VSG Vitamin Schedule

[more2adore]

So, I started a thread asking about vites in the VSG forum and got a few helpful responses (thank you, ladies! ) The most commonly-mentioned vites seemed to be a good multivite, B12 & Calcium & Vitamin D.

I've had some blood tests done recently, and found that I'm actually a little deficient in iron already - not to the point of anemia, but deficient. Also, my Vitamin D levels are "good" (I'll ask the endo what she meant by that next time I see her) on the 5000IU supplement I take + the 600IU I get in my existing multi. Also, my fertility doc wants me on pre-natal vites.

So tonight we bought:

• B12 (100mcg dosage)
• "low constipation" iron that says it contains "Iron (II) glycinate (iron 20 mg) 76.9 mg" along with Vitamin C (170mg) to help with absorption & a few other things
• prenatal vites (says 2 caps daily - contains 250mcg folic acid, 5mg iron glycinate, 500IU Vit D3, 30mg Vit C, 50mg calcium carbonate, zinc 5.5 mg, among other things - let me know if anything else is relevant)
• Calcium Citrate ("1.19 g equiv. calcium 250 mg" - says to take 2 daily)

If anyone could tell me if any of the above vites are probably not going to be an adequate dosage post-VSG, or are the wrong type or something, I'd really appreciate it!

And this is how I think I'm going to work my med/vit schedule (I've been sleeping ridiculously long hours on this pre-op diet, so forgive the fact that I look like a lazy bum right now. I'm also having to take Keflex right now as I came down with a new ulcer from my autoimmune disorder last week and developed cellulitis - the Keflex knocked it out, but they want me on Keflex right up to surgery. As a result, also taking a probiotic).

Med/vit schedule:

9 am thyroxine
Noon Keflex
3:00 pm probiotic
4 pm Calcium (2 tabs)
6 pm Keflex
9 pm iron
Midnight Keflex, Rabeprazole(PPI), Meloxicam (NSAID), Prenatal Vites (2 tabs), B12, Vit D
6 am Keflex

Do you guys see anything being taken too close together?

Thank you so much!!!!!

 

[swimbikerun]

I guess my thoughts would be, what about talking to your docs on this? You said fertility doctor, so with trying to get pregnant, that's a bit different than the regular post surgery stuff. I've not really seen some good definitive studies on supplements and pregnancy and BS. I've seen a couple on outcomes, etc. but nothing that I would feel comfortable saying 'here is research that I base my opinion on'.

 

[more2adore]

Not trying for that until 18 months post-surgery. The vets here have a better grasp of what vitamins can't be taken together than most doctors I know.

 

[swimbikerun]

You have a point. What you have sounds good but what about iron/calcium/Vit C interactions and dependancies. Have you got that figured out? Iron does better with Vitamin C (if memory serves) and calcium you don't want to take at the same time.

 

[more2adore]

Iron supplement contains Vit C and I've got it 3 hours from everything else. Not sure how Calcium needs spacing. I also realized I need to find out which (other than thyroxine) need to be taken far away from meal times.

 

[swimbikerun]

I think that is going to be your bigger issue.

 

[southernlady]

Being a VSG'er will mean that the only ones you will malabsorb (and it's due more to the lack of stomach area than anything) are the vitamins that are absorbed in the sleeve.

Sounds like being anemic is your biggest issue. As to D...just find out where you are in normal and then go from there.

 

[JackieOnLine]

what ARE the vitamins you "absorb in your sleeve"? B12 only?

 

[more2adore]

Great question, @JackieOnLine! I know there's a chart around here somewhere that shows where everything is absorbed.

Oh, and @swimbikerun - My iron supplements already have some C in them, which I noted in my incredibly verbose (sorry) first post of this thread, heh. And yes, I have the iron scheduled to take three hours away from anything else on either side.

Wasn't sure though - is it okay to take Calcium, probiotics & (prenatal) multis together? What about this stuff:

Midnight Keflex, Rabeprazole(PPI), Meloxicam (NSAID), Prenatal Vite Dose 2, Calcium Dose 2, B12 - is that all okay to take together?

I just want to make sure iron (& my thyroxine) are the only things that need to be taken separately from other stuff.

 

[southernlady]

what ARE the vitamins you "absorb in your sleeve"? B12 only?

http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/vitamins-minerals.54/ There is a graphic there and on the RNY side it shows what vitamins are malabsorbed due to their not having a functioning stomach but a pouch. Those are the ones we still absorb, just a reduced amount of area to absorb it in.

 

[more2adore]

If you're talking about the "Nut Absorption" graphic it just says the following are absorbed in the stomach: "Water Ethyl alcohol Copper Iodide Fluoride Molybdenum." None of those are major vitamin players that you'd actually supplement, from what I've seen? With the possible exception of copper? But then, that's also absorbed elsewhere.

 

[more2adore]

Wait, I actually saw another graphic further down the page that notes Vit B12 malabsorption. So yeah - seems like that's the only thing that needs supplementing for certain (depending on a person's existing deficiencies/lab results, of course!).

 

[more2adore]

Okay, did more research and found that Calcium needs to be taken away from iron and a few other things - which means if I want the full benefit of my multi I need to schedule it away from that, and definitely keep it at least 2 hours from my iron dose. Back to the drawing board on the schedule!

Edit: And I talked to a pharmacist. While Keflex is not an antibiotic Calcium Citrate is known to interfere with, she says it's best to take it an hour away from it if I can. AND I found out it can interfere with thyroxine as well and needs to be taken at least 6 hours away.

Glad this schedule won't be forever as I'm only on the Keflex until surgery. It's just a little complex right now. I decided to take both Calcium tabs at once since they're only 250 each and 500mg is okay to absorb at once. Easier to fit it in that way. Edited my schedule in the first post of this thread.

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

The one major deficiency I had post VSG was folate. And now, without supplementing it, it's high! I don't get my guts lol.

You are so smart taking vits! Post VSG I could eat normal person portions within 3 months so assumed I was good to go. Yeah no. Stupid me! I not only ended up with folate issues, but by the time my DS came around I was deficient in Iron, D and Calcium. Dumb dumb dumb! It's shocked me, but I am much better with the DS and vits.

Good on you for sorting it all out. I was truly ignorant was I could eat so much, I assumed I was a like a normie.

 

[more2adore]

Thanks honey! I had way too much time on my hands pre-surgery to learn all this, lol. I'm doing PRETTY well with my vites post-surgery, except the giant D tablets and my prenatals. I come this|close to vomiting every time I try to take them. They KILL me going down. So I think I'm just going to maybe give myself another week before taking those?