calcium citrate

these pills are soo big they dont go down very easy-is there smaller ones or something. I always have a bland taste in my mouth even the fod i eat seems to have this taste. It seems even worse after taking pillsl Im 7 weeks out now but is yucky taste normal or do your taste buds go wackey or what.

You're very early out and should probably be staying away from pills for now... there are chewables available.  Some even supposedly taste like chocolate... perhaps try (if you haven't yet) posting about it on the main board as there's a lot more traffic over there. There's also a powder (supposedly flavorless) called UpCal-D which Vitalady sells (possibly other places too) if nothing else, get yourself a pill crusher (or old fashioned mortar & pestal) and crush your tablets and mix them in with a cup of applesauce or pudding. Good luck.

What is this taste? Describe it if you can...

Metallic taste can be from:
ULCERS!
Medications!
Fillings, etc:
http://www.atlantadentist.com/metallic_taste_in_mouth.html

Dry mouth may be from not getting enough water in...8 cups at least or more! Especially during this rapid wt loss time and malnutritive state you may be in due to surgery (expected)..

It can also be the weird taste of an program that shifts your body to a Ketosis-Based Metabolism (like WLS when we focus on protein only for a while! like Atkins etc)....When you reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat (your goal should be less than 10g per meal) in conjunction with the tool your WLS has given you, (eating a limited amount of food) your body starts to break down the fat storage you have built up.

When fats are used exclusively as fuels they are converted to energy and excess ketones are a byproduct of this chemical process. The build up of ketones in your bloodstream results in a condition called "ketosis". Ketones are a normal and efficient source of energy for the human body.

Ketones are produced in the liver from fatty acids when there is not enough glucose (blood sugar) in the bloodstream to supply the body with the energy it needs. The fats in your last meal and those stored in your body are used for fuel (energy). Once the liver converts fats to ketones, they cannot be converted back to fat, and so they are excreted from your body through your urine and saliva glands. It is the excretion of this energy that doesn't have to be burned up by your normal metabolic processes that accelerates your weight-loss. How Do I Know if I'm Burning Fat for Fuel? These are some ways you may identify if you are burning fat as your primary source of fuel:
1. Ketones give your breath a sickly, fruity odor. This causes a bad taste in the mouth and can cause food and liquids to have an undesirable taste. Some people describe it as a "metallic" taste.



Citrical has petites they are smaller but u need more of them...Up your water I bet that will help!

I use UpcalD from it is $11 can of 227 servings tasteless and mix in anything! so at 3 servings a day lasts 75 days! for $11! http://www.colonialmedical.com/product.php?productid=20018&cat=0&page=1

Some like Bariatric Advantage chewables www.bariatricadvantage.com more pricey, chocolate, mint, lemon and cherry...~$30 for bottle 180 (2 tabs=400mg)so if you take 1,500mg day need 4 servings a day or 8 tabs...you get 22.5 days for $30

Vitalady www.vitalady.com has a liquid (even More expensive) tropical oasis liquid calcium citrate 2 servings =~500mg so need 6 servings a day at 32 servings/bottle for $17!!! that would last 5.3days!

I take Citracal Petities. They are smaller than the regular Citracal, but still on the big size. I had alot of trouble taking those huge pills at the beginning too. I too had a yucky taste in my mouth. It wound up being a low B12 level. Since I have been taking B12 supps, it's gone. You might want to mention it to your surgeon and see if he wants to order any tests. Good luck! Hugs, Lisa

I too have lots of difficulty with the huge calcium pills. So I ended up ordering the calcium citrate from bariatriceating.com. These seem to be working the best for me..  http://www.bariatriceating.com/chcacilo.html When I had a strong metallic taste in my mouth it ended up being a bad infection (actually an abscessed tooth that had gone pretty deep).. if you've had problems with your teeth I would recommend visiting a dentist.  Good Luck..

I take the Calcium Citrate from Twinlab, they are chewable wafers and are not all that bad! You are really new to be taking those big pills already! Keep us posted! ~Hugs~

Try this it is FABULOUS, I wish i knew about this 16 months ago. I have switched to UPCAL-D (click onthe link) recently it is a powder that can be mixed into any drink our food. I just put a scoop right into my mouth - it is terrific!  congrats on your surgery!  Hugs, Britt