Calcium Citrate or Caltrate?

[kimclow 1]

My dietition has required that I take 1000 mg of calcium citrate a day before surgery. These are giant horse pills that I can barely get down! I seriously gag!

Calcium caltrate turns out to be what I've always taken - Viactive.

What's the difference? Anyone else have trouble stomaching the giant Citrical pills?

[ElizabethS 0]

Hi Kim, I have the same problem the pill is so large even a pill crusher cannot break it. I tried smashing it with a plyer lol and putting it in a little applesauce and got it down for now. I saw an ad on TV for petites, I have not been out to find them yet but ill holler if i do find them. I know the Calcium is important so i am worried about getting it in myself. Have a great day.

[Gingran 0]

I saw the petites at Walmart.< /p>

[Mimilou2004 13]

I have read articles on both kinds of Calcium and there are drawbacks and benefits from both. Seemed like pretty much of a draw at the end so I go with the chewable flavored kind, 1 in the morning and 1 in the evening.

Mimi

[thebandedgirl 0]

I asked at my last fill appointment and my fill doc told me that I shouldn't use calcium citrate.

Having said that, talk to your surgeon if you're having a rough time with the pills he wanted you to take. He might have an alternative in mind for you.

[BetsyB 9]

calcium citrate is more bioavailable than Calcium caltrate. (More of it dissolves and becomes available to the body's cells.) This is particularly true for bariatric patients---though the difference is far more striking in those who've had Roux-en-Y (because of the malabsorptive features of their procedure).

If you have difficulty with the big pills, Calcet chews contain calcium citrate, and are AMAZINGLY good. Celebrate Vitamins also makes a chewable calcium citrate for bariatric patients. Both are becoming available at more and more places; I order from bariatriceating.com.

[jmunks2000 8]

my doctor told me the same thing.... Calcium Citrate chewable. I couldn't find them anywhere....not the chewables anyway., only petite. I finally found some at GNC. Ask your dr about those.