Question:
So what is everyone taking for calcium citrate?
I asked a question earlier, where to find Citracal Liquitabs. I was surprised to only get two responses. Is nobody using this product? What else is there? My stoma is pretty small. I get stuck on a 'One a day' cut in half. Tried the 'Country life cal snack' chewables..yuk. What else is there? I am 3 months and not taking ANY calcium at this point. So I would like to know what everyone else is taking and why aren't more using the liquitabs that dissolve in water? Please no responses telling me you take tums or viactiv...THOSE are carbonate and your taking the wrong kind of calcium. Thanks. — Cheri M. (posted on February 11, 2002)
February 10, 2002
Twinlabs makes chewable wafer calcium citrate with magnesium and vitamin D
that taste like Sweet tarts. You might try them. Our local health food
store has them, and they are available online through several sources.
— Mary O.
February 10, 2002
I had never heard of the liquitab until I saw your post. I currently crush
up the citracal with vitamin D and mix it with an ounce or so of yogurt or
applesauce. I have tried the Twinlab chewables and in my opinion they
taste horrible. Plus they are huge and a serving is 4 wafers. When I run
out of my citracal tablets I will try the liquitabs.
— Rachel M.
February 10, 2002
Cheri, I take the chewable calcium citrate wafers from Twinlabs. I ordered
them on line at www.betterlife.com. They are not candy of course and I
wouldn't say they taste good but they aren't too bad. A day's dose is 4
wafers and I try to chew 2 at work then 2 in the evening, you need to
spread them out anyway because our bodies can't absorb all that at one
time. I am taking everything chewable (multivitamin, extra vitamin C,
calcium, and a B-complex vitamin). Vitalady makes some calcium citrate
capsules 500mg. each and I have them too but haven't tried them yet. My
surgery (open srvg, a form of vbg) was 9 wks. ago and I'm too scared to try
to swallow something big yet because of the "IT WILL GET STUCK!!"
fear. You are right that we need citrate, not carbonate. I wondered myself
about the liquid Citracal, so far I haven't seen it either.
— esthjb
February 10, 2002
I also have the TwinLabs wafers. Not too crazy about the taste, but I found
that if you drink sips of water while chewing them they go down pretty
good. Now I have not tried this but I did find Citrical effervescent
tablets (you dissolve them in a couple ounces of water). They are
carbonated but I don't think that small amount would hurt you if you let it
sit a few minutes before drinking. They have them at
<b>www.drugstore.com</b> at 30 tabs for $5. They are 500 mg
calcium citrate per tab, no sugar. I have looked at every store locally and
haven't ever seen them. If you try them, let us know how they work for you!
— ctyst
February 11, 2002
I bought ACTIVECAL from GNC it is a delicious "candy" drop and it
cost around 7.99 for 75 chews. I love em, they come in chocolate and
carmel flavors. It also helps if you have a craving for a piece of candy.
Try them. I am almost a 100% sure you will love them.
— TONYA B.
February 11, 2002
The Citrical Calcium Citrate Liquitabs are on www.drugstore.com...30 tabs
that dissolve in water for $4.99. Just do a search under "calcium
citrate" and they will come up. I have not tried these yet (I'm still
pre-op), but thought I would see if I could find them. Seems like a good
idea to take the Liquitabs, especially for me since I have several other
"regular" meds. to take daily plus the Mega/Ultra vitamin and
don't want to be stuffing my pouch (when I get one) with medications in
pill form all day long. I wonder about the taste of the Liquitabs, but I
guess you would just have to try them out first. 30 tabs for $4.99 doesn't
seem like too too much to spend if they turn out to actually have a horrid
taste to them. Hugs, Joy
— [Deactivated Member]
February 11, 2002
The BEST calcium Citrate I have found is from Michelle Curran's website
www.vitalady.com. It is calcium citrate plus magnesium plus vitamin D in a
powdered form in a capsule. It is so easy to swallow and I NEVER feel them
in my stomach. I take three 500 mg capsules a day, one with breakfast and
two in the evening as I've read that calcium is better absorbed by the body
at night. They come in a bottle of 240 capsules for $15 plus shipping. I
believe if you try these you will never take any other calcium supplements.
Also please double check the chewable candy type calcium from GNC as I
believe the ones the previous poster is talking about are calcium
carbonate, not calcium citrate.
— Jeanne R.
February 11, 2002
Cheri, you might want to try TwinLabs chewable calcium citrate. You'll have
to take a bunch to get in your 1500 mgs., and they're a little pricey but
you can find them cheaper on the Internet sometimes (try Yahoo for some
choices). Also, VitaLady.com sells some calcium citrate capsules (gel
capsules) that have 500 mgs. each, perfect for a 3-a-day regimen. I haven't
done this, but the VitaLady and Vitaguy say that you can open the capsule
and put the contents in yogurt or something; it's apparently tasteless.
This would be a heck of a lot cheaper than the chewables. And your pharmacy
will very likely order the LiquiTabs for you if you'd like. Good luck!
— Mary Ellen W.
February 11, 2002
I am taking Twinlabs Calcium Citrate Wafers. I use the pill crusher to
crush mine and add them to soft foods such as yogurt or applesauce. My doc
sells a cal citrate that dissolves in water, but I just don't want to deal
with it. I get my Twinlabs at vitacost.com. I pay $7.49 for a two week
supply.
— Tina P.
February 11, 2002
I looked at active tab at gnc, they are calcium carbonate, not citrate. I
tried calabsorb, it's okay, you mix it with water or juice, sort of tastes
like really weak country time lemonade. They make a grape too but it didn't
sound good. The best thing I have found is upcal from global health. the
phone number is 800-638-2870. It's a powder and 2 scoops provide 10 grams
of pro, 500 mg of calcium, and 400 iu of vitamin d. It's fairly pricy, I
buy it by the case. It dissolves well, you can use it in pudding or
scrambled eggs etc, my favorite way of making it is 6 oz skim milk, 2
scoops of up cal, and a scoop of no sugar added nestle quick. I have one of
those plastic rubber maid type things that I shake it in to mix it well. I
can't do the calcium horse tablets and most chewables like viactive and
stuff seem to be calcium carbonate, not citrate. Good luck.
— Becky K.
February 11, 2002
I take mine in capsule form, no need to open & dump for me at this
time. BUt I noticed many are taking Citracal, which is a good choice.
Just note the dosage is TWO pills = 630mg calcium citrate, so we need to
take them by the pair, at least 3 times per day. I have not found the
liquid ones here, but they are also 2= 630, so 30 tabs will last 6 days at
1500mg per day. And I'm not convinced that we should not be doing 2000mg a
day, with the massive wt loss. Astronauts become osteoporitic in a few
months, JUST from the wt loss, never mind the calcium intake. So, the wt
loss itself is a big factor for our bone loss. I personally do 2500mg/day
(500mg increments) WITH boron & ipriflavone.
— vitalady
February 11, 2002
Cheri, I took the Citrical Liquitabs early on, they worked well for me.
Let's face it, $4.99 every six days is a lot cheaper than the cost of
osteoporosis. Now that I'm farther out,I take the big old citrical horse
pills, just because they are faster than the liquitabs. Also, remember the
liquitabs don't include vitamin D which is important, but I think they are
a good choice if pills are a problem. Good luck, and get some calcium in
that body ASAP!!!
— Jennifer H.
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