Question:
How soon after surgery can I start the calcium citrate?

The nutrionist I met with told me to take Tums, iron & childrens vitamins. After reading about carbonate/citrate, I'm going to go to the drug store this weekend & choose a supplement with citrate. How soon can I take it after my surgery? I envision vitamins getting stuck in the pouch. Would you recommend opting for the "all-in-one bariatric vitamins". Please help.. Still very confused..Surgery on Monday.    — mary V. (posted on August 24, 2002)

August 24, 2002
Calcium citrate vitamins are available in chewables...
   — John Rushton

August 24, 2002
Yes, Twinlabs has a chewable citrate wafer... I took the carbonate for the first three weeks post-op (all chewable vitamins) but I could have taken the citrate wafers if I had known about them. I don't think they are as readily available (may have to order them online or special order them). This may be the reason that they aren't immediately suggested? I switched to the citrate pills at about 2 months post-op because I really LOVED the taste of those fruity carbonate pills! LOL All the best, Teresa Noverr-Chin, lap bpd/ds with gallbladder removal, January 25, 2001, preop: 307 lbs/bmi 45 (5'10") now: 159 lbs/bmi 23
   — Teresa N.

August 24, 2002
Make sure you read your lables carefully. I spent lots of money brought home 2 or 3 bottles of chewable WHAT I THOUGHT WAS CALCUIM CITRATE...but after reading, saw it was calcium carbonate. I asked the druggest if they could order me some CHEWABLE CALCIUM CITRATE...even over the counter would be fine..THEY SAID THEY KNEW OF NONE. If you know the brand name please let us know what it is!!!!!!
   — Jackiis

August 24, 2002
When I was a new post op my hubby went to Vitamin World and got liquid calcium citrate with magnesium and vitamin D. I think it was a strawberry flavor. Check out your local vitamin shops.......
   — Kim B.

August 24, 2002
Citrical makes an effervescent tablet which dissolves in water. It is called Citrical Liquitabs. Until I was 6 months post-op and felt comfortable swallowing a pill, I chose this brand. I had to ask for it to be special ordered at the local drug store. It was there within 24 hours.
   — Cheri M.

August 25, 2002
Tropical Oasis has a liquid calcium citrate at betterlife.com.
   — joeandteri

August 26, 2002
I started on calcium at about 3 weeks post-op after i found the liquid calcium citrate/VitD and magnesium...I, too, take the tropical oasis liquid calcium. I order it online from www.tropicaloasis.com. Tastes like a creamy bitter orange and you only need 1 tablespoon day...
   — Cindy R.