to grease the poop shoot and not getting in enough fluids.

 

[Clematis]

My doc has said that the biggest issue he thinks I'll have is frequent, runny, smelly bowel movements. He said that many patients report that within about 30 minutes of eating, they have a loose stool so many of them go 4x a day.

Yeah I heard this stuff too and it scared me. Thankfully this never happened to me. I go once a day, shortly after getting up, like I always have. The first few months needing to poop was occasionally what woke me up but even that's gone away. I don't have diarrhea. (OK well sure I've had diarrhea here and there as any normie does but not regularly as your doc suggests.) I can get constipated if I don;t drink plenty of fluids and eat enough fat. Smelliness of poop in me is directly related to the quantity of fat I have consumed -- but still it is not bad. Gas is directly related to the amount of carbs. Excess fat AND carbs and the farts can be quite strong.

 

[nedsmehlp]

Hi! I spent hours and hours researching what I needed, what can be taken with what, dosages, etc. I'm just 5 weeks out and have been taking the attached regimen for 2 weeks now. I feel great! (See file) This is my starting... once I have labs, I know I might need to adjust.

Stefanie S., Thank you for posting your vitamin routine. What a wonderful gift to give those of us that are confused on what vitamin routine we should be taking after the DS. I will be having my revision April 7th, from VSG to DS, and am getting very scared. Is the weight lose really slow after the revision? Also they say "dry" form of vitamins, does this just mean not to take gelcaps? How was your recovery? I am traveling by plane for my DS, and have to stay in the motel for 2 weeks before going home. Did you have to do this? Was it hard being in a motel while recovering? If you had to go by plane, how was traveling home on the plane while recovering? Anything you can tell me would be GREATLY appreciated! I am really getting nervous and scared! Thanks

 

[Settledownnow]

Stefanie S., Thank you for posting your vitamin routine. What a wonderful gift to give those of us that are confused on what vitamin routine we should be taking after the DS. I will be having my revision April 7th, from VSG to DS, and am getting very scared. Is the weight lose really slow after the revision? Also they say "dry" form of vitamins, does this just mean not to take gelcaps? How was your recovery? I am traveling by plane for my DS, and have to stay in the motel for 2 weeks before going home. Did you have to do this? Was it hard being in a motel while recovering? If you had to go by plane, how was traveling home on the plane while recovering? Anything you can tell me would be GREATLY appreciated! I am really getting nervous and scared! Thanks

Hi @nedsmehlp. I had my revision with Dr. K (Rny to DS) and had to travel. Why don't you start a new thread about traveling and other will respond. Are you getting re-sleeved or just the switch? That will make a difference in your recovery. I had a travel companion (family member) and we flew first class to ensure lots of room. Staying in the hotel was fine. I got up to walk, drink water, and went back to bed (repeat many times). Dr. K's office informs you that you have to stay for 2 weeks post-op, but if everything is fine, he will let you leave a few days sooner. Be sure to get travel insurance to change your ticket if needed. The hotel was not a problem. I loaded up the hotel with water, broth, and protein drinks.

On the way home, I wore stretchy yoga pants to accommodate the swollen stomach and bandages. Call ahead and order a wheelchair for the airport (you will want it). I feared having poop issues on the plane, but all for nothing. I just made sure to go to the bathroom several times before boarding! Dr. K wrote a letter explaining my drains/bandages in case I needed it to get through TSA. It was not a problem, in fact, being in a wheelchair I was able to skip to the head of the line and get right through very quickly. I did not eat anything on the plane -- just drank water.

Bio-tech D3-50 (50,000IU's) are the dry vitamin D that most DSers take. Bio-tech also makes the dry Vitamin A with 25,000 IU's that we take. Do not take gelcaps -- the oil and small amount of vitamins are far too low of a dose and will not be entirely absorbed.

 

[nedsmehlp]

Hi @nedsmehlp. I had my revision with Dr. K (Rny to DS) and had to travel. Why don't you start a new thread about traveling and other will respond. Are you getting re-sleeved or just the switch? That will make a difference in your recovery. I had a travel companion (family member) and we flew first class to ensure lots of room. Staying in the hotel was fine. I got up to walk, drink water, and went back to bed (repeat many times). Dr. K's office informs you that you have to stay for 2 weeks post-op, but if everything is fine, he will let you leave a few days sooner. Be sure to get travel insurance to change your ticket if needed. The hotel was not a problem. I loaded up the hotel with water, broth, and protein drinks.

On the way home, I wore stretchy yoga pants to accommodate the swollen stomach and bandages. Call ahead and order a wheelchair for the airport (you will want it). I feared having poop issues on the plane, but all for nothing. I just made sure to go to the bathroom several times before boarding! Dr. K wrote a letter explaining my drains/bandages in case I needed it to get through TSA. It was not a problem, in fact, being in a wheelchair I was able to skip to the head of the line and get right through very quickly. I did not eat anything on the plane -- just drank water.

Bio-tech D3-50 (50,000IU's) are the dry vitamin D that most DSers take. Bio-tech also makes the dry Vitamin A with 25,000 IU's that we take. Do not take gelcaps -- the oil and small amount of vitamins are far too low of a dose and will not be entirely absorbed.

Thank you so much! I really appreciate your information, it eases my mind a little. And I will look for that bio-tech.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Thank you to everyone who is contributing info. The nutritionist I saw didn't even mention potassium at all. The guidelines she gave me are:

2 adult mutlivitamins
1800-2400 g calcium citrate
2000 IU vit D (total daily between multi & calcium if combined w/that)
500 mcg daily B12
B-50 complex 1 per day
Iron 18-27 mg/day elemental but likely will need extra
10,000 IU Vitamin A water soluble or dry
2000 IU vit D (as D-3) water soluble or dry

I trust you guys more than I trust the nutritionists, to be honest. How much K do you guys take daily? Is it dry? I see both K1 and K2, do you take both?

Also, if anyone feels generous enough to list the brands they take of any or all of their vitamins, that would be awesome.

I don't take potassium and never have. 2,000 IU of vitamin D isn't even worth the effort. I take 100,000 IU A and 200,000 IU of D and still need injections every few months.

I agree with Spikey that a multi, Calcium Citrate or the Jarrow Bone Up (Citrate binds me), Dry A and Dry D are the main ones to take until you see you first labs and then adjust from there.

 

[Butterfly]

@DSRIGGS thanks! 2000 IU of D really seemed crazy to me because that's what I take NOW with the sleeve.

I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again: I'm SO glad I was pointed to this place.

Thanks to all.

 

[DSRIGGS]

No doubt butterfly. The ladies here, and I met them at another site before this place started, have been so good to me and kept me out of trouble. We are lucky.

 

[southernlady]

Stefanie S., Thank you for posting your vitamin routine. What a wonderful gift to give those of us that are confused on what vitamin routine we should be taking after the DS. I will be having my revision April 7th, from VSG to DS, and am getting very scared. Is the weight lose really slow after the revision? Also they say "dry" form of vitamins, does this just mean not to take gelcaps? How was your recovery? I am traveling by plane for my DS, and have to stay in the motel for 2 weeks before going home. Did you have to do this? Was it hard being in a motel while recovering? If you had to go by plane, how was traveling home on the plane while recovering? Anything you can tell me would be GREATLY appreciated! I am really getting nervous and scared! Thanks

Start with the DS list posted in this thread. http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/vitalady-links.11/ Once you get post op labs THEN start tweaking. Easier to bring down labs than ge them up out of the toilet.