What supplements do you take?

Hi all. Just curious what people take from all the different surgeons. Mine said I had to take specifically 1000 mg daily of calcium citrate (not carbonate) and it must have vitamin D in it. Along with a a multi-vitamin. Now, the only calcium citrate I can find with D3 is 250 mg GIANT pills and I have a tough time getting 4 down a day. I am hoping other people have fine calcium bloodwork on other calcium supplements and I can lessen my pill intake. Thanks for the info!

Look for Citracal brand, they make "petite" pills that are smaller and easier to swallow. You'll need to take more pills, but you won't have as much trouble with them.

https://www.citracal.com/calcium-products/petites.php

You can also get chewable calcium with D, like these ones.

http://a.co/cEKtVe4

Don't forget, you can use a pill splitter to break up large calcium pills as well, and swallow each piece separately. I did that for the first few weeks immediately post-op.

Thanks for your opinion. To be honest though, I'd rather take less of the big pills than more of the small ones. With my job, I am all over the place and I don't always remember to bring enough supplements with me. So I'm looking for less pills for sure.

My surgeon's practice wants us taking 1200 - 1500mg of calcium citrate with vitamin D a day. I use the bariatric advantage chewables - and specifically the ones with 500mg calcium in each chew and I take 3 a day. The look sort of like a starburst candy and come in a variety of flavors. Readily available on amazon

I take:

Twin Labs Bariatric chewable multi vit (the only bariatric vitamin that I've found that's a once daily)

Citracal chewables 2000mg daily

Vit D 5000 IU daily

B-complex 1 daily

iron 2x/wk

Biotin 10000/day

I know that sounds crazy but I'm not deficient on anything and I attribute it to my regimen. I'm 3 yrs post VSG, most of this regimen was prescribed by my provider.

My requirement is 1500mg calcium citrate w/vitamin D3. I use the Celebrate 500mg calcium citrate and vitamin D chews cuz they're cheaper than Bariatric Advantage. I love that little bit of chocolate 3 times a day.

I used to use UpCal D 500mg powder packets. They are very inexpensive and just stir into yogurt or whatever you drink. No flavor but a little sweet and easy to down in a couple of bites or quick swallows.

You need calcium citrate and Vitamin D. They don't need to be in the same pill, or even at the same time. As long as you get enough of each.

All of the calcium citrate I've seen has very little D in it anyway. Most need more, separately.

The ASMBS recommends ~1500mg calcium citrate/day, so that's what I do. With my current calcium of choice, this is six pills a day. I also take a multi x2 (since, again, the ASMBS recommendation is 200% of most vitamins and minerals). I don't currently take extra D, since my D levels were rocking last time and there's D in my Calcium. I'm also taking an Iron supplement.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NRQDT70/ -- Calcium/Bone Supplement

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039LF4Y4/ -- multivitamin

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0085JNY74/ -- this is the iron I'm experimenting with

I recommend that you not base your calcium intake on other people's lab work.

1 ProCare Health once daily Bariatric Multi-Vitamin Capsule w/ 45mg Iron

2 UpCal D 500mg powder packets

1 citrical knockoff from Walgreens (333mg with D3)

I get my 6 month bloodwork in June. I will let you know how it goes.