Protein drinks and vitamins

[LainieG 132]

Can someone tell me the average cost spent per month for the Vitamins and Protein Drinks. Does Medicare cover these ?

Thanks !!

[microdot 28]

Medicare does not cover them. I use mostly Twin Labs Vitamins, and they cost me roughly $100, about every 6-8 weeks. The shakes vary, depending on the ones you like. I drink Pure Protein, and they run between $2.20 - 2.99 per can, depending on where you get them. You can also do powders, but I like the convenience of the cans. I had Gastric Bypass, so I am sure if we would still take the same Vitamin combination. I now get my D-3 at Walmart pretty cheap. Hope this helps!

[JamieLogical 8,710]

Protein shakes will be much cheaper if you buy powder and mix it yourself, versus buying pre-mixed shakes.< /p>

Vitamins are going to be pricey, depending on what your surgeon/nutritionist requires. My nutritionist wants me on a bariatric Multivitamin three times per day for the rest of my life. I've seen some on here saying they only take two Flintstone chewables per day. So that's quite a range in pricing. The bariatric Vitamins I will be taking are about $100 for a four month supply, so $25/month. A quick search of my local grocery store's website shows Flintstones selling for $6.29 for a 60 count, so that would be a month supply if you were only taking two per day. So, that's a pretty big range in prices from $6.29 to $25 per month depending on your surgeon's recommendations.

In addition to a Multivitamin, you will likely also be taking Calcium citrate with D3, sublingual B12, and possibly some Probiotics. These all vary in price as well. I paid $16 for a three-month supply of calcium citrate with D3, so that's $5.30 per month. I paid $10 for a three month supply of B12, so that's $3.33 per month. And my probiotic is $22.50 for a one month supply.

All told, that puts me at $56.13 per month, but I take the expensive bariatric Multivitamins and Probiotics, which not all nutritionists or surgeons will require. If you were only taking Flintstones vitamins and no probiotic, you could get away with as little as about $15 per month.

Edited August 12, 2014 by JamieLogical

[LainieG 132]

Thanks Micro and Jamie, this helps a lot just kind of know what to expect. I just had no idea. I tried the Pure Protein also and the Premium Protein and liked the Premium a little better, although very close. Does the powder have the same taste as the cans. What do you mix it into, Water, milk ??

[JamieLogical 8,710]

I've only tried two brands of powder so far. I started with Body Fortress whey Isolate (vanilla) from Walmart and it sat very heavily in my stomach, even though it tasted pretty good. I felt over-full and sick for a couple of hours afterward.

I recently purchased NOW whey Protein Isolate (unflavored) from Amazon and that seems to digest a lot better for me. Since it's unflavored, I use Torani sugar-free syrups to flavor it. I bought six different flavors of the syrups and I mix-and-match them. Orange + vanilla bean tastes like a creamsicle. Irish Cream + chocolate tastes like a mudslide. Yumm! I've also tried the strawberry, which I like the taste of, but I accidentally spilled some on my counter and it actually left a stain. They went a little overboard on the food coloring there, I think. I haven't tried the Lime yet... will be trying that tomorrow!

At the suggestion of my nutritionist, I mix mine with 4 oz. of unsweetened almond milk, plus some Water and ice.