Question:
I'm confused..if we're supposed to be taking calcium citrate - then why

is my dietician telling me to take Viactiv, which is calcium carbonate? Which kind are we really supposed to be taking?    — Lindsey S. (posted on October 22, 2002)

October 22, 2002
Because your dietician is wrong... Ask Michelle Curran and her husband, who took calcium carbonate faithfully and still developed osteoporosis. Calcium CITRATE is what you need to take. There is not enough "active" stomach post-RNY to produce the amount of acid to break down the calcium carbonate chemically...JR
   — John Rushton

October 22, 2002
Perhaps your dietician was unaware that we don't absord the Calcium Carbonate? Ask your dietician!?
   — Karen R.

October 22, 2002
There are documented medical studies that show that calcium carbonate needs stomach acids to be absorbed. Gastric bypass post ops do not produce stomach acid. Calcium citrate is what we need to take. There is a liquid form of calcium citrate by Tropical Oasis that is tasty and easy to take. www.tropicaloasis.com As far as your nutritionist... some of them really dont know much about this surgery even though they work in our surgeons offices.
   — SusanMaria

October 22, 2002
It seems as if most bariatric docs & dieticians we read about here aren't hip to the calcium citrate vs. carbonate controversy. Mine weren't, and still aren't. I followed their advice as much as possible, but not on this issue. Personally, it never made sense to me to take an antacid (Tums) just to get calcium in my sistem. Ditto for the candy approach (Viactiv). <P>Or, look at it another way -- those who recommend calcium carbonate sources such as Tums and Viactiv don't really care if you decide to use calcium citrate instead. On the other hand, those who recommend calcium citrate can at least give you some good reasons why they don't think calcium carbonate is a good idea. So, I use calcium citrate, 'cause nobody's arguing that IT doesn't work for us. Just my 2c. :D
   — Suzy C.

October 22, 2002
The doctors and nutritionists are learning new things as bariatric surgeries become more popular, just as we are. When I saw my nutritionist right after surgery he gave me his WLS handouts. He had crossed out calcium carbonate and handwritten to use *citrate*. Apparently this was prety new to him and he's been counseling WLS patients for years.
   — sheltie