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Vitamin List
It is important that you take vitamin supplements every day for the rest of your life after having a gastric bypass. The key vitamins that are necessary include vitamin B12, iron, and calcium. We recommend that you take a multivitamin, plus extra calcium, iron, and B12 supplements. This is because most multivitamins do not have sufficient calcium, iron, or B12, and because you will have decreased absorption of these substances after a gastric bypass. Start all vitamins within the first few weeks after surgery.
- Multivitamin/mineral supplement, twice daily with food. Chewable supplements are necessary for the first two to three months after surgery because you cannot swallow large pills (bigger than an aspirin) and they are easier to digest and absorb. Choose one of the following:
- Flintstone’s Complete
- Centrum Chewables
A few months after surgery, or when you feel you are able to swallow large pills (bigger than an aspirin), you may switch to non-chewable supplements if you would like to. Choose one of the following:
- One-A-Day Maximum
- One-A-Day Today
- Centrum Performance
- Centrum with lycopene
- Centrum Carb Assist
- Calcium with vitamin D, twice daily with food for at least 1000mg per day. Again, chewable supplements must be taken for the first two to three months after surgery because you cannot swallow large pills (bigger than an aspirin) and they are easier to digest and absorb. Because calcium is such a large mineral, many patients prefer to stay on chewable calcium supplements because the non-chewables are just too big. Choose one of the following:
- Citracal Creamy Bites
- Viactiv
- Caltrate 600 Plus Chewables
Please remember not to take your calcium with your iron supplement as the two interfere with one another. Calcium and iron should be taken at least two hours apart.
- Iron, once daily with food. If you become constipated after surgery and believe your iron supplement is the cause, please call the office for suggestions on how to alleviate this problem. Again, please remember not to take your calcium with your iron supplement as the two interfere with one another. Calcium and iron should be taken at least two hours apart. Choose one of the following:
- GNC Iron 18
- Ferro-Sequels
- Fergon
- Slow-Fe
- B12, choose one of the following:
- Monthly B12 shots, at your PCP’s office or self-administered
- 500mcg sublingual (under-the-tongue) B12 daily, which can be purchased at any drug store, GNC store, or Vitamin World.
It is important to take your B12 either sublingually (under-the-tongue) or by injection because you cannot digest or absorb B12 after having gastric bypass surgery.
Sample Vitamin Schedule
Breakfast: Multivitamin/mineral supplement
Calcium w/ D
Sublingual B12
Lunch: Iron
Dinner: Multivitamin/mineral supplement
Calcium w/ D
If you plan to take any multivitamin, calcium, iron, or B12 supplement that is not listed on this handout, please bring it into the office so we can make sure it is equivalent to the supplements that are listed on this handout.
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