Post of foods and vits... Help please

[Sappho]

I have read so much info on the subject I am now getting a bit confused! I have got chewable multivits and liquid calcium for after the op but I am not sure if I should take the calcium everyday and I cannot find any soluble minerals? Also I read that B12 and Iron are also important. Do any of you peeps take these and how often?

Also, after the op I am supposed to have protein shakes I know but looking at the nutritional content on complan and slimfast there seems to be loads of carbs / sugar so i am worried they will make me dump. What liquids did you all eat for the first couple of weeks until the mushy food stage.

I am starting to panic now, my op is on Fri and I dont feel at all stocked up. I am worried I am going to mess up and not get all the nutrients I need and end up getting ill. Paranoid I know lol!

I must stop reading so many different reports!!

 

[Fashionably Late]

The clinic I am going through now has their own bariatric vitamins and minerals. They were reasonably priced when compared to importing others from the States.

I was told, not by my clinic but by the NHS surgeon I saw, that OTC vitamins and minerals are not strong enough for bariatric patients.

 

[Caroline101061]

stop panicking! Immediately post op you need to take iron and calcium only. My GP prescribed liquid iron but to be honest with you, you should be able to tolerate a small ferrous sulphate pill - I take 200 mgs twice a day so two pills a day. I also take 2 x 1000 adcal D chewy calcium tablets a day - one in the am and one in the pm. You can buy them over the counter at Boots but its cheaper if you get them on prescription. Three months in you need a quarterly B12 shot from your GP. I didnt start taking vitamins until 8 weeks post op and then its Sanatogen A-Z Gold or Complete x 1 a day. At the time of the op you are full of all your own vitamins naturally so its not majorly necessary to take the vitamins. Slimfast shakes are fine to drink post op as is Complan. Remember you wont be eating anything for two weeks and this will be your only source of protein along with skimmed milk so its not a problem. I also had Heinz Tomato Soup which went down a treat. Your body malabsorbs 70% of what you put in it post op so dont worry. Good luck.

 

[swizzlestick]

Hi Sapho

Your surgery provider will give you enough meds for the first 2 weeks at least. They will include,

calcium
multi vit or some description
iron
blood thinning injections
probably some form of pain relief.

When they have run out your gp will then prescribe you

calcium (soluble or chewable)
iron
an extra strong vitamin, Shel mentioned one called forceval gel capsules.

You will then probably have to have vitamin b12 injections once every 3 months, it is recommended that you take 5mg of folic acid a day when you have b12 jabs to help absorbtion. If they give you sugar free liquid folic acid, each 5ml spoonful usually cntains. 2.5mls of the folic itself so you have to take 10mls of the syrup to get the recommended daily dose.

Protein shakes
You can either have these or just add 4 tablespoons of skimmed milk powder to a pint of semi skimmed milk which increases your protein intake, although its very thick :sigh: you can always use it to make a milky coffee. I ordered one of the protein shakes that Nic recommended on one of the protein threads. its ok.........im not a huge fan of any of the protein shakes to be honest but it adds 20gms of protein to my intake each say so I make myself have it.

Its important post op to drink at least a pint of semi skimmed milk a day and drink plenty of water or sugar free squash.

I bought quite a bit pre op.......havent used half of it. the knorr chicken stock cubes got used. the crusha sugar free milkshake syrup got used,
the ww tomato or chicken soups got used and the muller lite yoghurts got used. So dont go out and stock up on too much.
#Good luck for friday

Xx

 

[gillabean]

I was only given the blood thinning injections when I left hospital, no vitamins. I spoke with my doctor who looked at my blood results pre-op and we decided to have another blood test in 3 months to compare them, then act accordingly to rectify any defecits. I am taking a protein shake which is really nice, Phd Pharma Whey and gives me 28g of protein when used with 250ml semi skimmed milk. I take a Superdrug vitamin which gives me the amount of nutrients I need, apart from the calcium (it only gives 30% of daily requirement). But I am having around 1 pint of milk/day so that's that base covered. Good luck mate.

 

[Andrea73]

I was never prescribed any iron. Should I have been??

 

[IRJ]

I wasnt supplied with iron or calcium tablets

 

[swizzlestick]

As bypassers our bodies malabsorb a lot of nutrients we need. Non bypassers manage to hold onto the goodness in their foods our bodies dont. This is why we need extra strength vitamins as we malabsorb.

I found this online.....

New York, NY (1888PressRelease) May 01, 2008 - Frequently when Ajay Goyal, MD of the New Jersey Bariatric Center in Union, meets with patients contemplating weight loss surgery, they’re still debating which surgery, gastric bypass, Lap Band or REALIZE Band, is right for them. “Often, they ask for my opinion from a nutritional standpoint, regarding which one they should pick, or which one is “better,” reports Goyal.

“These are decisions can only be made by patients, together with their doctor, based on their weight, lifestyle, and medical history,” adds Karen Kelly, RD of the NJ Bariatric Center. She reports that she and Dr. Goyal can compare the nutritional effects between surgeries to arm patients with the nutritional side of what life will be like post- gastric bypass, Lap Band or REALIZE Band surgery to factor into their decision.

One of the first considerations to look at nutritionally regarding weight loss surgery is vitamin and protein maintenance. While all three procedures require a multi-vitamin, a calcium supplement and a diet high in protein, Lap Band and REALIZE Band surgery requires less vitamin and protein maintenance than the gastric bypass. When bypassing the stomach and initial section of the small intestine as one does in gastric bypass surgery, you also bypass the area where B12, a key nutrient, is prepped it binds with a stomach enzyme to be absorbed in the small intestine. It’s therefore very important that gastric bypass patients take a daily supplement of B12, which is placed under the tongue so it can be absorbed directly into the bloodstream.

Protein supplements are also an important part of a weight loss surgery patient’s diet. It’s important for a Lap Band and REALIZE Band patients to supplement protein for the first two weeks after their surgery while they’re on a full liquid diet, and for gastric bypass patients to take a protein supplement for the rest of their life. The mal-absorptive nature of gastric bypass results in not only preventing the absorption of part of the calories one eats, but also the absorption of the proteins and nutrients one needs to survive. That’s why gastric bypass patients will need to supplement proteins and vitamins (Iron, Calcium, Vitamin B12) for the rest of their lives. To ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need to stay healthy, your doctor will perform annual blood check to see if you are adequately talking these vitamins and minerals. Note: the side effects of not regularly taking supplemental proteins and multivitamins can take years to develop in some cases and by then it can be too late to replete the body of these essential building blocks so it’s essential you follow the supplement regimen your doctor prescribes.

So, now it seems like the decision is simple – the Lap Band or REALIZE Band is the way to go, less vitamin and protein supplements to deal with, therefore it must be easier. It’s actually the opposite, Lap Band and REALIZE Band patients must be more vigilant about what they eat than gastric bypass patients.

Here’s why. Let’s use liquids as an example- specifically liquid calories such as juices, sodas and fancy coffee drinks. For weight loss in general, it’s recommended to avoid all liquid calories. It’s even more important with weight loss surgery. Due to the mal-absorptive component of gastric bypass, liquid calories that are sweet will cause a patient to experience dumping syndrome (nausea, sweating, increased heart rate). Dumping syndrome is unpleasant, and experiencing it once often prevents patients from consuming these high calorie beverages again. This side effect, while unpleasant, helps curb a patient’s desire for unhealthy foods such as sweets. However,Lap Band or REALIZE Band patients can consume liquid calories without experiencing dumping syndrome. The absence of the mal-absorptive nature of the Lap Band or REALIZE Band doesn’t give their body the signal that these beverages are not good for them, thus making compliance with dietary restrictions more rigorous.

All surgeries – gastric bypass, Lap Band or REALIZE Band - have their pros and cons from a nutritional stand point, and choosing one is an individual decision based on your doctor’s counsel, your lifestyle and your tolerance to the different restrictive natures of both procedures. Regardless of which procedure you decide to move forward with, adopting an overall healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition and exercise is the key to success.

The New Jersey Bariatric Center, led by Dr. Ajay Goyal, has offices in Union and Hoboken, New Jersey. Dr. Goyal’s approach to patient care has resulted in zero mortality to date and a complication rate that is lower than the national average. These surgical results stand out as some of the best in New Jersey. If you or someone you love is considering bariatric surgery – gastric bypass or lap band procedure - please join us for one of our free educational seminars. To register, visit us at www.njbaritriccenter.com.

New Jersey Bariatric Center
700 Rahway Avenue
Union, NJ 07083
908-378-1779
Fax: 908-688-8861
New Jersey Bariatric Surgery - NJ Weight Loss Surgery - Gastric Bypass Surgeon
New Jersey NJ Lap Band Surgery

 

[Sappho]

Thats very useful, thanks

 

[sukay]

Just been prescribed

Calcichew (calcium) - 2 tabs per day
Ferrous Fumarate (iron) - 1 tab per day (not within 3 hours of calcium)
B12 injection (every 12 weeks)

in addition to
Urdox (for gall bladder)
Lansoprasole (for stomach)

Also will be asking the doctor to prescribe Forceval multivitamins