Should I order my vits now?

[Mystrys]

I know it sounds silly, but I don't want to be caught without something I might need.

I am going on 3 weeks out with my DS and am doing great. I'm getting 90+oz of fluids in, 80+g of protein and am in my puree phase with no issues so far. I feel EXTREMELY BLESSED. Today is the first day I've actually felt GREAT. I mean I've been really good with a few down days. But something just flipped this morning when I woke up. I need to remind myself to be easy on myself and take this time to just be and HEAL.
That being said, without any labs being done for another week and a half, when should I order my vitamins since I have no gauge just yet???? FYI; I am a patient of Dr. Boyce,so therefore, I am on 3 scoops a day of their BariLife powder. Everyone has to choke these down but to me they are ok. I just know from my research here and elsewhere, they will not be near enough. Do I wait for my first labs? Do I order the pre-packaged DS vits through VitaLady's site and hope all I might need is in stock?

Any advice here will be helpful. I know where my deficiencies have been prior to surgery, BUT it's a whole new game now. I don't want to jump the gun here,but don't want to get behind either.

 

[k9ophile]

Cough, cough. I didn't start my vitamins for a few weeks after my surgery. Back then I didn't know much about them, just that they were important. The vets on this site have provided so much valuable information that you may be ready to order them. See what others have to say.

 

[DSRIGGS]

You should start taking a Multivitamin twice a day, Vitamin D and Calcium Citrate. Almost all DS'rs need those and you do not want to get behind on D in fact you want to be at top of range.

Personally I get 80% of my vitamins through Amazon and you can buy through this board through a link to Amazon with a portion of that purchase coming back to help support the cost or this place. For Dry D3 I get either Biotech or this one depending on which is cheaper (they are the same thing) http://www.amazon.com/Vitamin-D3-50...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00. I also buy Biotech A 25, Biotech K1, MK7 K2 and Now Foods Vitamin E (all of the A,D, E and K have to be dry) from Amazon.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Cough, cough. I didn't start my vitamins for a few weeks after my surgery. Back then I didn't know much about them, just that they were important. The vets on this site have provided so much valuable information that you may be ready to order them. See what others have to say.

you shouldn't start vitamins for a few weeks after surgery as you don't want that to get in the way of staying hydrated. I think it was the 3rd week when I started slowly adding them in one at a time over a few weeks.

 

[jim1969]

I started 2 weeks out with my multivitamin, Calcium Citrate, and vitamin D. By the end of the first month I was getting them all in. The only problem I had was with iron. It would upset my stomach so I started taking it at night time with some protein. That seemed to stop the stomach issues with taking it.

You sound like you are doing great so I would start on your vitamins.

 

[Mystrys]

Ok. Thanks guys! And anything I can contribute to the site is great by me! Are these going to be ok for me to take,as far as size? They haven't said I can take anything bigger than my pinky nail just yet.

 

[jim1969]

Ok. Thanks guys! And anything I can contribute to the site is great by me! Are these going to be ok for me to take,as far as size? They haven't said I can take anything bigger than my pinky nail just yet.

I used a pill cutter at the beginning.

 

[southernlady]

1) Toss the BariLife crap. Unless you really want to use it til the container is gone.
2) Start with a generic Centrum Equivelant and work you way to all your vitamins by the end of the fist month if possible, by the end of the second month otherwise.
3) Don't order the prepackaged...order separately as you may or may not need some things. I still don't take A, E, or any of the B's even at 5 plus years out.
4) The bit about the pinky nail is RNY advice...I was swallowing calcium horse size pills by the end of the first month.

The nuts/nurse/staff regurgitate RNY advice for everyone cause they are too damned lazy to remember each surgery is different.

 

[Mystrys]

Thank you. I don't feel quite so bad about the BariLife vits. I bought 3 for 1 when it was on sale. Otherwise I might be mad. Lol. So, they really are THAT worthless? I figured I'd take them WITH my others, but if that's just not a good idea....I'll give them away to some of his patients who jusy don't listen well

I will take your advice and have ordered from the BF Store. I got dry D3, Kirkland multi and the calcium. Will try!! All I can do. Lol

 

[Clematis]

I was able to handle a Centrum at 2-3 weeks. Giant calcium pills, not so much. I crushed them and mixed them in yogurt... then finally switched to Citrical Petites. I have to take 6 of them a day but at least I don't gag on them. Crushed calcium and magnesium mixed in yogurt just taste gritty, however I can imagine that a crushed multi-vite would taste disgusting.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Thank you. I don't feel quite so bad about the BariLife vits. I bought 3 for 1 when it was on sale. Otherwise I might be mad. Lol. So, they really are THAT worthless? I figured I'd take them WITH my others, but if that's just not a good idea....I'll give them away to some of his patients who jusy don't listen well

I will take your advice and have ordered from the BF Store. I got dry D3, Kirkland multi and the calcium. Will try!! All I can do. Lol

Yes absolutely worthless. For example. I take 200,000 IU of dry D3 daily (4 - 50K IU capsules). One of those has 5,000 IU. The K in multi is 60 mcg. The Biotech dry k1 has 1,000 mcg. I 6,000 mcg daily.

Now my intake is a little higher than a normal DS'r do to malabsorption isssues I have but many take 100K to 200 K of D3 daily

 

[DSRIGGS]

I was able to handle a Centrum at 2-3 weeks. Giant calcium pills, not so much. I crushed them and mixed them in yogurt... then finally switched to Citrical Petites. I have to take 6 of them a day but at least I don't gag on them. Crushed calcium and magnesium mixed in yogurt just taste gritty, however I can imagine that a crushed multi-vite would taste disgusting.

Is your calcium level okay? When I googled that they are only 400 mg per 2 tablets so that is only 1,200 mg daily. I think many people are taking 8 of 600 mg /2 pills for 2,400. I take 6 on some days and other days 8 if feeling too bound up....it gives me that constipated feeling. Makes it solid but not actual constipated....just feel like it.

 

[Munchkin]

Nothing was changed in the esophagus to stomach connection. No need to cut or crush pills. You can swallow anything you could swallow before! Chances are you will have to take one pill at a time and do it slowly for a while. Today, I can toss back a small handful of pills. No big deal!

At least start multis, calcium, D, and iron. But if you have problems tolerating something, back off right away. Then try again in a couple weeks!

 

[Clematis]

Is your calcium level okay? When I googled that they are only 400 mg per 2 tablets so that is only 1,200 mg daily. I think many people are taking 8 of 600 mg /2 pills for 2,400.

Thanks, Scott. We're all so focused on out supplements, sometimes we forget that we can get vitamins and minerals from food, too. I get calcium in yogurt, protein drinks (50% of RDA = 500 mg and I drink 2-3 a day) and cheese, so I'm getting 1500 to 1700 mg in addition to the 1200mg in Citrical.

 

[jim1969]

Nothing was changed in the esophagus to stomach connection. No need to cut or crush pills. You can swallow anything you could swallow before! Chances are you will have to take one pill at a time and do it slowly for a while. Today, I can toss back a small handful of pills. No big deal!

At least start multis, calcium, D, and iron. But if you have problems tolerating something, back off right away. Then try again in a couple weeks!

I actually had a hard time with the bigger pills until I was 6 weeks out. Never had trouble before surgery and now I can take a handful at a time.