Vitamin B and antacids and malabsorption

[Guest guest]

I have been doing some reading about supplements and read an

interesting article in health magazine regarding Vitamin B and

antacids. It explained that folks who use a lot of antacids...(DSers

as well as the general population) can often be low or depleted in

Vitamin B as it takes stomach acids to break down and absorb Vitamin

B. Mostly, we have been told that RNYers have the most problem

needing Vitamin B and I am wondering for all of you post ops who have

had labs done, if anyone has had a low result in their Vitamin B

levels and if anyone is taking additonal supplements over their daily

vitamin?

Also, they say as you age, you produce less and less stomach acids...

(they consider 50 and older, aging...hurumph) which means we " older "

DSers would produce even less acids then younger preops and so even

if we got great labs all along, we could then be lacking in

absorption as we get older. Ok..end of story, but would love

feedback and impressions from you post op veterans out there.

Do you thin it would be warranted to ask for you labs to be drawn

more often than annually after your first year?

How many times a year?

Is anyone as paranoid as I am about malabsorption of vitamins and

calcium as I am?

Do you feel getting a low result from an annual report could severly

endager your health?

Thanks for you help on this,

Theresa

Surgery date: DS Nov. 19, 2001

Dr. Gregg Jossart

Highest weight: 293

Surgery weight: 251

Current weight: 224

Height: 5' 7.5 "