Patch Md

[Bubba2]

Has anyone tried the vitamins patch? My Dr. gave me a months supply of multivitamin plus it’s a small patch you ware and it supplies you with your daily vitamins.

[DHB]

I saw them advertised and asked my nutritionist if I could use them but she said the efficacy is "unproven" so told me she wanted me to use the other vitamins for now. I would love to use them so I hope they work.

[Gvn71]

I wouldn't want to! I actually like taking my vitamins! They are all chewable, and they taste good. Kind of like a quick healthy snack (oh the mental game is strong here).....

[Bubba2]

I love my gummies and chewables. She said they were great for post op. I’m going to do them for the month and see how I feel. Thanks for you’ll input.

[Christie13]

If they work I would love a patch. My multi is a gummy because the liquid/pills make me sick. And I know that gummies are not ideal for sleevers. So if the patch works, I would be all over that. When they test your vitamin levels let us know how they are working.

[Ann2]

First, a disclaimer: I've not used patches myself.

But I've seen numerous reports on this WLS board and several other WLS boards that, long-term, the patches do not supply the level of nutritional support that VSG-ers need post-op. My surgeon's team are not fans of the patches, and they are very well informed, frequently attending bariatric conferences for medical professionals.

The real measure of the sufficiency of our supplements to support our nutrition will come several years post-op. For most people who are VSG patients, that's if and when their levels may start to show issues. FYI, one study found that 5 years post-op VSG patients had vitamin and mineral deficiencies similar to those of 5-year post-op gastric bypass (RnY) patients, whose surgery was once considered to invite more nutrient malabsorption than sleevers'.

FYI, some of the common deficiencies that appear in sleevers include B12, B1, folic acid, iron, vitamin D, and calcium. But other deficiencies can also occur.

Remember that many obese patients pre-op are already deficient in vitamins and minerals. Remember, also, that you can take too many supplements and raise levels of some vitamins and minerals to toxic levels that produce their own negative situations/conditions.

Below are some links where you can read about studies concerning post-op vitamin/mineral deficiencies and supplementation for VSG patients:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3021197/

http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newar...50114p44.shtml

The Big Takeaway: At a minimum, annual post-bariatric surgery blood panels, are required for sleeved patients. IMHO, anyone who doesn't have annual blood panels designed for WLS patients is inviting some serious long-term health issues.

[Cale]

Listen to your doctor. Some patches probably work better than others. He very likely knows what works and what doesn't.