Daily Vitamin Question

sarahv · 04-22-2006, 09:51 PM

I am preband and was wondering about my daily vitamin. I started working out and taking a diet pill and watching what I ate in February. In March when I'd lost all of NOTHING(!) I ditched the diet pill and opted instead to march on in my workouts and to start taking a multi vitamin (one a day weight smart) instead of the diet pill.....
Well - once I am banded - can I still take them?
I believe its the additional B vitamins that assist in weight loss - but what if they don't fit through the stoma? How big is it? What if it tries to get through going sideways? Can you mash a vitamin?

Sorry if this sounds dumb - but I really don't want my new best friend (the band) to surprise me with anything :)

sleepyjean · 04-22-2006, 10:05 PM

Any pills you swallow will need to be smaller than a pencil eraser or else chewable. You can also cut the pills in half (if they aren't an extended release formula). Lots of people switch to liquid or chewable vitamins and other supplements.

maryb · 04-22-2006, 10:09 PM

Centrum Chewables & Flinstone Complete are both good choices in Vitamins.

I crush my solid pill meds & float my capsules until soft to take. I have not had any problems.

Tricia K. · 04-22-2006, 10:10 PM

My surgeon recommended Flintstone's Chewables Multi-Vitamin (2 per day) in place of a regular pill. That's what I take every day, along with 2 Viactiv calcium chews.

3loves · 04-23-2006, 01:03 AM

My surgeon recommends Viactiv Multi-Vitamin chewables. I plan to take the chocolate and count it as a daily treat for me. I haven't actually tried them yet, but I've heard people on here that have. Hey Tricia K. do you know if they taste the same as the calcium chewables? I know Wal-Mart carries them.

Good luck!!

Stitchy · 04-23-2006, 02:57 AM

My doc says Flintstones chewables, or I think Costco has the same thing that look like dragons or some such creature

Morsaille · 04-23-2006, 05:20 AM

The Costco ones aren't bad. I cut them for my niblet, and I take a Centrum. When I run out, I may switch to hers. Cute dinosaurs.
If it's the B-vitamins you are looking for either go natural and eat more fruits & veggies or take a b-complex. Some of those are pretty small.

**Elisabethsew** · 04-23-2006, 05:56 AM

I am 3.5 weeks post-op and have no problem taking any pills. I don't get a first fill until June 5 but my surgeon said to break any pills bigger than a dime in half.

Tricia K. · 04-23-2006, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3loves

My surgeon recommends Viactiv Multi-Vitamin chewables. I plan to take the chocolate and count it as a daily treat for me. I haven't actually tried them yet, but I've heard people on here that have. Hey Tricia K. do you know if they taste the same as the calcium chewables? I know Wal-Mart carries them.

Good luck!!

From my experience, yes, they do taste the same. I have the caramel flavored ones. They're delicious!! I bought the industrial size container from Sam's Club. :)

As far as their multi-vitamin is concerned, my surgeon told me that they don't have enough iron in them. As bandsters, we need to keep our iron levels in check. Thus, my taking the Flintstones Chewables. Of course, as we all know, almost every surgeon is different.

3loves · 04-23-2006, 12:52 PM

Tricia ~ Sounds like a good thing to add to my list of questions. I got low on iron when I was pregnant and I remember the horse pills I had to take.....can't be doing that with a band. I will double check with him on the iron.....THANKS!!!

Tricia K. · 04-23-2006, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3loves

Tricia ~ Sounds like a good thing to add to my list of questions. I got low on iron when I was pregnant and I remember the horse pills I had to take.....can't be doing that with a band. I will double check with him on the iron.....THANKS!!!

You're very welcome! :)

fiveholts714 · 04-23-2006, 01:38 PM

I take a children's chewable and a viactiv daily

Dragonwillow · 04-23-2006, 03:40 PM

I've still been taking the normal viatimins. I haven't had any promblems but should I stop? I guess I should show them to the nutrionist Tuesday

sleepyjean · 04-23-2006, 06:19 PM

If I can get away with it, I'm going back to my regular vitamins as soon as possible. Has anyone else noticed - chewable and liquid vitamins don't have as many vitamins and minerals in them as regular vitamins. The label on the liquid centrum bottle is about half the size as the label on the regular centrum, and the viactive vitamins don't have much compared to centrum. Why is that, I wonder?

My PCP told me to stop taking my vitamins, calcium, iron, and biotin supplements until after the surgery. I guess it's no big deal, but I have this horrible feeling that if I don't take the biotin every day, every last hair will fall off my head - and I don't have thick hair to begin with!

Tricia K. · 04-23-2006, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepyjean

If I can get away with it, I'm going back to my regular vitamins as soon as possible. Has anyone else noticed - chewable and liquid vitamins don't have as many vitamins and minerals in them as regular vitamins. The label on the liquid centrum bottle is about half the size as the label on the regular centrum, and the viactive vitamins don't have much compared to centrum. Why is that, I wonder?

My PCP told me to stop taking my vitamins, calcium, iron, and biotin supplements until after the surgery. I guess it's no big deal, but I have this horrible feeling that if I don't take the biotin every day, every last hair will fall off my head - and I don't have thick hair to begin with!

I've never studied the regular Centrum bottle but Flintstones Complete is a good source for vitamins. You may wish to compare them.