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Throwing up vitamins

Tracie

New Member
I had the duodenal switch on 2/18/19 and am having problems with my vitamins. The smell of them cause me to gag and once I swallow them, I start to throw up. I’ve tried hiding them in yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding, my protein shake, but all to the same result. I know most of it is mental, but smells have been really intensified post surgery. Any suggestions? Thanks so much!
 
Good evening,
A family member has the same issue, can't get it past the sniffer:) I used the liquid vitamin and it wasn't bad at all it was citrus flavored. I prefer the gummies they are like a candy treat. I use a multi vitamin and bone and health( the ladies tend to have poor bone density in my family) I also have a B12 gummy. I plan to take an iron pill which is small once doc gives me the okay.
Keep us posted and best wishes!
 
Thank you both! I did call my doctor yesterday and they prescribed me an anti-nausea pill. It seems to be helping and I’ve only gagged a couple of times - a big improvement! They are researching ways to avoid smells. I’ve tried the liquid meds and even that causes me to get sick. I was able to at least get my B12 down today, so I’m happy with that! Thanks for the concern and I’ll keep you posted!
 
HI Trae, I hope you're feeling okay. I was told I would be on chewable vitamins for the rest of my life so I am on chewable vitamins. I have had the best luck with Trader Joe's women's high potency chewables. They don't taste awful and they don't make you feel sick. But you do have to chew them because after surgery you have malabsorption issues.

I use chewables because whenever I swallow I pill, it feels like it's coming back up. My malabsorption issues have caused me to have iron and calcium infusions.
 
I had the duodenal switch on 2/18/19 and am having problems with my vitamins. The smell of them cause me to gag and once I swallow them, I start to throw up. I’ve tried hiding them in yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding, my protein shake, but all to the same result. I know most of it is mental, but smells have been really intensified post surgery. Any suggestions? Thanks so much!
I am assuming that you’re trying to do regular vitamins oral vitamins. My instruction was from my bariatric group to do only chewable bariatric vitamins. Only liquid calcium. There are some great companies out there, the one that I can recommend online that is my personal favorite is Opurity They have a wonderful multi vitamin chewable that tastes great. They also have an iron and vitamin C combination that is a chewable and it also tastes great and they have a sub lingual B 12 that dissolves very quickly and is cherry flavored. Chewables are the only vitamins you should be trying to take. There is a great liquid calcium out there, Wellesse brand that I order direct from Walmart which is where I get the best price. That is not a Walmart house brand it is an independent vitamin manufacturer. All of these are bariatric recommended because they have the nutritional amounts that are required. Vitamins are not something that are optional. I hope this helps
 
I had the duodenal switch on 2/18/19 and am having problems with my vitamins. The smell of them cause me to gag and once I swallow them, I start to throw up. I’ve tried hiding them in yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding, my protein shake, but all to the same result. I know most of it is mental, but smells have been really intensified post surgery. Any suggestions? Thanks so much!
Try chewable
 
Have you looked at the centrum vitamins for $9.95 they will send you a sample bag of all the different kinds, chewable, etc. I was told by my surgeon to not take gummies something with nutritional value
 
Someone I just met was advised by their bariatric dr to take just one pill, viamin, mineral every 15 minutes. I haven't heard that before.
 
Hello all!!

So, long story short, I’m still struggling. My doctor has taken me off of the vitamins and I was drinking Celebrate 4n1. However, I’ve struggled to keep anything down - liquids or foods. I was told that pain is normal and to essentially get used to it by the doctor. If I was able to keep something down, the pain once it hit my stomach was unbearable. It felt like sharp knives stabbing me. I went back to work one month post op and continued to become weaker and weaker because I could eat or drink anything without pain. Even water caused this reaction. I finally called the doctor on 4/16/18. I was sent in for two rapid infusions of saline due to dehydration. I saw the doctor on 4/18/19 and was immediately admitted to the hospital. I was there for 16 days and still no answers as to the pain. On the 19th, he performed an endoscopy and dilated my esophagus. It helped with the nausea a little. However, when I attempted water or chicken broth, the same stabbing pain was still there. They went to release me on the 21st and I refused to leave. The resident ordered a CT scan and said it wouldn’t show anything. Unfortunately, he was right. It only showed a fatty liver. When I asked him about the next morning, he said it had nothing to do with the pain. He then ordered an Upper GI. Due to the contrast from the CT, they were not able to actually do it until the 25th. It also came back clear. My doctor did another esophageal dilation on the 26th. He was also going to do a diagnostic test while I was under but chose not to at the last minute. I was allowed to try clear liquids the next day with the same result as before. During this time, one of the Nutritionists had been following me and consulted with one of the Internists specializing in nutrition. He started a PICC line and I have been on nutrients since the 30th. During my hospital stay, I was NPO all but two days. I was on potassium chloride for my stay until the PICC line was started to keep hydrated. Once the KCL was stopped, I became dehydrated again so they upped the amount of saline in my PICC line. I went back to the surgeon yesterday for a follow up and he wants to do more surgery - either cut the stomach in a different way or take it out completely. I’m not comfortable with either choice. He has given me until the 16th to decide.

At this point, I’m at the end of my rope. I can’t even drink the most basic life substance- water - without horrendous pain. I’ve started the process for a second opinion and now my surgeon won’t return my calls. I’m literally at the end of my rope with this! Any advice is greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,
Tracie
 
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