Where can I get chewable Calcium (NOT tums or viactive- nutritionist was adamant about that- wrong kind of calcium...)

I need chewable calcium citrate. The ones I take now are huge pills and I know I won't be able to take them after surgery...

Thanks!!!

Oh, I thought chewable vitamins are only for chewable. I never thought it could also be appealing to adults.:thumbup: I only get calcium from milk. Where can I buy the chewable ones?

Hi Callista,

Bariatric Advantage has every vitamin in as a chewable. Check out their website. Bariatric Advantage - Calcium

I have these, but I don't know what kind of calcium they are.

Never mind, I just checked the bottle and it's calcium carbonate. Guess I need to hunt down something else as well.

Edited June 15, 201016 yr by Kristy29

I chew 3 of these each day (plus one flintstone complete chewable vitamin). I took them to my dietician to make sure they were good enough and she said yes, they do have the calcium citrate in them: GNC Chewable Calcium Plus

When I started this lap band stuff, I found out about the chewables and was very happy. I get choked on huge pills that are not round and love the chewables lol

Edited June 15, 201016 yr by PuppyBandit

i don't know about the calcium but i take centrum silver chewable multi vitamins and b12 sublingual. both are from walmart. i also called my pharmacist and asked which of my prescription pills are crushable. they can be crushed and put into a little bit of applesauce. all but one was crushable, the other one came in sprinkles which i could could sprinkle on my food. i just needed my primary doctor to order them that way.

I chew the Vitaband vitamins you buy through Bariatric Advantage and then I take a petite calcium from Citracal. That is what my nut says I need.

Cosco has these great chocolate calcium squares, taste just like chocolate fudge and you get to eat 3 a day! Its like gettting a little treat! lol

Just make sure the calcium is calcium citrate otherwise your body will not absorb it.

In my paperwork from vandy for lap band stuff it was very specific in saying do not take Centrum silver. Not sure why to be honest.

Calcium carbonate will also be absorbed by the body, best taken when there is some food in the stomach.

Just make sure the Calcium is calcium citrate otherwise your body will not absorb it.

In my paperwork from vandy for LAP-BAND®® stuff it was very specific in saying do not take Centrum silver. Not sure why to be honest.

My Dr. and nutritionist are the opposite - centrum silver is the one they told me to take. I'd ask your team what they recommend since everyone is different!

I take liquid Vitamins. The chewable ones were way too chalky for me. I wasn't doing well at taking them every day. Now I just have to take two shots and I'm done for the day!

My surgeon's advice was the same. My calcium HAS to be citrate. We were told that carbonate is only absorbed by the body when taken with something acidic. Apparantly, after WLS, your stomach acids are reduced so it is possible there isn't enough present to absorb the carbonate. The website I read suggested taking it with a little orange juice etc. Honestly, I think the stomach acid thing being reduced is probably much more prevalent in bypass patients than gastric band but.... anyway.....

I do use the citrate. That is what the Bariatric Advantage calcium chews are. The lemon ones taste like lemon starburst. The only down side is they are expensive because each chew only has 250 mg. There are chocolate ones too but not nearly as good as the lemon, in my opinion. There is a new flavor, I think raspberry but I have not had it.

Oh, and I was also told to take my calcium at a different time from my multi. I think the explanation was because the Iron in the multi would prevent the calcium from being absorbed. And, I was told to break my 1000mg of required calcium into 500 twice a day because the body can't use more than that at a time.

Is any of this true? Who knows?! The advice varies so much from surgeon to surgeon. I would say do your own research and discuss that with your surgeon. :thumbup: