Need Help On The Proper Supplements And Medication I Need..been Very Sick With No Help Or Guidance

[Brandon12345 0]

Hello! I am new to the community (first post) but I am very excited that there is a community of people here that all have had the surgery or are going to have the surgery and we can all talk and give advice. I have always hated going out for support groups so I am glad that there is an online community I can now share my thoughts and questions said.

That being said, I have been having A LOT of problems following my surgery, and I had some questions on my supplements and medications that I need to be taking.

I am 4 month out of my surgery and I still am getting these following symptoms:

Extreme lightheaddedness/Vomiting when eating to much/many stomach and chest pains

In general ive been feeling very sick, ive been running a lot of tests, ive had an MRI, cat scan, androscopy, numerous tests have all showed nothing serious is wrong with me, yet i do not get why I am so sick, been vomiting after every meal, and extremely lightheaded in my head.

My main problem is i have no one right now to guide or communicate me, and i am not sure what im supposed to be doing 4 months out of my surgery (My surgery was on may 24th) so it is about a little over 4 months.

Ive been going through HELL, ive been extremely sick and as a result I could not have gone to college (I am only 18 years old! a very young age to get the surgery) and i could not properly adjust myself to the changes.

My blood work all the doctors assured me that it was normal as with my tests, but ive been so sick that I think otherwise. I looked at my bloodwork myself and i saw an extreme low amount of Iron notified in it, as well as a pretty low blood sugar in general. Could this be why im so lightheaded and out of it all the time?

Ive been taking a ton of supplemenets and also my prescribed medications

I was on Effexor XR for years along with other anti-depressants that I abrubtly stopped around the surgery time. I was in shambles and withdrawel was so bad i was put on Prozac a few weeks ago which I am on now. My GI doctor is trying to help my stomach and chest pains and put me on Nexium and Trazadone, he basically feels that since he gave me a test that I have no ulcer that means that it could be a brain problem that its not communicating with my GI tract and causing pains.

I take multi-vitamins when I can, my sleep cycles have been all messed up im up all night and sleeping most of the day.

I take other supplements to, but i feel i am not properly getting nutrients I need and that i need to have a consistent stack of supplementation and Vitamins that I need to be taking on top of my prescribed medication. I also take perscribed xanax at times which seems to temporarily help my lightheadedness but I really dont know :/

To help me sleep I take ambien to at times because my sleep cycles have been so messed up.

I take B-complex pills sometimes as well. Right now its been very hard for me 4 months post op, and im very depressed and sick. I get very lightheaded all the time, and I have no idea why. No doctors can point fingers on it, so it has to be a surgery issue and somethign to do with vitamins and not an actual condition that is making me so sick.

Sorry for the long read so I ask simply WHAT SUPPLEMENTS SHOULD i take 4 months post op! i need to know, I need a consistency, please get back to me on your thoughts on proper supplements and vitamins and medications to take 4 months post op! Thank you

[desertmom 297]

Hi,Lets start with you telling us what,how often and how much you are eating and drinking.

ooo

[kristikay 60]

I have not had surgery yet but one thing stuck out for me and that was the effexor. You are young to be on that for years. I was on it for a year and accidently quit taking it cold turkey. I was so sick in ways I wouldn't have ever expected. I had shakes, I was very sick to my stomach and had horrible diarreha. Also ambien seems very extreme for an eighteen year old to be taking. Do you have one doctor that is monitoring the medications you are on and the supplements you are taking?

[CowgirlJane 14,260]

It would be helpful to understand your eating patterns (quantity, frequency, types of food). Does everything make you vomit? Can you keep it down if you eat say 1/4 cup of something mild only? Eating small quantities slowly is really the key. Are you able to stay hydrated?

A good piece of guidance is when you can't keep food down to back up to either liquids or soft foods or whatever you can tolerate to give the tummy a chance to rest. Try again with the solid food once things have calmed down (perhaps days or even a week later). I learned this from my time with the lapband but I think it can apply to sleevers too.

When you say your blood sugar is low on your blood work - can you share the number? Mine was 77 at my 3 month follow up and I felt great with that - it isn't too low.

It sounds like you really have been through the ringer and of course we can't tell if maybe you do have something wrong - like some kind of complication. There are other issues besides leaks...and only a surgeon can diagnos that. I was certainly not vomiting at 4 months out, but I did have pretty tight feeling of restriction and could not eat much at once. That was a good thing, but if I did not have good education on what to expect, I could surely see where I might have had problems by eating too much or too fast or with liquids. Sometimes I needed to stop eating after a shockingly small amount of food. I guess what I am saying is it is possible some of your symptoms are caused by not having the right guidance on how to eat but of course it is possible that there is something else going on... Makes sense to try to check on the eating patterns since the tests haven't found anything yet.

Welcome and glad you came here for support. I hope you can get some relief from this.

[CowgirlJane 14,260]

Oh, and as to your actual question regarding Vitamins, here is the regimen I was given:

-Iron, taken separately from Calcium, which I was able to stop when bloodwork showed I had plenty of Iron

-High quality multi Vitamin - not the big cheap horse pills as your body doesn't break them down wll

-Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D (cheap Calcium is not well absorbed if you are taking a PPI)

-extra Vitamin D

-B12 sublingual (under the tongue)

I was also taking a PPI in the early months as my tummy was very aggravated without it. You are on other meds so i am not sure what needs to happen there, but I am just saying that is very normal the first several months post op to need a PPI.

Vitamin defiency might make you tired, but I don't see how it can cause the other symptoms. I might be suspicious of the other meds you are on or meds you discontinued, but I don't know.

[Brandon123 1]

I have not had surgery yet but one thing stuck out for me and that was the effexor. You are young to be on that for years. I was on it for a year and accidently quit taking it cold turkey. I was so sick in ways I wouldn't have ever expected. I had shakes, I was very sick to my stomach and had horrible diarreha. Also ambien seems very extreme for an eighteen year old to be taking. Do you have one doctor that is monitoring the medications you are on and the supplements you are taking?

Yes, I was under HEAVY medication anti-depressants for years in my childhood, and I had stopped it abrubtly! I think a lot of my sicknesses are a result of being the Effexor for so many years, and I honestly have a psychatrist who monitors all my medical history and I think he knows what he is doing..the withdrawel was horrible im on Prozac now to help with it. Ambien is to help my sleep but not for long term use

Its been about 3 months off of Effexor, so im crossing my fingers if part of my sickness is withdrawel the prozac will help and in time I can feel better, I dont know what these doctors think when they perscribe this

It would be helpful to understand your eating patterns (quantity, frequency, types of food). Does everything make you vomit? Can you keep it down if you eat say 1/4 cup of something mild only? Eating small quantities slowly is really the key. Are you able to stay hydrated?

A good piece of guidance is when you can't keep food down to back up to either liquids or soft foods or whatever you can tolerate to give the tummy a chance to rest. Try again with the solid food once things have calmed down (perhaps days or even a week later). I learned this from my time with the lapband but I think it can apply to sleevers too.

When you say your blood sugar is low on your blood work - can you share the number? Mine was 77 at my 3 month follow up and I felt great with that - it isn't too low.

It sounds like you really have been through the ringer and of course we can't tell if maybe you do have something wrong - like some kind of complication. There are other issues besides leaks...and only a surgeon can diagnos that. I was certainly not vomiting at 4 months out, but I did have pretty tight feeling of restriction and could not eat much at once. That was a good thing, but if I did not have good education on what to expect, I could surely see where I might have had problems by eating too much or too fast or with liquids. Sometimes I needed to stop eating after a shockingly small amount of food. I guess what I am saying is it is possible some of your symptoms are caused by not having the right guidance on how to eat but of course it is possible that there is something else going on... Makes sense to try to check on the eating patterns since the tests haven't found anything yet.

Welcome and glad you came here for support. I hope you can get some relief from this.

My blood sugar was 72! That is beyond low when I got the blood test, my Iron was 22 again low, yet all the doctors say it is normal.

My eating patterns are VERY hard to say, ive been sleeping erradically and just eating whenever I eat.

My blood work a few months ago showed a Vit D defiency but it seems that is better.

I eat a lot, I have not been vomiting unless I overeat

Before the surgery I could eat so much, now id say about 15 bites and im prob going to vomit. I get a VERY restricted feeling, that is probably the best way to describe it when I eat meals, but not vomiting unless I eat a large meal.

In terms of complications, I really dont know, all these doctors kick me out of there offices and tell me nothing is wrong with me and I need to fix myself, but ive just been very fatigued, sick, stomach pains, etc etc.

Another thing was my testosterone was low but that is separate

Oh, and as to your actual question regarding Vitamins, here is the regimen I was given:

-Iron, taken separately from Calcium, which I was able to stop when bloodwork showed I had plenty of Iron

-High quality multi Vitamin - not the big cheap horse pills as your body doesn't break them down wll

-Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D (cheap calcium is not well absorbed if you are taking a PPI)

-extra Vitamin D

-B12 sublingual (under the tongue)

I was also taking a PPI in the early months as my tummy was very aggravated without it. You are on other meds so i am not sure what needs to happen there, but I am just saying that is very normal the first several months post op to need a PPI.

Vitamin defiency might make you tired, but I don't see how it can cause the other symptoms. I might be suspicious of the other meds you are on or meds you discontinued, but I don't know.

No one told me this! Its just crazy how little guidance I had after this surgery at such a young age.

Right now I take iron pills, i take a Multivitamin to

Do you know the timing and brands of your Vitamins also?

It seems like my iron supplement im taking is just not working, my iron is to low (Yet no doctors will awknoledge it)

Also yea taking iron and calcium together doesnt work so I dont know how to time that.

I think I need to find a conisestency with my vitamins and keep to it.

If the reason im so sick is these medications, my doctor put me back on Prozac to help me COMMING Off these medications, I dont know at this point

The Ambien like I said I dont really take much, its just to sleep occasionaly becuase I have insomnia a lot.

[doxieville 799]

Hello! I am new to the community (first post) but I am very excited that there is a community of people here that all have had the surgery or are going to have the surgery and we can all talk and give advice. I have always hated going out for support groups so I am glad that there is an online community I can now share my thoughts and questions said.

That being said' date=' I have been having A LOT of problems following my surgery, and I had some questions on my supplements and medications that I need to be taking.

I am 4 month out of my surgery and I still am getting these following symptoms:

Extreme lightheaddedness/Vomiting when eating to much/many stomach and chest pains

In general ive been feeling very sick, ive been running a lot of tests, ive had an MRI, cat scan, androscopy, numerous tests have all showed nothing serious is wrong with me, yet i do not get why I am so sick, been vomiting after every meal, and extremely lightheaded in my head.

My main problem is i have no one right now to guide or communicate me, and i am not sure what im supposed to be doing 4 months out of my surgery (My surgery was on may 24th) so it is about a little over 4 months.

Ive been going through HELL, ive been extremely sick and as a result I could not have gone to college (I am only 18 years old! a very young age to get the surgery) and i could not properly adjust myself to the changes.

My blood work all the doctors assured me that it was normal as with my tests, but ive been so sick that I think otherwise. I looked at my bloodwork myself and i saw an extreme low amount of Iron notified in it, as well as a pretty low blood sugar in general. Could this be why im so lightheaded and out of it all the time?

Ive been taking a ton of supplemenets and also my prescribed medications

I was on Effexor XR for years along with other anti-depressants that I abrubtly stopped around the surgery time. I was in shambles and withdrawel was so bad i was put on Prozac a few weeks ago which I am on now. My GI doctor is trying to help my stomach and chest pains and put me on Nexium and Trazadone, he basically feels that since he gave me a test that I have no ulcer that means that it could be a brain problem that its not communicating with my GI tract and causing pains.

I take multi-vitamins when I can, my sleep cycles have been all messed up im up all night and sleeping most of the day.

I take other supplements to, but i feel i am not properly getting nutrients I need and that i need to have a consistent stack of supplementation and Vitamins that I need to be taking on top of my prescribed medication. I also take perscribed xanax at times which seems to temporarily help my lightheadedness but I really dont know :/

To help me sleep I take ambien to at times because my sleep cycles have been so messed up.

I take B-complex pills sometimes as well. Right now its been very hard for me 4 months post op, and im very depressed and sick. I get very lightheaded all the time, and I have no idea why. No doctors can point fingers on it, so it has to be a surgery issue and somethign to do with Vitamins and not an actual condition that is making me so sick.

Sorry for the long read so I ask simply WHAT SUPPLEMENTS SHOULD i take 4 months post op! i need to know, I need a consistency, please get back to me on your thoughts on proper supplements and vitamins and medications to take 4 months post op! Thank you[/quote']

Hey there- in midst of all those tests, did you have a leak test?

[LISAPARTYLITE 0]

15 BITES IS A LOT. 4-6 oz is the most per meal u should be taking in.

[CowgirlJane 14,260]

Okay, your response clarifies things for me. Many years ago I was on Prozac for a few weeks but it started making me crazy... it was awful. Glad to hear that part seems to be getting fixed.

You will feel better on so many levels if you can stop vomiting. My recommendation is (for now) to weigh/measure everything. I would start with 1/4-1/2 cup and see if you can eat that and still feel okay. Eat slowly, like you might take 15-20 minutes to eat that portion. If it works, stay with it and just don't try eating more at one setting for now. I eat 4 times a day (most days) but some docs recommend 3 mini meals and 2 Snacks. Anyway, eating frequently (but not snacking all day) with small amounts is the way to manage this.

You may also be mildly dehydrated. Fixing that will also make you feel about 100 times better. Drink drink drink all day long - except the 30 minutes before and after food. I don't even drink other liquids with a Protein shake, I try to really separate. i could not handle plain Water early on and relied heavily on herbal tea and crystal light etc.

If you do find yourself vomiting, back up and go to liquids, or a gentle food that you know you can tolerate (greek yogurt perhaps). The point is don't get in the cycle of irritated tummy, eating a difficult food again and constant vomiting.

I checked my blood work. 72 is not too low for blood sugar, my paper says normal is 65-99.

Your Iron however does sound low 30-150 is the normal range. You can fix that with Vitamins I think. The bummer part of Iron supplements is they can make you constipated and since you can't take with Calcium, it is a timing pain. I was glad when I didn't need to take it anymore.

So, this is just an outline of what you might do - not set in stone here. To begin with the NUT had me taking double the Multivitamins unless it was taking a bariatric Vitamin. If you have a bariatric Vitamin, ignore the second MV dose. Alot of people take gummyvites and live to tell about it, my NUT said they didn't have enough of the various trace minerals etc so I am not sure what to think. If other types make you feel ill, I figure it is better then no vitamins! I settled on a liquid vitamin called Reviva because i just hate big ole pills and I decided life is too short to do something I hated that much every day.

AM:

-Multivitamin

-500-600 mg of calcium citrate w/vit D

-sublingual B12

-I also added extra vit D since I was low

midday: iron

PM:

-Multivitamin

-500-600 mg of calcium citrate w/vit D

-I also added extra vit D since I was low

Bedtime:

-500-600 mg of calcium citrate w/vit D

If your Multivitamin has the iron in it you might modify it like so:

am:

MV w/iron

B12 sublingual

midday

Calcium w/ D

PM

MV w/ iron

bedtime

Calcium w/D

[desertmom 297]

Hi,

CowgirlJane have given you wonderful advice.

One thing though if you have an irratic sleep pattern (Ive been sleepless all my life,ADHD) the multi in the evening might make that worse.You'll have to test to se if it does keep you awake for longer.

Regulating your sleeping pattern might be key here as well.Do not sleep all day.By this I mean you will have to set your alarm for 8 o'clock one morning and even though you will be tired after not sleeping much,STAY AWAKE ALL DAY!

This might not help the first,second or even the third day but eventually you will switch your day and night back to where they belong.This will take a lot of self discipline in the beginning.Go to bed no later than 23:30 with the light off at 12.

Do not drink coffee or tea after 14:00 in the day.No stimulants after 14:00.I know all this will be hard because if I make one exception,go to bed one night at 3:00 I want to sleep later the next morning and the whole cycle repeats itself as I like feeling tired and I like being awake at night.You have to get back into a normal routine to have a normal life.

More difficult...no eating after 19:00 at night.Nothing.Ok,3 sugarfree popcicles for the evening if you must...lol.This is to get you back into the normal day eating pattern.Make specific meal times and snacktimes for yourself.Like Breakfast no later than 8:30 lunch 13:30 dinner 18:30.You can move all this a little to suite your life once your life is back to normal.

One more thing.Write all this down.Work out a schedule for yourself and keep to it for only 7 days to start with.That, with controlled portions, 3oz of solid Protein with a little veggies if you have space (example for dinner) should get you right back on track.

Do not eat and drink at the same time.Wait 30 minutes after meals before you drink.Drink your 64oz of Fluid per day.Dehydration also causes nausea and when I am dry,I vomit when I eat.

Make these rules for yourself.You decide by yourself to keep to your rules.It is so much easier when we actively choose things for ourselves (hehehe,after we told you what to do..)No really,you are young and this is a huge change without proper guidance,a nightmare.

Good luck to your new sleeve life starting today.And remember,no one is perfect with everything all the time.Dont give up though and here is my new motto: "If at first you dont succeed,try,try again"

Please let us know how you are doing when you have implemented these new ideas for great health,great weight loss and a lot less stressful life.

[desertmom 297]

Whao,this is a lot of stuff to take in but I am rooting for you.I really wish I could have had the sleeve when I was young.Life is so much easier and more enjoyable when you are thin and healthy.

So you go,start solving these issues and go out and have a wonderful exciting life.

oox

[Brandon123 1]

Thank you for all the advice Yea I am pretty young for the sleeve /shrug

And to the previous poster I had a CAT scan and an andrsocopy so I guess that would have shown if I had a leak.

Okay, your response clarifies things for me. Many years ago I was on Prozac for a few weeks but it started making me crazy... it was awful. Glad to hear that part seems to be getting fixed.

You will feel better on so many levels if you can stop vomiting. My recommendation is (for now) to weigh/measure everything. I would start with 1/4-1/2 cup and see if you can eat that and still feel okay. Eat slowly, like you might take 15-20 minutes to eat that portion. If it works, stay with it and just don't try eating more at one setting for now. I eat 4 times a day (most days) but some docs recommend 3 mini meals and 2 Snacks. Anyway, eating frequently (but not snacking all day) with small amounts is the way to manage this.

You may also be mildly dehydrated. Fixing that will also make you feel about 100 times better. Drink drink drink all day long - except the 30 minutes before and after food. I don't even drink other liquids with a Protein shake, I try to really separate. i could not handle plain Water early on and relied heavily on herbal tea and crystal light etc.

If you do find yourself vomiting, back up and go to liquids, or a gentle food that you know you can tolerate (greek yogurt perhaps). The point is don't get in the cycle of irritated tummy, eating a difficult food again and constant vomiting.

I checked my blood work. 72 is not too low for blood sugar, my paper says normal is 65-99.

Your Iron however does sound low 30-150 is the normal range. You can fix that with Vitamins I think. The bummer part of Iron supplements is they can make you constipated and since you can't take with Calcium, it is a timing pain. I was glad when I didn't need to take it anymore.

So, this is just an outline of what you might do - not set in stone here. To begin with the NUT had me taking double the Multivitamins unless it was taking a bariatric Vitamin. If you have a bariatric Vitamin, ignore the second MV dose. Alot of people take gummyvites and live to tell about it, my NUT said they didn't have enough of the various trace minerals etc so I am not sure what to think. If other types make you feel ill, I figure it is better then no vitamins! I settled on a liquid vitamin called Reviva because i just hate big ole pills and I decided life is too short to do something I hated that much every day.

AM:

-Multivitamin

-500-600 mg of calcium citrate w/vit D

-sublingual B12

-I also added extra vit D since I was low

midday: iron

PM:

-Multivitamin

-500-600 mg of calcium citrate w/vit D

-I also added extra vit D since I was low

Bedtime:

-500-600 mg of Calcium citrate w/vit D

If your multivitamin has the iron in it you might modify it like so:

am:

MV w/iron

B12 sublingual

midday

Calcium w/ D

PM

MV w/ iron

bedtime

Calcium w/D

Thank you! I needed something like this

Do you know any particular brand of multivitamin, like you said if I get the bariatric multivitamin I dont have to take the 2nd multivitamin, I currnetly just take a swallowable pill centurum I dont think its doing much.

Im going to purchase the Bariatric Advantage multivitamin, seems to be a lot more potent for my situation, also the sublingual B12 and everything else.

[CowgirlJane 14,260]

I have been told that the basic Centrum pill basically passes through you mostly undigested. You are young and have a lifetime ahead, would hate to see you become deficient in anything. I think buying Bariatric Advantage is a great place to start - then you can research from there and decide if there is a better option for you.

I did realize that my recommendations were geared to a woman and I am not sure you need as much Calcium. However, probably better safe then sorry during the time of rapid weight loss (first year post op especially) you just aren't getting enough food to meet nutritional needs.

I am really glad you are reaching out for info, my gut feeling is that you don't have a "complication", you just haven't really been taught how to eat and manage your sleeve. I hope I am right and I encourage you to reach out to me any time and I am happy to answer questions or give you any coaching. I know there are lots of others on here too that would happily give you input.

Good luck, hang in there and remember... it gets better and a year from now you are gonna be so happy you did this!

[kristikay 60]

Wow you have gotten some great advice. Advice I need to keep in mind when I have my surgery and I am over 50! I am sorry you are so young and have had to be in this alone until now.II hope you take the advice on keeping a schedule and hopefully you can quit taking the Ambien. I really think they should take Effexor off the market, that is one nasty drug, nothing should be that hard to quit taking. Good luck and hope you keep on posting and letting us know how you are doing.

[kelleye 8]

I just got out of hospital- 12-12-12 was my day! While I was there got great info. When vomiting or not tolerating meals back it up. Go back to liguid phase 30ml med cup in an hour sipping. Do this for phase 1 if tolerated go to phase 2. Nurse told me she still does it to this day- her surgery09. Go bk to beginning on eating.