One year check up with Surgeon

[TwoStepsBack 15]

Hey All,

I had my one year check in with the Surgeon today and there is both good news and bad news..

Bad news is the gallstones (which we already knew about), he wants to get me in to have my gall bladder out asap as the stones are "just the right size to get stuck and cause pancreatitis"... so I should have a surgery date soon.

Other bad news is that my Vit B12 is down, so I need to call my GP and arrange to have an injection every 3 months to boost it, and then they'll have to continue to monitor. He said that B12 supplements aren't very efficient and are very expensive, but it might be worth googling some B12 rich foods and trying to get more of those into my diet. I had a look and it seems that liver, shellfish, oily fish, eggs, turkey are the best options. Liver is the ultimate but it has high cholesterol so I've emailed my dietician to ask how often I should be having it.

Good news is that I'm now 2lb to goal, and as I'm no longer overweight my gall bladder op is very low risk. Hoorah!

Anyone else had success with Vit B12 rich foods, and if so what?

Thanks! xx

[Foxbins 625]

My B12 sublingual tab was $10 for 300 of them and at my last labs my B12 level was above the high end of the range. Looks like I'm absorbing them fine. I am pretty sure you'd absorb more from a concentrated tablet than from B12-rich foods, though they couldn't hurt. Just saying what works for me, I'm not a physician.

[Soon2BMiniMommy 92]

Have to agree...we need to take B-12 supplements because our stomachs produce intrinsic factor, which allows us to absorb B-12. Since they take 85% of our stomachs away, they take away 85% of our ability to process and absorb B-12. So, all that being said, we need a high concentration/dose of B-12 to supplement our diets. My doc and NUT says it is extremely hard, if not possible, to get our B-12 needs from our diet after VSG.

[To Be Thin 2011 80]

My doc had me on B12 right after surgery... It is a sublingual liquid B Complex... one dropper full under the tongue twice a week. I purchase it at Wal-Mart $6.00 for a 2 oz bottle that has enough doses in it to last for 6 months if you follow the 1 dropperful twice a week. I also take Centrum chewables Multiviamin each day and it is loaded with the B vitimans

I had my 6 month labs done last month and all my levels were awesome!

[TwoStepsBack 15]

At 6 months my levels were fine too. Not so anymore though.

Have found some yeast extract for putting on toast or making into a hot drink, with added B12 and no added salt which I'm going to have regularly and see if that helps. It's like Marmite/Bovril/Vegemite.

[Browneyedsouljah 5]

I ahve been on B6 and B12 injections for about a year now. Just once a week for each and of course you absorb and store it better since its an injection. You may wnat to talk to your DR about them.

[ouroborous 519]

B12 is arguably the MOST important of the Vitamins that we take, so don't fool around with it. Unlike the other Vitamins, B12 deficiency can cause permanent, irreversible neurological damage. So if it's low, do whatever the doctor recommends in order to get it back up.

One suggestion is to try different kinds of supplements; not all bariatric vitamins are created equal, and if you use the cheap bulk stuff you may end up doing more harm than good. IMO, it's worth it to spend a few extra dollars on vitamins, especially as a sleever. They're essentially our lifeline.

[Rootman 1,101]

I take EmergenC Vitamin C drink which is also chock full of B12: http://www.emergenc.com/index.php/products/original/super-orange. I think the dissolved powder is easier to adsorb.

The reason I take it is the ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the drink acidifies the urine and helps prevent Calcium based kidney stones - which I got a month after surgery - not fun. Last blood panel the doc took I was fine in all Vitamins and minerals. I take it 3 times a week and DOUBLE the Water I mix it in - 12 oz instead of 6 so that it isn't so concentrated and upset my little stomach.