Changing to Cheaper Vitamin Supplements
My six month labs came back looking good. The only thing out of range was my B12 and folate. Since I am on a fixed income, I have decided to start looking for cheaper vitamin supplements (I have been using Celebrate brands mostly since surgery in March). I already changed my multivitamin to Centrum. I am now looking to change my calcium to the Kirkland brand.
Since I am researching calcium citrate I looked closer at what kind of calcium is in the centrum multivitamin. Calcium carbonate 200mg per tablet. I take two a day so that is 400mg of nonabsorbable calcium! My question is: do I keep taking the Centrum and take a chance of kidney stones, clogged arteries etc, or do I look for another multivitamin with calcium citrate or no calcium at all? And what brand of multi would have that?
Most multi have calcium carbonate. Cheap vitamins - check CVS brand centrum equivalent - they are often BOGO - so i get 2-3 months worth for~ $8
They also have other BOGO vitamins and minerals.
But...Kirkland calcium citrate has B6....so please make sure next time you doc runs B6...high Blood B6 can be toxic. Mine went way too high....
Google toxic B6...
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
You only take two a day? That's only 400 mg and the ASMBS says we need 1500 to 2000 mg. Why do you take so little?
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
I don't think that small amount of calcium carbonate is likely to cause you a problem.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
For most people, but not all, the small400mg of calcium carbonate is probably not going to be a problem. If you are prone to kidney stones, though, you might want to eliminate it entirely. (After my 4th round of kidney stones, I switched vitamins to avoid it.)
The Bariatric Advantage was only one of two multivitamins I could find with no calcium carbonate, but the Opurity vitamins from Unjury has only 50mg in a daily dose. Neither are cheap, of course. I hate paying so much for vitamins, but I hate the kidney stones more.
I took the Centrum for 3.5 years, though, before I and any kidney stone issues, so I am still not convicted that the multivitamins have anything to do with it. I'm just being extra cautious.
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
I use Celebrate brand -- I really like them and although I am relatively new (9 months post-op), I've good numbers. Celebrate offers financial assistance -- Celebrate Vitamins Financial Assistance -- check it out. :-)
"What you eat in private, you wear in public." --- Kat
