Diet and exercise did not help you lose weight, so you decided to have bariatric surgery. Great job! Bariatric surgery helped you lose significant weight and improve your health.
However, weight loss surgery is not a miracle cure. You will still need to make healthy choices and eat nutritious foods. You will also need to take vitamins and minerals to prevent nutrient deficiencies.
What Happens If You Don’t Take Vitamins After Surgery?
You may be at risk for developing vitamin deficiencies when you are not taking vitamins after gastric sleeve surgery. That’s because, post surgery, the size of your stomach decreases and your gut cannot absorb all the nutrients from the food you eat as it could before.
This could lead to some common gastric sleeve vitamin deficiency symptoms such as:
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Muscle cramps
- Depression
- Trouble concentrating
- Headaches
You may also experience hair loss, brittle nails, and dry skin. In severe cases, vitamin deficiencies can also lead to life-threatening health problems, such as heart failure, stroke, and cancer. Fortunately, your vitamin regimen following your bariatric surgery will help prevent these health problems.
Vitamin Recommendations for Bariatric Patients
You may think, “What vitamins should I take after gastric sleeve surgery”? Well, your bariatric surgeon or physician will likely prescribe a vitamin regimen or vitamins after Bariatric Surgery – a list of what vitamins to take post bariatric for you to follow.
The prescribed dosage will depend on:
- The type of procedure you’ve had
- Your current health
- Nutritional deficiencies that need to be corrected
Gastric Bypass:
Doctors often recommend that patients take a multivitamin with iron and calcium citrate daily. Vitamin B12 shots or sublingual vitamin B12 (under the tongue) are also recommended.
Gastric Sleeve:
Symptoms of vitamin deficiency after gastric sleeve account for many postoperative visits. Vitamin B12 deficiency is more common than other deficiencies and is easily detected with serum laboratory testing. The recommended dose of vitamin B12 is 1000 mcg intramuscularly or subcutaneously monthly for life. Otherwise, a complete multivitamin, calcium with Vitamin D, and iron supplement are recommended for lifelong supplementation.
Gastric Band Surgery:
Whether you undergo a gastric sleeve in Mexico or a Gastric Band Surgery, you will need tailored vitamin supplements with iron, calcium, and vitamin B12.
Everyone is unique. You may need to take more or less than the recommendations above to meet your daily vitamin and mineral needs. Work with your physician or nutritionist to find the proper vitamin regimen. If you are not sure whether you are taking the right vitamins or experiencing any vitamin deficiency symptoms, be sure to contact Hospital BCN.