Calcium Question.. probly asked a million times...

but here goes again.  I find the calcium pills way too big for crushing.. so i decided to try calcium chews... and when you're on opti.. wow they do taste amazing as i am missing chewing!  my question is... i bought jamieson mega cal calcium chews.. 650 mg with vitamin D 18 cals, fat 0.4 g, carbs 5.4 g, sugars 1.8 g,  Also contains: sugar, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, coconut oil, natural cocoa, glycerin, natural & artificial vanilla flavour, soy, lecithin, salt! OK.. I've been told by a great fellow OHr that the 3 1st ingredients are sugar... so i stopped taking them... but i want calcium chews... which ones should i be taking? and if not... is there a calcium liquid????  please advise... thanks!

Wellesse (r) Calcium - sugar free - lactose free. Liquid. Was on sale this past week at the Costco pharmacy. Doesn't taste bad. May want to give it a try?

 thank you so very much.. i was at shopper's today... saw their life brand .. sugar free but wasn't sure if it was calcium citrate or not and couldn't talk to a pharmacist!! 

I took the shopper's brand for the first three months after surgery. It tastes much better (IMO) than the Wellese Calcium and is also Calcium Citrate, the type we need, and sugar free.

hi katey
thanks for the advise... i just have a few too many big pills to take right now and one less one to crush would make life a lot easier!!!
happy new year
deb

The Wellesse liquid is calcium citrate, which is what you should be taking.  The Jamieson chews, although they taste good, have citrate but are mostly carbonate, which RNYers don't absorb.  You can order calcium citrate chews on-line (Unjury or, I believe, Bariatric Advantage) but they are quite a bit more expensive than the liquid stuff.  Personally, I use chews when I'm going to be out (like when I'm at school and carrying liquid is inconvenient).  I take the liquid when I'm at home, and leave a bottle and a medication measuring cup at work the rest of the time.

 thanks .. but may i ask why is wellesse liquid not what i should be taking???

I think you read that wrong. She said that citrate IS what you should be taking.

 thanks Dawn.. i see i can't read properly since on opti too.. (i know what an excuse!)...

Hiya,

During the Optifast phase I had to stop taking all vitamins as Optifast was a complete nutritional meal. (when you had the 4 shakes per day).  Now I am in Ottawa, so the advice provided by your Centre may be different.

Post-op, we can take the calcium chews for the first three months or until we can swallow pills whole.

Good luck with your journey.

Judy