Question:
I am still pre-op, but wondering if anyone post op has /can taken liquid calcium pills.?

I have arthritis, and my Rhumatologist has me taking liquid calcium for bone strength. I take them at nite on an empty stomach, because she says this is the time of bone repair and eating, will cause you not to absorb it because she says the food absorbs it rather that the bone. Anyway.. just wondering what I'll do post op. will I have to change to a reg. cap. or Tums?    — Cindee A. (posted on October 5, 2001)

October 5, 2001
Cindee, really look into the latest calcium reasearch. The calcium in Tums is "Calcium Carbonate". After surgery, you will not have the stomach acid required to mix with calcium carbonate... therefore, the calcium will not be absorbed. Calcium is a tricky thing because your blood tests for calcium will almost always come back good... your body will steal calcium from your bones and it "fools" the blood test. However, you could end up with something like metabolic bone disease. You should be taking calcium as "Calcium Citrate" after the surgery... because that type of calcium does not need to mix with stomach acid for absorbtion. CitriCal just came out with a new tablet that dissolves in water and makes like a sugar free orange drink. They're called CitriCal Liqui-Tabs. They're hard to find since they're so new... but you can get them at drugstore.com. Good luck!
   — FireJewel