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?

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.

I saw the petites at Walmart.

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

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.

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.

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.