Just HOW many pills do we have to take?

[meyouus 415]

I've heard that after RNY, immediately and for life, that you have to take Vitamins, supplements and other pills I can't come up with a name for. * Is this true? * examples? * why * and my immediate fear, cost? * I know about the Protein.

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

I have to take 2 flint stones with Iron daily (generic is about $5 a month, probably less), Calcium +D twice a day (again generic, maybe $8 per month), plus an additional Vitamin D tablet once a day ($10 for about a 6 month supply). Total is less than $15 a month and I sure save more than that on food.

HW 312, pre-op (RNY) 255, current weight 198

[hek1127 166]

I have to take 2 flint stones with Iron daily (generic is about 5 a month' date=' probably less), Calcium +D twice a day (again generic, maybe 8 per month), plus an additional Vitamin D tablet once a day (10 for about a 6 month supply). Total is less than 15 a month and I sure save more than that on food. HW 312, pre-op (RNY) 255, current weight 198[/quote']

I take much more than that...

I take two bariatric Multivitamins a day, three calcium pills, one Iron, one B12, two gallbladder pills (for 6 months), one Prilosec (for a year)

Those are all required...then I added the following;

Biotin, stool softener, Fiber, Probiotics

I would say on average a month I spend $50 on prescriptions and Vitamins.

Surgery: 6/26/13 HW 370 SW 331 CW 272

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

I take much more than that... I take two bariatric Multivitamins a day' date=' three Calcium pills, one Iron, one B12, two gallbladder pills (for 6 months), one Prilosec (for a year) Those are all required...then I added the following; Biotin, stool softener, Fiber, Probiotics I would say on average a month I spend 50 on prescriptions and Vitamins. Surgery: 6/26/13 HW 370 SW 331 CW 272[/quote']

I do take stool softeners pretty regularly, didn't think about those (I buy a bottle of 500 for a couple dollars) My Iron is in the Multivitamin and my iron levels are okay so no additional. I take B12 shots once a month (I was taking those for years before my RNY though) had my gallbladder taken out many years before RNY and my doc doesn't require Prilosec or similar if you're not experiencing heartburn or other issues.

Moral of the story? Ask your surgeon as obviously we all have very different instructions!!!

HW 312, pre-op (RNY) 255, current weight 198

[meyouus 415]

I'm walking away from this that it does cost a lot, and I know it varies. * I'm almost at the poverty level, I'm on Medicare, I am on permanent Disability with a PT job to supplement. We can't afford "saving" with adding Humana so our pharmacy has us on some sort of NY prescription assistance. * Asking about money when there are much more serious questions to ask might seem trivial to some, but medical bills suck up all my income. So it's not trivial to me. * Otherwise, the RNY sounds good so far!

[meyouus 415]

I do take stool softeners pretty regularly, didn't think about those (I buy a bottle of 500 for a couple dollars) My Iron is in the Multivitamin and my Iron levels are okay so no additional. I take B12 shots once a month (I was taking those for years before my RNY though) had my gallbladder taken out many years before RNY and my doc doesn't require Prilosec or similar if you're not experiencing heartburn or other issues.

Moral of the story? Ask your surgeon as obviously we all have very different instructions!!!

HW 312, pre-op (RNY) 255, current weight 198

What are B12 shots, and why not a pill?

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

I do not absorb B12 well through my GI tract so we bypass that and inject the Vitamin in a shot once a month. A lot of bypass patients don't absorb B12 well and some of us were lucky enough to not absorb it even when we had normal stomachs. Low B12 can cause severe anemia, fatigue, and neurological damage.

HW 312, pre-op (RNY) 255, current weight 198

[meyouus 415]

Thanks SoccerMomma, Do you have to go anywhere in particular for the shot? * Do you have to pay for a visit AND the shot? Just being nosey.

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

Thanks SoccerMomma' date=' Do you have to go anywhere in particular for the shot? * Do you have to pay for a visit AND the shot? Just being nosey. [/quote']

I cheat . I'm a family practice physician assistant so my nurse gives me the shot when we have a down moment. I don't have to pay a co-pay but some insurances do. You'd just have to ask.

HW 312, pre-op (RNY) 255, current weight 198

[meyouus 415]

Awww, cheater, cheater pumpkin eater. You lucky lady!

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

One of the perks! Good luck with your decision. It's not easy, but it's so much better than the lap and was

HW 312, pre-op (RNY) 255, current weight 198

[mskami77 295]

I'm walking away from this that it does cost a lot' date=' and I know it varies. * I'm almost at the poverty level, I'm on Medicare, I am on permanent Disability with a PT job to supplement. We can't afford "saving" with adding Humana so our pharmacy has us on some sort of NY prescription assistance. * Asking about money when there are much more serious questions to ask might seem trivial to some, but medical bills suck up all my income. So it's not trivial to me. * Otherwise, the RNY sounds good so far![/quote']

Some programs cover certain Vitamins if you have a prescription. Check into it. Maybe not all but possibly some would help. I hope you find a way to cover supplements. I would hate for you to not have surgery because of the Vitamins. Good luck.

[meyouus 415]

Some programs cover certain Vitamins if you have a prescription. Check into it. Maybe not all but possibly some would help. I hope you find a way to cover supplements. I would hate for you to not have surgery because of the vitamins. Good luck.

Thanks, I'd not be pleased with that either. I just have to do some math, on a mock Vitamin, etc. list. Like someone said, I won't know till I see the surgeon, do the test's, have the actual surgery, etc! * Then I think, like SoccerMomma said, I'll save that much in food bills. Makes sense to me. Wow, now I gotta start dieting and logging my food. This certainly is a progress. Whew!

[terry1118 1,274]

I take:

Flintstones Complete - 2 daily

Vitamin B sublingual (500 is recommended but I take a higher dose) - 1 daily

Calcium Citrate plus D - chewables 2 daily or fruit chews 6 daily

Vitamin D 1000 - 2 daily (I tend to be deficient in D)

Biotin - 1 daily

The Flintstones are cheap at Walmart or Target. I get the others at CVS - I stock up whenever they have their buy1/get1 sale.

I also take stool softener (cheap generic) and Miralax when needed.

I don't find it expensive at all. I used to spend more at Dunkin Donuts alone, not to mention all the other crap I used to buy and eat. :-)

[meyouus 415]

terry, Thanks for the list, it was very helpful. I recognize those Vitamins and I think I could pull that off. Why do you use Biotin? Does dry mouth occur frequently in RNY patients? I see it mentioned often. * About that DD, I'm a major addict, shamefully to say. I don't eat their products, but I drink a lot of the Lg. Iced coffee with five shots of mocha, two cream and 8 sugars. And I drink four a day, Decaf. We don't have to pay for them, we're hooked up. I know, that's massive atrocity. I MFP'd them and the results were/are damaging, I'm a food addict, but more so a sugary drink addict. And I see that that's gonna have to stop, period. I've always wanted to be a Water drinker, but I hate plain water. Someone once told me to put lemon or lime in the water, apparently there's a bunch of great reasons to drink lime water. Oh my do I have an internal crisis when I drink only water. Oh, and I can't use artificial sweeteners for medical reasons.