Hey has anyone heard of using Tums as your calcium supplement?

Tums use calcium carbonate (a form of calcium found in chalk--thus the gritty texture). Although it is fairly effective for minor issues with heartburn, calcium carbonate isn't absorbed as well as calcium citrate, which is usually the type of calcium recommended by surgeons and nutritionists for bariatric surgery patients. Bariatric Advantage and Celebrate brands both make calcium supplements specifically for WLS patients.

Calcium citrate is the best absorbable source and Tums is calcium carbonate and is not absorded well. I have been told this by my nut and also by my pcp. Which is funny because I have never posed this question to either of them. They just stressed that it was important to take a calcium citrate supplement after surgery and Tums was not it.

I am a firm believer in you get what you give. If you put crap in expect crap out. Ok... that was a little blunt and I am sorry for that.

You need the best calcium for your bone health and tums does not provide enough calcium in quantity or quality to support a WLS patient. Try to find the BEST calcium for your body which is in the form of calcium citrate. If it doesn't specify calcium citrate a good rule of thumb is to look for calcium and then citric acid in the ingredient list.

The calcium I take is found here and has Vitamin D, C, K, and supplemental minerals not typically found in a multi-vitamin. All of my Vitamins and supplements come from whole foods. http://www.drugstore.com/natures-way-alive-calcium-bone-formula-tablets/qxp404864

Sure tums have calcium. But don't use them for that purpose. If for no other reason continuous tums usage can cause reflex heartburn. Can also cause some electrolyte issues.

So stick to supplements for calcium. Sure calcium citrate is better but not essential.

Courtoomp, I know that not everyone has the same Dr., but the bariatric team (Dr. Cirangle sits on the board and he is the founder of this surgery) where I live unanimously agreed that we needed calcium citrate and no other form will provide nearly enough calcium at a rate in which our bodies can absorb.

I am sure that in the years to come the nutritional needs for our surgery will change yet again, as they did back in 2005, LOL.

This was very interesting to me, as my surgeon has us do tums four times a day for calcium. I am going to ask when I follow up again to find out about the calcium citrate instead!

wow... well again, each Dr. is different and sometimes has plans that are not similar for each of us.

Yes I think it's very surgeon dependent. And We will undoubtedly learn more in years to come. So just do what your surgeon says! Voila!