calcium

I am just curious what everyone else takes for calcium. My nut, Amanda Poulin in Bangor told me to take the Viactiv chews, 2 of them a day. I love them but I have read on other boards over and over again people say it is not the correct kind of calcium for wls patients to have. Is that true? Does anyone else take these?

I have been taking calcium supplements for a few years now because of a parathyroid condition.  I use to take carbonate but have switch to citrate beccause of RNY surgery.  I have read numerous posts about malabsorption of RNY patients and that carbonate takes too long to break down resulting in not absorbing enough from the supplement.  I use 500 mg of the walmart brand of Citracal w/ Vit D plus another 1000 IU's of Vit D 3 because of a deficency prior to surgery.  I have not increased the dosage as of yet.  I hope that helps!

I've read about us RNY'ers not absorbing the carbonate too.  I usually take a generic Calcium plus D.  I've had to stop it now for a few days because of the lack of bm's though.....Sorry...TMI!!!!!!

Glad you asked the question I had been just decideing that I think I am going to change to he citrate form I was reading that too.

i took the viactiv at first but I was dumping on them so stopped taking them..I take 2 tums a day for my calcium..If i take anything else it makes my joints hurt..so they told me it was ok to take tums..

Yup, the wrong kind of calcium.  We need Calcium Citrate and don't absorb the Carbonite.  Bariatric Advantage has some yummy ones on their website, they are kind of pricy but they are good. Come in Cinnamon and Chocolate.  They just kind of melt in your mouth.

Now this bugs me !!

I've been taking 600 mg Calcium Carbonate with Vit. D plus an addt'l. 400 IU D3 for years (per PCP).  I took these with me to my initial NUT consultation with Tama...and was told "yup, that's fine..."
and again at my 3 month check-up visit...and again was told "yup, that's fine...but now instead of just one a day I want you to take two, one in the morning and one in the late afternoon or early evening." 
The Citrate was never even mentioned or suggested to me...??
If I shouldn't be taking this type WHY wasn't I told that instead of "yup, that's fine"...???
Errrrrrrrr !!

Unfortunately medicine is an art and not a science. As you've probably read on the RNY board if you follow that, different surgeons have different protocols - which makes this all very confusing - especially when one is say "absolutley not" to something and the other says "that's ok" to the same thing. Who's right? I don't know for sure.

Last fall there was a bariatric supplementation guide published - it did not say that carbonate would not work from what I read, but suggested citrate might be a better choice since we malabsorb and citrate is absorbed 25%-27% more effectively. I have this guide if you want a copy - just pm me your email addy - I can't link it here.

I'm not always convinced the nut dept at emmc is the best at bariatrics - I would also suggest discussing with your surgeon as well if you are concerned.

Hmmm....you are the second one recently that I've heard this from. When I went through the program they told me no to the Viactiv. I've been doing Citracal tablets since 2 weeks out.

ooooh, so viactiv is a no no.  woops thats what i have been taking. guess i wil have to find a new vitamin before surgery.  thanks for the info y'all