Reminder about calcium

poet_kelly
on 7/13/11 1:16 am - OH

Just wanted to post a little reminder about calcium.  The ASMBS says we need 1500-2000 mg calcium per day and recommends calcium citrate.  The two most common kinds of calcium found in supplements are calcium citrate and calcium carbonate.  Tums, Viactiv and Caltrate are all calcium carbonate and we don’t absorb that well at all.  We absorb about 4% of the calcium in it so you’d need to take about 60 Viactivs every day to get enough calcium.  No, that’s not a typo.  Optisource also contains calcium carbonate and Bariatric Fusion has a mixture of calcium carbonate and calcium citrate.

Citracal and generic forms of Citracal contain calcium citrate, which is what we need.  It’s hard to find chewable calcium citrate in stores but Celebrate and Bariatric Advantage both make them and you can order online.  Upcal D, which is a powder you can mix in a drink, is also calcium citrate.  You can find liquid forms as well.

Tricalcium phosphate is another kind of calcium found in some supplements and it is also not absorbed well at all.  That’s what’s in Flintstones.  Wellesse, a liquid calcium supplement, contains a mixture of tricalcium phosphate and calcium citrate, so you’ll only absorb some of the calcium in there.

Make sure you take your calcium in doses of 500-600 mg and take them at least two hours apart.  Read the label carefully to see what the serving size is.  Like, Citrical petites have 400 mg per serving but a serving is TWO pills.

Take them two hours away from your iron.

View more of my photos at ObesityHelp.com          Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR.  If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor.  Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me.  If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her.    Check out my blog.

 

Just Ducky - The
Meditative Hag

on 7/13/11 1:33 am - Belleville, IL
((((((((Kelly))))))))) Super hugs my friend.
First... I LOVE the new Avatar, you are so beautiful.

Second, listen to Kelly! (And the other vitamin Gurus on this site like VitaLady and Andrea, etc). Calcium CITRATE is so vital to anyone who has had RNY because we cannot DIGEST any other kind...Well you only get about 5-10% out of carbonate, so as Kelly said...You'd have to have about a 30-60 Tums or VIactive per day .

Read the BACK label of whatever Calcium supplement you get and make SURE it says Calcium (as Calcium CITRATE).

Brands I like to use (that are inexpensive and work great)
1) Citracal (Again read the back and make sure it is the one with calcium Citrate)
2) Most stores make a STORE BRAND version of "Citrical" just make sure it is calcium citrate.
3) Citrical PLUS magnesium also helps if you get constipation or hard stools.

4) Calcet Creamy Bites. Ok, these can be expensive and do have like 5 calories per serving, but they are soooooooo sinfully delicious AND do not taste at all like any "medicine" they taste exactly like a fudge chocolate or (my favorite) the Lemon bite tastes like Lemon Cheese cake... OMG!
Because they are kinda pricey, I only use 1 of these a day and then 3 of the Citrical+

As always Kelly, thank you so much for sharing your time and knowledge, you are awesome my friend!
Warmly,
Jackie
   
    
Mia H.
on 7/13/11 1:44 am - OH
 If you have a Vitamin Shoppe near you, they sell a bottle of chewable calcium citrate with vitamin D.  It has 60 tablets that are citrus flavor (taste just like the centrium multivites) that are 500 mg. each.  It is 14.99 a bottle.  They also have liquid version too. 
       
Pupcake !.
on 7/13/11 1:51 am - Stranded in, IA
Thanks for the informative posts.

Now why can't I see your new avitar???

Pup

No surgery has been harmed/defamed by the writer of this post.  
RNY 10/28/03 305# 8/11/04 147#  9 years out and >75% EWL!
 

    
Jackie M.
on 7/13/11 1:55 am - Fairhaven , MA
Hi, was wondering where you can get calcet creamy bites?
        
poet_kelly
on 7/13/11 2:01 am - OH
You can order them from celebratevitamins.com

View more of my photos at ObesityHelp.com          Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR.  If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor.  Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me.  If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her.    Check out my blog.

 

Just Ducky - The
Meditative Hag

on 7/13/11 3:28 am - Belleville, IL
I order my Calcet Creamy Bites from Amazon and they are pretty cheap too! (And if your order totals more than 25$ you get that free shipping. Free is always nice!)

For those who take the calcet creamy bites, you do NOT have to refridgerate them... But, I have noticed in the summer if you refridge a couple (or even freeze a few) they make AWESOME hot weather, refreshing treats! (Think of like a frozen snickers or candy bar)..Yum!

Warmly,
Jackie
   
    
poet_kelly
on 7/13/11 3:40 am - OH
Yum.  Now I gotta order some more 'cause I'm out and that sounds too yummy.

View more of my photos at ObesityHelp.com          Kelly

Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR.  If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor.  Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me.  If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her.    Check out my blog.

 

marioluigi
on 7/13/11 7:13 am
 I tried ordering them from Amazon but they weren't eligible for free shipping.  (I tried to order 2 @ 12.99 each making it more than $25).

Did I do something wrong?
Bralen
on 7/13/11 1:56 am
According to the makers of Wellesse, calcium citrate is 80% and tricalcium phosphate is 20% of the 1000mg dose. I use it but only consider it as 500mg of calcium per dose.
Start weight 263     Surgery weight 247  
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