This and That needing clarification

[DSRIGGS]

I know that I'm only 5 weeks post-op but my vitamins came from my surgeon. There was a multivitamin specifically for the DS, A, D3 and Calcium with D. Multi+A+D3, then 2 calcium with D, then another multi, then two more calcium with D. That's what I'm SUPPOSED to be doing. He said that the doses have to be at least 2 hours apart. I'm trying to get it all in consistently. His office also scheduled the follow-up but I'm not close enough to the 6mo mark to know if they'll order labs or not.

Surgeon offices generally suck at vitamin directions.

I don't see:
Dry E
Dry k
Iron (most female DS patients require)

What are the doses for the A, D and calcium that he is giving you?

I take:
100,000iu A
200,000 IU D
2,400 calcium
800 mg of E
1,000 of k

I also take zinc, copper and multi

 

[southernlady]

but my vitamins came from my surgeon. There was a multivitamin specifically for the DS, A, D3 and Calcium with D. Multi+A+D3, then 2 calcium with D, then another multi, then two more calcium with D.

ANY multi "designed" for bariatric patients is just overpriced and will likely cause you to tank as many have discovered. You can see the ones we typically order using the Vitalady list either at Vitalady or here at the store.

Get a cheap Centrum equivalent for your multi. I use the Costco Kirkland Daily Multi. I take three a day for a cost of less than 10 cents a day. Another cheap Centrum equivalent: The Equate Daily from WalMart.
Is your A a dry form of Palmitate NOT Beta Carotene.
Magnesium needs to be citrate not sulfate.
Calcium has to say Citrate on it. If it doesn't, it's the wrong calcium.
D...most of us take a MINIMUM of 50,000 Dry D3 daily.

 

[Cantstalkthis]

Half of the battle is getting them in! They make me really sick to my stomach. I know that they're necessary but the few days that I do get vitamins down, I spend the whole next day in bed feeling like I have a stomach flu.

Here's what the bottles say:
Multivitamin - (skipping all that you didn't mention)
10,000 iu A
2500 iu D3
75 mcg K
25 mg Iron
300iu E
(These would all be x2 for two doses a day)
Vitamin A - 25,000 IU
Vitamin D3 - 50,000 IU
Calcium Citrate with D (this would be x4 per day)
600 mg Calcium
400iu D (not D3)

So total =
55,000 iu D3
45,000 iu A
600 iu E
1800 mg Calcium
50 mg Iron
1600 iu D (not D3)

Not even close to what you guys are getting AND they're making me sick. I'm having trouble eating more than once a day some days and can't do protein shakes either (though I'm averaging over 100g of protein 3-4 days a week). I wear my hair down and feel it all of the time to see if any falls out! I'm pretty nervous about what my labs will look like. My kingdom for a full week of calm stomach days to get vitamins in and actually function like a normal human.

ETA - Yes palminate and the vitamins are EXPENSIVE.

 

[southernlady]

Not even close to what you guys are getting AND they're making me sick. I'm having trouble eating more than once a day some days and can't do protein shakes either (though I'm averaging over 100g of protein 3-4 days a week). I wear my hair down and feel it all of the time to see if any falls out! I'm pretty nervous about what my labs will look like. My kingdom for a full week of calm stomach days to get vitamins in and actually function like a normal human.

Okay, back off on all but the multi for a couple of days...then add the others back in slowly. You are just now a month out and still living off the store of vitamins in your body. If you add a new one in each day...the day you get sick, you will know what is doing it.

Also what kind of protein shake and HOW are you making it? With water or milk?

Tell us more about what you are eating/drinking with brand name/flavor and how you make it. Maybe we can help you figure out WHY you are getting sick.

 

[Cantstalkthis]

I tried Premiere Protein pre-made shakes, then I tried Isopure and then I tried the chicken soup with whey protein from the doctor and whey isolate powder I bought online (I mixed it with broth and Crystal light to make sure that it wasn't the aspartame)- all made me really sick like I would get with milk or ice cream pre-op (lactose intolerant). Went to the doctor and he agreed that I was probably whey intolerant and suggested pea protein. I tried that but you have to have a mountain of it to get the protein and it tasted like pea soup no matter what I put it in. It made me gag. The sheer amount of food to get enough protein made me switch to meat - shrimp first then whatever. I can eat the exact same thing two days in a row and on day 1 I wake up the next morning just fine but day 2 I wake up feeling sick. I tried eliminating home meds (no change) and vitamins (some help) but I can't nail down exactly what the problem is. Dehydration? Too much fat?

I will start a food journal so that I can get some feedback because I tried to write down what I ate over the last few days and I can't get it straight. When I took my ADD meds (regular adderall 20mg - supposed to be 3 a day - I tried 1) it threw me off really bad - I couldn't sleep for 2 days and I was SO thirsty that I had to fight myself not to gulp down water. I stopped taking them and I'm not doing great with remembering things and keeping organized. I text my husband when I take pills or vitamins and then the next day when I'm sick, he reminds me that I took whatever - together we figured out that the vitamins are at least part of the problem.

 

[southernlady]

Went to the doctor and he agreed that I was probably whey intolerant and suggested pea protein. I tried that but you have to have a mountain of it to get the protein and it tasted like pea soup no matter what I put it in. It made me gag.

Try soy or egg protein if whey isolate makes you sick. Pea protein is not nearly as good an option.

I will start a food journal so that I can get some feedback because I tried to write down what I ate over the last few days and I can't get it straight. When I took my ADD meds (regular adderall 20mg - supposed to be 3 a day - I tried 1) it threw me off really bad - I couldn't sleep for 2 days and I was SO thirsty that I had to fight myself not to gulp down water. I stopped taking them and I'm not doing great with remembering things and keeping organized.

Having a food journal may help us help you figure this all out.

Glad you have your husband to help you sort that out, remembering is hard esp when still dealing with anesthesia brain. (And that can linger for 4-8 weeks. It's why we also suggest printing out everything before surgery so you have an easy way to find it AFTER.

In the meantime, get with the doctor who prescribed your ADD meds and see if they can help you find something to help that you can handle. You will probably have to educate them on the DS but if you use the phrase "short gut syndrome" then other medical people seem to have a light bulb moment and get it.

 

[Beckmo]

I have a few things I need some clarification on that I am confused.... Do we absorb any pills that are in "gel" form? Would those be the same as "fat soluble"? Roughly, what percentage of carbs do we absorb? Probiotics... are those in addition to vitamins? When do you start those? How do you know you need them? What do they do? Calcium.. the easiest/best way to get it in? Is your surgeon suppose to order your labs for the first year or do you request your PCP to do it?

I am sure more questions will come to mind... but those are just a few off the top of my head for now.

Thank you for all the help. I am driving myself crazy worrying about these vitamins. I know you have probably answered these questions a thousand times with all the new DS'ers coming on, but I appreciate the patience and help. There ought to be a forum with just standard information titled "DS for Dummies" and give us info on vitamins, bowel problems, proteins, absorption, "Carbs are not your friend", "A window of time" to lose, etc, etc, etc....

 

[southernlady]

There ought to be a forum with just standard information titled "DS for Dummies" and give us info on vitamins, bowel problems, proteins, absorption, "Carbs are not your friend", "A window of time" to lose, etc, etc, etc....

Look for the pinned posts in each section.

 

[Settledownnow]

Just reading and learning --
what type of vit A and vit k do DS'ers need? Palmitate, beta-carotene, mixed or ?? And is it vit K1, K2, K3 or mixed? What type of calcium?

 

[southernlady]

Just reading and learning --
what type of vit A and vit k do DS'ers need? Palmitate, beta-carotene, mixed or ?? And is it vit K1, K2, K3 or mixed? What type of calcium?

Vitamin A, palmitate and DRY
Vit K needs to be DRY
Vitamin K is to help blood clot. Vitamin K2 is to help with bone health.
Calcium CITRATE

 

[BebeZed]

I am Amazon prime so I get free 2 day shipping. I buy the A, D, E, & K through them. The E is new foods dry. The D I buy either biotech 50k dry or there is another brand that is sometimes much cheaper. Just google dry vitamin d 50,000 and you will see it.

Thanks for the links - that's quite helpful! @DSRIGGS - I'm curious about one thing though. I started a wish list on Amazon for vitamins and protein and all that good stuff and I noticed that I had the D3-50 (50,000 IU) - 100 Count already on the list but the difference is you had vcaps and the ones I had put on the list are not. Should they be the vcaps or will the gel caps work? The actual product is here: http://www.amazon.com/BioTech-Pharmacal-D3-50-000-Count/dp/B000A0F2B2

I'm trying hard to get my head around this so I'll be all set...

 

[newanatomy]

Thanks for the links - that's quite helpful! @DSRIGGS - I'm curious about one thing though. I started a wish list on Amazon for vitamins and protein and all that good stuff and I noticed that I had the D3-50 (50,000 IU) - 100 Count already on the list but the difference is you had vcaps and the ones I had put on the list are not. Should they be the vcaps or will the gel caps work? The actual product is here: http://www.amazon.com/BioTech-Pharmacal-D3-50-000-Count/dp/B000A0F2B2

I'm trying hard to get my head around this so I'll be all set...

The link you have is the one I buy and use. Here is a way to go through the store here:

http://bariatricfacts.org/pages/store/

 

[BebeZed]

Perfect! Thanks for the info!

 

[Munchkin]

I know that I'm only 5 weeks post-op but my vitamins came from my surgeon. There was a multivitamin specifically for the DS, A, D3 and Calcium with D. Multi+A+D3, then 2 calcium with D, then another multi, then two more calcium with D. That's what I'm SUPPOSED to be doing. He said that the doses have to be at least 2 hours apart. I'm trying to get it all in consistently. His office also scheduled the follow-up but I'm not close enough to the 6mo mark to know if they'll order labs or not.

What's the brand? And how much of what? Probably they are useless. OK I would be surprised if they are good! Take what you have and move on to something similar to Vitalady's regime.