Question:
Can I get enough calcium from Tums?

My surgeon instructed me to chew 3 Tums a day. Is this adequate. I've been reading alot and am not sure if wls patients can absorb them. If not, what should I take. I don't want to order on line. I just want to be able to go to the store and buy them. I guess I'm old fashioned that way.    — Kim F. (posted on December 2, 2002)

December 2, 2002
There is a major debate about this. My surgeon has been doing bariactric surgery for over 20 years and he says that Tums are fine but that we can take anything we wish after the first 10 weeks. I have stuck with Tums - I had a bone density test done prior to my surgery a year ago and it was repeated just recently and there is no change. As long as I am doing ok, I'll stick with what my doctor recommends. Open RNY 11/29/01 -160 pounds
   — Patty_Butler

December 2, 2002
My doctor too has me on Tums. I feel he wouldn't have his patients taking Tums, if they weren't any good. My cousin had WLS (lap rny) 3 years ago and all her labs have been fine--so has her bone density test. So I guess the debate will rage on.........good luck
   — barbara A.

December 2, 2002
There is definitely controversy over whether Tums are OK. I was told that calcium citrate was what we should be taking. That's Citrical, so it is available in just about any drug store/grocery store/warehouse store anywhere in the US. You can go to Michelle's (can't remember her last name) website and read her experience with calcium carbonate. She's at www.vitalady.com. Probably the best thing you can do is to have a bone density test every year and see whether your bones are holding up. If you are losing bone density, you might want to switch the kind of calcium you are taking.
   — garw

December 2, 2002
There is indeed a debate about this. Generally, you'll find two camps: (1) Those who think you should take calcium citrate, not calcium carbonate, because calcium citrate is more easily absorbed by many people (which is true regardless whether you've had WLS or not); and (2) Those who think either type of calcium is okay (so just use Tums or Viactiv because it's easy). Notice that *nobody* argues that calcium carbonate is actually better than calcium citrate. To me, that was Hint #1 as to which I should take (the one nobody has a problem with -- calcium citrate).<P>It can take years for calcium deficiencies to be evident, in scans or labs. So I don't think you can safely hang your hat the results of a few months, or even a few years, of labs and scans. I know i won't, for me. Calcium takes a long time to leach out of your bones, but when it's gone, there you are with osteoperosis.<P>My surgeon also recommended Tums, and I think he's a great guy, and I've followed his advice on everything else, but not on this point. I've seen too many diverse sources refer to calcium citrate as more easily and efficiently absorbed than calcium carbonate, even in the context of medical issues having nothing to do with WLS (like parathyroidism).<P>Forgive my rant, but I suspect surgeons tell us to use Tums or Viactiv because those products are easy to find and use, and relatively cheap, and I think they're afraid we won't take ANYTHING for calcium if they don't give us easy-to-follow instructions. Docs just don't want complicated after-care. Also, most don't monitor large numbers of their patients for many years down the line, so how the heck would they know how many of their patients developed osteoperosis 6, 8, or 10 years post-op?<P>Final thought: If it turns out that the whole calcium citrate versus calcium carbonate debate is a bunch of hooey, you won't hurt yourself by taking calcium citrate while somebody finally gets around to doing a definitive study on which is better for us WLS posties. In all the noise, I noticed that lots of people were critical of the effectiveness of Tums and Viactiv, but nobody was critical of the effectiveness of calcium citrate. That's why I decided to take the calcium citrate!
   — Suzy C.

December 2, 2002
From the research I've done, there is not enough stomach acid in our pouches to process calcium carbonate - which is the form of calcium in tums. Michelle Curran (Vitalady) and her husband took calcium carbonate faithfully for years because that's what they were told to take - and they suffer from osteoporosis because of it. <p> Twinlab makes a chewable calcium citrate wafer that is available at your local GNC or Vitamin Shoppe. You can go out to the Twinlab web site and they have a store locator there. <p> As some said previously, there is all kinds of debates here on whether calcium carbonate is effective for WLS patients or not. There is no debate on whether calcium citrate is effective. Don't go on the cheap where your bones are concerned - go with the calcium citrate...JR
   — John Rushton

December 2, 2002
We just talked about this in my support group meeting last night. Tums ARE ok to take. So is Calcium Citrate, etc. Be sure to get your Calcium levels checked a couple of times a year and a baseline bone density test to ward off osteoporosis.
   — Marianne K.

December 2, 2002
NO! no! no! no! yOU NEED CALCIUM citrate. Its absorbed easier than calcium carbonate. You need CITRATE to properly absorb your calcium. LOSE THE TUMS!!!! Never forget what its like to be obese and never stand by while someone else is treated badly. Good luck in your journey!
   — k r.

December 2, 2002
Kim, you do need Calcium Citrate. I originally started out with Carbonate during the first 6 weeks, however, have switched to Citrate. I am using Citracal Liquidtabs instead. They are a tablet that disolves into your water and it is orangey tasting.
   — heathercross