Calcium Citrate vs Calcium Carbonate

My daughter gave me a bottle of Calcium Carbonate, 400 count, No charge. I have been taking the Citrate since day one post op. I called the nutritionist to ask whats the worst that can happen if I take Calcium Carbonate, she very politely said it just dosent absorb as well. I hate to waste these Carbonate ones. What I want to know is has anyone post op been taking the carbonate for a long time with no problems? will it work just as well if I take it during a meal high in calcium, or something like that?...Wendy

You will not absorb it, no matter what. It may give you gallstones or calcified arteries though.

Find someond else to pass them on to.

Free isn't always a good thing.

You won't absorb it so it is a waste to take it.  Plus it can cause kidney stones in some cases.  so the worst that can happen is you will end up with osteoporosis and kidney stones.

As others have indicated, you will absorb very little of it.  That means you would have to take a lot more of it than of the calcium citrate to get as much calcium as you need.  The problem with that is that calcium carbonate can cause kidney stones (which we are already prone to after RNY), so taking a lot of it to overcome the malabsorption will put you at much higher risk for kidney stones (and, trust me, you do NOT want kidney stones!)

Lora

Thanks for the responces. Are you all telling me this from experience? I don't understand why the Doctors and Nurses don't tell me this same thing also. Thanks Wendy

Yes, I am telling you about the calcium carbonate contributing to kidney stones based on both research and personal experience.  After the last round of kidney stones (4 in the 7 years since my RNY, but none before), one of the things he suggested was a multivitamin with NO calcium carbonate in it... Calcium citrate only.

My guess is that your doctors and nurses have not told you because THEY don't know.  Many doctors don't EVER take a class in nutrition and don't have a clue about how the body absorbs different forms of  calcium.  (urologists, on the other hand, know a LOT about how calcium, sodium, and various vitamins and minerals can affect kidney function.)

Lora