Prescribed multi vitamins?

[Clare*]

Hello ..

I saw my gp a few days ago , i asked him if he could prescribe 'Forceval' for after my bypass (i have to have a pre payment card ) and my gp refused and said that the nhs dont provide food supplements! has anyone had forceval prescribed from their bariatric team?
Thanks for reading xxx

 

[Big an Bouncy]

Hes talking c**p!Everyone gets Forceval on the nhs if your team advises it,for gods sake you will be on it for life.Its a neccessity not a supplement.Are you sure he wasnt thinking of Forcemel?Thats a protein drink that you can buy.

 

[Jane]

I think that your dr has got a bit confused. All bypass patients need forceval (or similar)as we are not able to get the goodness we need from the little food we eat. My hospital wrote to gp with a list of blood tests, and what vitamins I needed after week 4. These were prescribed without any issue at all.

Once you have had the op you may find that they communicat with each other and you will have no problem. If there is an issue, then ask the bariatric team to contact your gp.

 

[starr]

this is a great example of lack of knowledge on our wls journey by some doctors,it amazes me that we have to tell the medics what we need!,and even more, how quick some are to refuse our requests without checking them out first, im glad post oppers give so much info on here,it does make it easier when we come up against problems like this ,thanks to all of yous x

 

[luckyla]

Hes talking c**p!Everyone gets Forceval on the nhs if your team advises it,for gods sake you will be on it for life.Its a neccessity not a supplement.Are you sure he wasnt thinking of Forcemel?Thats a protein drink that you can buy.

Hi

Is Forceval only for bypass patients? I had a sleeve.

 

[Karlos]

Forceval is not a food supplement it is a vitamin supplement. The bypass means that the part of our intestines that would normally absorb vitamins is bypassed, so although in time we will absorb more calories from the food we eat as our bodies adapt, we will never properly absorb the vitamins, hence we have to take Forceval for life post op. You will also need Iron and calcium supplements too and again your GP will be told to prescribe these for you.

If your GP is still acting like a complete tit post op ask your surgeon to make it very clear what you need on your post op letter

 

[yorkiegal]

My GP had no issue in prescribing me iron and calcium tablets. She asked about vitamins and I said I was willing to get them from Boots. I'd rather buy the smallest I can than end up with free horse sized pills.
The only argument we had was over the lansoprazole. I wanted to continue with the chewable tabs and she wanted me to have the normal big pills that you swallow. She also didn't realise that I'd be on those for life. I gave her my most mulish expression and won the argument lol. I presume the chewable tabs are more expensive.

 

[lamornamiss]

The only argument we had was over the lansoprazole. I wanted to continue with the chewable tabs and she wanted me to have the normal big pills that you swallow. She also didn't realise that I'd be on those for life. I gave her my most mulish expression and won the argument lol. I presume the chewable tabs are more expensive.

Yes they are more expensive you can change to the big ones when you are over 6 weeks out.
My surgeon said I only needed Lansoprazole for the first 6-8 weeks

 

[Karlos]

My GP had no issue in prescribing me iron and calcium tablets. She asked about vitamins and I said I was willing to get them from Boots. I'd rather buy the smallest I can than end up with free horse sized pills.
The only argument we had was over the lansoprazole. I wanted to continue with the chewable tabs and she wanted me to have the normal big pills that you swallow. She also didn't realise that I'd be on those for life. I gave her my most mulish expression and won the argument lol. I presume the chewable tabs are more expensive.

You should check the specification of your Boots vits against Forcival. They don't recommend Forcival for the sake of it, they do so because they are the best. They also contain folic acid so if your Boots vits don't then you would need to take that separately.

I much prefer the small capsule Lansoprazole to those horrible fast tab chewable ones. They can also irritate your mouth if you don't drink water as soon as you have swallowed them. You might well find that you don't need them at all after a couple of years out, I was advised to come off them at my two year check up

 

[Miss Tickle]

Hi everyone. what is Lansoprazole ?
Do you think this GP has mixed up the Forceval with Fortimel-one being a vitamin and the other a protein drink? I know the protein drinks are about £2.50 per drink as they are on my post -op diet.
And while on the subject of supplements-does everyone have to have B12 injections? I'm post menopause and wonder if that makes a difference?

 

[Jane]

I don't have b12 injections, but so far as I know no-one from my hospital was prescribed them.

Lansoprizol (sp?) is a medication that helps prevent acid. I was on it pre-op anyway, and had to take double the amount for the first six weeks. I have now gone back to the standard one tab dose. Lots of people only take this for the first few months, but your team will explain all this to you when you go in.

I think the gp in question is just being a numpty, he gets to become more informed. Trouble is most gp's only see one or two wls patients, so don't really get clued up on it all. I am the second person ever in my surgery to be put forward for surgery and the first to actually have it, so my gp is on a learning curve too!

 

[Andrea73]

I don't get forceval prescribed either. It wasn't it my letter to my GP from Mr Ammori either so I just take a multivit and mineral tablet like multibionita (sp). I just wonder if this is strong enough.

 

[Clare*]

Hi All , thank you so much for your advice ....I gave my gp the form that my pre op assesment nurse gave me ,and it clearly stated 'forceval for life' so he wasnt confused between the protein drink and the vit tab... to be honest my gp is not supporting my wls journey , right from day one he advised me against the idea (i need urgent spinal fusion , which is the reason for my wls) so i am on the brink of finding a new gp ...grumpy old bugger.

Thanks for your advice

 

[yorkiegal]

my dietician originally told me to take boots chewable multivitamins. Then when I saw her last week at 5 weeks post op she said to continue with those until they had run out, and then change to one of the following which contains more vits and minerals:

Sanatogen A-Z complete
Sainsburys Multivitamins and Minerals
Asda A-Z Multivitamins and Minerals
Tesco Complete Multivitamins and Minerals
Centrum Complete A-Z
or have Forceval prescribed by GP.

 

[shelbell]

Yes I have b12 injections every 3 months per life. Some surgeons prefer to test regularly and start them if low, however once b12 has dropped it is hard to raise and low b12 has extremely horrid effects including psychosis so most prefer not to take the risk.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[yorkiegal]

I didn't realise psychosis was a side effect of low B12. I'll be sure to keep on top of my gp with that then. I have a history of psychosis and don't want to end up back on a secure ward simply because I'm deficient in a vitamin!

 

[shelbell]

It can cause Korschkoff's Syndrome (sp?) which causes psychosis.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[Big an Bouncy]

Something else thet dont tell you about!

 

[Miss Tickle]

I was at college with a woman who had been on a secure unit due to psychosis. They thought she was schizophrenic but she did not respond to treatment. After several months they found she had severe pernicious anaemia ( caused by B12 deficiency) and that was causing the psychosis.
B12 is definitely one to watch !

 

[rainbow27]

That is so scary! The more I hear about this op the worse I feel x