Hello!

[Kkohl]

The first thing to do is start at the beginning. Start taking a prenatal and calcium(and usually a dose is more than 2 pills) every day. Drink more no calorie fluids and avoid all carbs and sugar. Start exercising. Start where you need to start and if that's chair exercises, fine. Just begin and continue. Consistently. No matter what happens on the surgery issue you need to start getting yourself in better shape. You can do this.

None of us can go back and 'fix' the past. But we can take small steps in the right direction every day. You have been through a nightmare and I am so sorry for you!

I originally had my RNY done at Ft Lewis WA. I had very very little pre op guidance and before my 6 week follow up our 4 yr old son passed away. I never went back. Didn't care. Then 6 wks later we discharged from Army and moved back to NE. Obviously I was loosing weight so I really didn't care nor have the mental energy at the time to seek a Dr here. That was 2008. In Oct 2016 I decided it was time. I had never gotten labs or taken supplements. Still don't really know what I should take. I planned to have a revision (didn't know there were different kinds) went thru all the hoops and requirements only to hear Tuesday that the Dr doesn't think simply making pouch smaller will yield the results I want/need. I am 100% committed to doing things right this time! But since he won't help I feel totally hopeless and defeated. Not sure where to go from here. Some of the stories on here scare the crud out of me with bad experiences with revisions. My health tho is not good. Very limited mobility which helps nothing. Borderline diabetes. Bad sleep apnea. High blood pressure. Of course depression from all of this.

Sorry to ramble on..

 

[Kkohl]

Thanks to each of you who have replied. I feel so blessed to have found this sight I will get busy getting that lab work done and post my results as soon as possible. In the mean time I'm starting the vit/sups. Thanks again! You are all wonderful!

 

[Charris]

I'm a distal RNY TO DS with Dr. Keshishian in 2013.

 

[Charris]

There are only a few of us. When I had my surgery I think there were 2 others that were actively participating. Now there are a few more. If there are 10 I would be surprised. This group is awesome. I'm the poster child for problems and what not to do when you have a DS revision. lol @Spiky Bugger and the rest have made it their project to keep me alive. lol

Feel free to contact me if you need me. I won't tell you my story right now. I don't want to scare you off. Just remember when you do hear my story I'm the exception to the rule and not really the norm with DS problems.

 

[Kkohl]

I'm so sorry for the loss of your son.

@Munchkin has given you some good advice to get started on feeling better. I would add that with RNY you also need to supplement B12, either with injections or sublingual (under the tongue) as it isn't absorbed when swallowed with your operation.

Yes, all this revision stuff is scary, but it's actually a good thing the surgeon didn't want to just make your pouch smaller, because he's right that doing so doesn't seem to help much, if at all. None of this is easy, and the risks are real. On the other hand, you face risks by remaining MO and by having sleep apnea, and your quality of life sounds poor. So you always have to weigh the potential risks against the potential benefits, and also consider the potential risks of doing nothing. No one here would ever tell you that having a revision is easy or try to minimize the risks. It's up to you to determine whether or not it's the right course for you. What we can and will do is direct you to the surgeons experienced in doing RNY to DS revisions, because having the right surgeon makes a big difference.

 

[Kkohl]

This is what I was told to take. One a day. Is this sufficient? I believe if you zoom in you can read the back.

 

[Kkohl]

This is what I was told to take. One a day. Is this sufficient? I believe if you zoom in you can read the back.

Also I have been sick with about everything from Pneumonia to influenza A, sinus infection, bronchitis etc. it started mid November 2016 and I'm currently on another round of antibiotics. Do you think my lack of vitamins and supplements could be part of the problem? And does anyone take probiotics?

 

[Larra]

What a crock! Not you, I mean whoever told you that vitamin was sufficient.
First, there is NO vitamin that would be appropriate for both gastric bypass and DS. While there is some overlap, there are some needs that are completely different. Whoever is marketing this product is making money by making people sick.
Next, each of us needs to target the specific vitamins mandated by whatever operation we had, and then use lab results to adjust as needed. With RNY gastric bypass, what is well known is that you need a multivit, B12, and calcium citrate. You probably also need iron. And while this product does contain some B12, it is swallowed, thus going to your pouch, where it will NOT be absorbed, and thus the B12 you are getting is worthless. You need to supplement B12 either sublingual (under the tongue, where it WILL be absorbed) or by injection once a month, or both. You should be taking calcium citrate 3-4 times a day, at 500 mg each dose. You MIGHT need other B vitamins. You MIGHT need more than one multivit/day, and you don't need some special "bariatric" product. You can use nice, cheap multi's from Costco or your local drug store.
I don't know whether or not the lack of vitamins is contributing to your frequent respiratory illnesses, but it certainly isn't helping you.

 

[Kkohl]

What a crock! Not you, I mean whoever told you that vitamin was sufficient.
First, there is NO vitamin that would be appropriate for both gastric bypass and DS. While there is some overlap, there are some needs that are completely different. Whoever is marketing this product is making money by making people sick.
Next, each of us needs to target the specific vitamins mandated by whatever operation we had, and then use lab results to adjust as needed. With RNY gastric bypass, what is well known is that you need a multivit, B12, and calcium citrate. You probably also need iron. And while this product does contain some B12, it is swallowed, thus going to your pouch, where it will NOT be absorbed, and thus the B12 you are getting is worthless. You need to supplement B12 either sublingual (under the tongue, where it WILL be absorbed) or by injection once a month, or both. You should be taking calcium citrate 3-4 times a day, at 500 mg each dose. You MIGHT need other B vitamins. You MIGHT need more than one multivit/day, and you don't need some special "bariatric" product. You can use nice, cheap multi's from Costco or your local drug store.
I don't know whether or not the lack of vitamins is contributing to your frequent respiratory illnesses, but it certainly isn't helping you.

Oh man this is frustrating. I specifically went to a Bariatric weight loss Dr to get the correct info and this is what I got. I guess I'll take the list of labs and get those done and post results on here to see what you all think I'm lacking in. Also can I buy sublingual b12 over the counter?

 

[southernlady]

Oh man this is frustrating. I specifically went to a Bariatric weight loss Dr to get the correct info and this is what I got. I guess I'll take the list of labs and get those done and post results on here to see what you all think I'm lacking in. Also can I buy sublingual b12 over the counter?

Yes, you can

 

[KathrynK]

Wow, those are expensive. 30 tablets for $23 retail, when you can get Centrum for that price for 200 tablets, and they often have coupons. Centrum isn't enough alone after Bariatric surgery, but a multivitamin is on the general list of what you need, in addition to higher doses of ADEK and other supplements.

Comparing Centrum to Bariatric Chewable, some of the doses are substantially higher in BC, but the levels of the key ADEK vitamins are still lower than what has proved necessary for DS patients, and BC doesn't even have K. So, you would still have to supplement all the ADEKs just as you do if you choose Centrum. For example, I have to take 5 times the amount of zinc than what is in BC, twice the amount of Vitamin A and 18 times the vitamin D3 as well as supplement K which is not in BC. I take Centrum and still have to supplement ADEKs, zinc, and copper. For a lot less money.

We are in a torrential rain here, and I am sufficiently bored to compare these item by item. BC has several dosages of other vitamins/minerals that are higher, but is missing some ingredients in Centrum, so I don't know how much those matter. As others have emphasized: you still have to get regular blood levels of the key nutrients, which will guide your future choices, and no single tablet is going to do it. When it comes to some vitamins, more might not be better for everyone, as the 1,000 mcg of vitamin B12 in BC. I didn't compare formulations of the vitamins and that is also important.

The first doses given are plain Centrum.The second are Bariatric Chewable (BC). My typing of all these may not be perfect, so compare for yourself, but it gave me the general scope of things. Bottom line, I wouldn't pay the higher price for BC, since neither Centrum or BC would allow me to forgo additional supplementation.

Vitamin A 3,500 IU; BC has 10,000 IU
Vitamin C 60 mg; BC has 130 mg
Vitamin D3 1000 IU; BC has 3000
Vitamin E 30 IU; BC has 60
Vitamin K 25 mcg; BC doesn't have
Thiamin 1.5 mg; BC has 20 mg
Riboflavin 1.7 mg; BC has 12 mg
Niacin 20 mg; BC has 40 mg
Vitamin B6 2 mg; BC has 12 mg
Folic Acid 400 mcg; 800 mcg
Vitamin B12 6 mcg; BC has 1000 mcg
Calcium 200 mg; not in BC
Biotin 30 mcg; BC has 600 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 10 mg; BC has 20 mcg
Iron 18 mg; BC has 45 mcg
Phosphorus 20 mg; BC doesn't have
Iodine 150 mcg, BC doesn't have
Magnesium 50 mg; BC has 200 mg
Zinc 11 mg; BG has 15 mg
Selenium 55 mcg; BC has 100 mcg
Copper 0.5 mg; BC has 2 mg
Manganese 2.3 mg; BC has 2 mg
Chromium 35 mcg, BC has 100 mcg
Molybdenum 45 mcg; BC has 75 mcg
Chloride 72 mg; not in. BC
Potassium 80 mg; not in BC
Boron 75 mcg; not in BC
Nickel 5 mcg; not in BC
Silicon 2 mg; not in BC
Tin 10 mcg; not in BC
Vanadium 10 mcg; not in BC

 

[Munchkin]

I would guess poor diet, stress, depression, and no supplements has left you with a compromised immune system. No surprise you have been ill. But my next guess is it's also something you can fix.

Docs are in business to make money. They want yours. And they know almost nothing about supplements and nutrition. I think they get about 20 hours total instruction in med school. To be successful at this you need to be willing to advocate and stand up for yourself. You need to be a critical thinker. Not just another sheeple who does whatever a doc tells them to do. When a doc is pimping vites, it's because they are another revenue stream for his practice. This does not mean they are necessarily what you need.

Here's another thing you can start doing. READ labels and study them at your computer with google at the ready. Look up all this stuff and learn! If you start reading food labels too you will be amazed where they hide sugar and salt in almost everything.

 

[hilary1617]

Hi and welcome @Kkohl . I'm sorry for the loss of your son. I hope that you will get to an improved nutrition/vitamin status swiftly and that will make you feel much better. Dr. Keshishian and Dr. Rabkin are the two best-regarded revision surgeons. All the best!

 

[Kkohl]

Wow, those are expensive. 30 tablets for $23 retail, when you can get Centrum for that price for 200 tablets, and they often have coupons. Centrum isn't enough alone after Bariatric surgery, but a multivitamin is on the general list of what you need, in addition to higher doses of ADEK and other supplements.

Comparing Centrum to Bariatric Chewable, some of the doses are substantially higher in BC, but the levels of the key ADEK vitamins are still lower than what has proved necessary for DS patients, and BC doesn't even have K. So, you would still have to supplement all the ADEKs just as you do if you choose Centrum. For example, I have to take 5 times the amount of zinc than what is in BC, twice the amount of Vitamin A and 18 times the vitamin D3 as well as supplement K which is not in BC. I take Centrum and still have to supplement ADEKs, zinc, and copper. For a lot less money.

We are in a torrential rain here, and I am sufficiently bored to compare these item by item. BC has several dosages of other vitamins/minerals that are higher, but is missing some ingredients in Centrum, so I don't know how much those matter. As others have emphasized: you still have to get regular blood levels of the key nutrients, which will guide your future choices, and no single tablet is going to do it. When it comes to some vitamins, more might not be better for everyone, as the 1,000 mcg of vitamin B12 in BC. I didn't compare formulations of the vitamins and that is also important.

The first doses given are plain Centrum.The second are Bariatric Chewable (BC). My typing of all these may not be perfect, so compare for yourself, but it gave me the general scope of things. Bottom line, I wouldn't pay the higher price for BC, since neither Centrum or BC would allow me to forgo additional supplementation.

Vitamin A 3,500 IU; BC has 10,000 IU
Vitamin C 60 mg; BC has 130 mg
Vitamin D3 1000 IU; BC has 3000
Vitamin E 30 IU; BC has 60
Vitamin K 25 mcg; BC doesn't have
Thiamin 1.5 mg; BC has 20 mg
Riboflavin 1.7 mg; BC has 12 mg
Niacin 20 mg; BC has 40 mg
Vitamin B6 2 mg; BC has 12 mg
Folic Acid 400 mcg; 800 mcg
Vitamin B12 6 mcg; BC has 1000 mcg
Calcium 200 mg; not in BC
Biotin 30 mcg; BC has 600 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 10 mg; BC has 20 mcg
Iron 18 mg; BC has 45 mcg
Phosphorus 20 mg; BC doesn't have
Iodine 150 mcg, BC doesn't have
Magnesium 50 mg; BC has 200 mg
Zinc 11 mg; BG has 15 mg
Selenium 55 mcg; BC has 100 mcg
Copper 0.5 mg; BC has 2 mg
Manganese 2.3 mg; BC has 2 mg
Chromium 35 mcg, BC has 100 mcg
Molybdenum 45 mcg; BC has 75 mcg
Chloride 72 mg; not in. BC
Potassium 80 mg; not in BC
Boron 75 mcg; not in BC
Nickel 5 mcg; not in BC
Silicon 2 mg; not in BC
Tin 10 mcg; not in BC
Vanadium 10 mcg; not in BC

Wow you really put a lot of Time into doing that but it was very helpful. Very insightful. So I think I'll be going to Costco to get some Centrum and getting those labs done. Thanks again!

 

[southernlady]

Wow you really put a lot of Time into doing that but it was very helpful. Very insightful. So I think I'll be going to Costco to get some Centrum and getting those labs done. Thanks again!

If going to Costco, get the Kirkland Daily Multi (Centrum equivalent) and my cost for three a day is all of .10 cents a day (unless they have it on sale, then it's even cheaper).