Nutritionist said just go without?

[springlife 0]

I went to my post op nutrition class on Monday (I'm 8 days post) and one of the things I asked the nutritionist about was not being able to tolerate the chewable Multivitamin (Bariatric Advantage-Vitaband 1 (2) times daily). I started taking it the 3rd day, tried it twice both times almost vomiting it up. She suggested just waiting then until my stomach is healed and they allow for capsule usage vs the chewable. Great with me but when I asked when that will be she said about a month (4 weeks post).. I then said OK would it be alright then to take (2) children chewable flinstone completes OR the Gummy One A Day adult Multivitamins in place of the ones I cannot tolerate until I can move onto the capsule and she said NO don't worry about it, you can go without the Vitamin for a month. I just kinda said OK with a reeeally look on my face.

Wouldn't you think having some type of Vitamin would be better than having nothing at all? I'm pretty sure I have seen some of you here on the boards using the alternatives I mentioned above, if so there were no obvious issues with them, right?

[deletedsally 8]

I bought a liquid Vitamin "Floradix" at our local health food store. It doesn't upset my stomach at all. It doesn't have minerals added and it may not be the best vitamin for a sleever to take long-term, but I figured it was fine for now until I was more healed. Even at 7 weeks out, the Bariatric Advantage really bothered my stomach.

[gsegura 1]

Your fat cells are loaded with all the Vitamins your body needs except Calcium. Add some calcium sachets to your Water or drinks and skip the vitamins. By letting your body use the vitamins stored in your fat you loose more weight. I learned this from a nutritionist that guided my weight loss last year. I stopped all vitamins except calcium for 2 months and lost a lot of weight. I hope this helps. Gloria

[kymmi12 0]

Wow , That makes so much sence about the Calcium. i am going to try that tomorrow . I am losing weight fast but I want faster... I love my sleeve and I am glad i had it done..:thumbup:

[MINI-Me 196]

Your fat cells are loaded with all the Vitamins your body needs except Calcium. Add some calcium sachets to your Water or drinks and skip the Vitamins. By letting your body use the vitamins stored in your fat you loose more weight. I learned this from a nutritionist that guided my weight loss last year. I stopped all vitamins except calcium for 2 months and lost a lot of weight. I hope this helps. Gloria

I'm not trying to be controversial here, but that seems to go against everything I've been told. Do you have any medical references about this?

[SouthernSleever 228]

I just read an article in 2001's Reader's Digest about how Vitmamins really don't help at all (other than Vit D and folic acid) and can sometimes hurt. I haven't read anything more recent but the studies they quoted were significant in size and number.

[stcyt 15]

I went to my post op nutrition class on Monday (I'm 8 days post) and one of the things I asked the nutritionist about was not being able to tolerate the chewable Multivitamin (Bariatric Advantage-Vitaband 1 (2) times daily). I started taking it the 3rd day, tried it twice both times almost vomiting it up. She suggested just waiting then until my stomach is healed and they allow for capsule usage vs the chewable. Great with me but when I asked when that will be she said about a month (4 weeks post).. I then said OK would it be alright then to take (2) children chewable flinstone completes OR the Gummy One A Day adult Multivitamins in place of the ones I cannot tolerate until I can move onto the capsule and she said NO don't worry about it, you can go without the Vitamin for a month. I just kinda said OK with a reeeally look on my face.

Wouldn't you think having some type of Vitamin would be better than having nothing at all? I'm pretty sure I have seen some of you here on the boards using the alternatives I mentioned above, if so there were no obvious issues with them, right?

I had the same issue with BA Vitamins. I have found that if I mix them in a smoothie or protien drink I can tolerate them.

[gsegura 1]

No problem Mini-me! I was on a medical diet where I was placed on a 500 calorie a day and taken off all my Vitamins except Calcium for 45 days and I lost a pound a day. I don't have the medical reference but I have the paragraph where the doctor explained this to me. Here is the paragraph as it was given to me:

Vitamins and Anemia

Sooner or later most patients express a fear that they may be running out of Vitamins or that the restricted diet may make them anemic. On this score the physician can confidently relieve their apprehension by explaining that every time they lose a pound of fatty tissue, which they do almost daily, only the actual fat is burned up; all the vitamins, the Proteins, the blood, and the minerals which this fat tissue contains in abundance are fed back into the body. Actually, a low blood count not due to any serious disorder of the blood forming tissues improves during treatment, and we have never encountered a significant Protein deficiency nor signs of a lack of vitamins in patients who are dieting regularly.

I'm sorry not to have any more information on it. What I can say is that I did the diet and the Vitamin restriction and I lost a pound a day. After the diet I got a blood test for any deficiencies and I didn't have any.

This medical diet is so hard to do because you're starving and I can't do it no more, one time is enough, then you regain the weight. That's why I'm getting sleeved.

[Tiffykins 673]

I personally would take something closer to the Adult Gummy and try to find one that does have Iron. B12 is recommended if you are on a PPI/acid reducer. They have sublingual ones that taste like cherry, you stick it under your tongue, it dissolves and your done.

The big issue is that we are losing so fast, things are running through our bodies and liver, and we aren't taking in large amounts of Vitamin rich foods that taking a good quality Vitamin will help keep you from becoming deficient, or your body having to play catch up. There's more than Iron, Vitamin A, D, B and C that we need. Folic acid, copper, selenium, Riboflavin, Niacin, etc etc are all essential for all of us. Plus, throw in there that most sleeve patients take a PPI (Nexium, Prilosec, Etc.) that can inhibit absorption of some very vital minerals and Vitamins.

Not all Vitamins and minerals are fat soluble, and while it may take me months to even a year to become deficient in a particular vitamin/mineral, I don't want to make my body work any harder. Losing fast is great, but don't forget that it can be very tasking on our bodies, livers, hair and skin.

Just my 2cents.

Edited May 26, 2010 by Tiffykins

[gsegura 1]

Thank you for the information Tiffykins, you know so much and it is wonderful of you to share those tips with us. I have been following you and I started posting recently.

I would like to be friends with all of you as, I think you're all great and I'm going to be having surgery soon.

Gloria

[springlife 0]

Thank you for all the replies and advice. I will look more at the gummies. I do recall her mentioning that the BA Vitamin included Iron so I will need to start that seperately if the gummies do not include it. I just feel so drained right now being almost 9 days out and haven't had anything except Water, broth, sf Jello and sf popsicles. I feel like since I'm not even tolerating the Protein Shakes (I've had 1 since surgery) that I need to be putting something in my body for everything that is coming out, and coming off.

[deletedsally 8]

Your fat cells are loaded with all the Vitamins your body needs except Calcium. Add some Calcium sachets to your Water or drinks and skip the Vitamins. By letting your body use the vitamins stored in your fat you loose more weight. I learned this from a nutritionist that guided my weight loss last year. I stopped all vitamins except calcium for 2 months and lost a lot of weight. I hope this helps. Gloria

Hi Gloria, I don't want to be controversial either, but I think it may be important for us to look more closely at what you were told by the nutritionist. As I understand it, fat soluble vitamins can be stored in fat cells for a period of time, while Water soluble vitamins are not stored in the body. In addition, even though your fat cells may contain some fat soluble vitamins, you can still have a deficiency. For example, I learned from my pre-op blood work that I was deficient in Vitamin D, which ironically, is a fat soluble Vitamin. I attached a brief explanation:

Vitamins Hang Out in Water and Fat

There are two types of vitamins: fat soluble and water soluble.

When you eat foods that contain fat-soluble vitamins, the vitamins are stored in the fat tissues in your body and in your liver. They wait around in your body fat until your body needs them.

Fat-soluble vitamins are happy to stay stored in your body for awhile ? some stay for a few days, some for up to 6 months! Then, when it's time for them to be used, special carriers in your body take them to where they're needed. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are all fat-soluble vitamins.

Water-soluble vitamins are different. When you eat foods that have water-soluble vitamins, the vitamins don't get stored as much in your body. Instead, they travel through your bloodstream. Whatever your body doesn't use comes out when you urinate (pee).

So these kinds of vitamins need to be replaced often because they don't stick around! This crowd of vitamins includes Vitamin C and the big group of B vitamins ? B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), niacin, B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid, B12 (cobalamine), Biotin, and pantothenic acid.

Feed Your Needs

Edited May 27, 2010 by katt

[gsegura 1]

Great information Katt, I think you're right! Better be safe than sorry!

[ouroborous 519]

B12 is absolutely required. With the sleeve in general, and also with PPI's, we don't have enough intrinsic factor to get enough B12. Without enough B12, you can rapidly get serious, irreversible neural (brain) damage.

I would question any nutritionist who said that a bariatric surgery patient could go without supplements for the long term. For a few days or a week while you're first healing, you should be okay. For longer? Get a second opinion, or a new nutritionist. Malnutrition is not something you want to mess around with.

Edit: oh yeah, anemia is bad too. Make sure you get enough Iron. But honestly, brain damage scares me much worse than some reversible hair loss does.

Edited May 27, 2010 by ouroborous

[escapesunshine 0]

My Nut said try Centrum chewable with Iron.< /p>