Happy mothers day to all. I am 4 days out and have started my supplements. I noticed the calcium vitamin are huge and they hurt my pouch this morning. What is the best way to take calcium. Looking for brands and form they come in. MANY THANKS .

either get a chewable version for now (you can get them online - the only chewables they seem to have in stores are calcium carbonate, and we're supposed to have calcium citrate) OR get a pill cutter and cut the tablets in half. Either should work...

there's also a powdered version of calcium citrate called Upcal D (I've only seen it online). You can supposedly mix it into food or beverages (it's tasteless). It doesn't really fully dissolve, though, so I gave up putting it into beverages. I just mixed it in with yogurt or pudding.

https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/calcium/products/bariatric-advantage-calcium-citrate-chewy-bites-500mg-variety-packs

4 hours ago, dms75 said:

https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/calcium/products/bariatric-advantage-calcium-citrate-chewy-bites-500mg-variety-packs

^^^ yes - those are good. I used them for a few years...

Bariatric advantage also makes calcium citrate chews that are food. My nutritionist had samples of some flavors. I ordered one that I didn’t sample and didn’t like it so I called and of course I had to mail it back but they refunded it no question.

Definitely chewable. Atleast for the first 2 months. Your pouch needs time to heal and most programs usually recommend crushing meds up until around 6-8 weeks post op...usually when you start solids. There are chewables that are like caramel consistency and then there are ones that are chewable like flintstones consistency. Avoid gummies. They aren't good for your pouch.

4 hours ago, Highly_Undermedicated said:

Definitely chewable. Atleast for the first 2 months. Your pouch needs time to heal and most programs usually recommend crushing meds up until around 6-8 weeks post op...usually when you start solids. There are chewables that are like caramel consistency and then there are ones that are chewable like flintstones consistency. Avoid gummies. They aren't good for your pouch.

actually, I didn't have to crush pills. I could take anything whole that was smaller than a pencil eraser as soon as I got out of the hospital - which for me meant everything except calcium pills and some other one that I can't recall right now (it was six years ago - my memory is fading). I got around the calcium pill one by getting some chewables. The other pill my clinic's PA said I could hold off on for a couple of weeks - and by that time, he said, I may be able to swallow it normally. Ta da! I could. So I fortunately never had to crush anything!

2 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

actually, I didn't have to crush pills. I could take anything whole that was smaller than a pencil eraser as soon as I got out of the hospital - which for me meant everything except Calcium pills and some other one that I can't recall right now (it was six years ago - my memory is fading). I got around the calcium pill one by getting some chewables. The other pill my clinic's PA said I could hold off on for a couple of weeks - and by that time, he said, I may be able to swallow it normally. Ta da! I could. So I fortunately never had to crush anything!

EDITED add that I neglected to mention that I took the chewable form of a multivitamin (in my case, Centrum or the generic equivalent) for the first year. I switched to regular tablets at that point. Those, too, would have too big to swallow whole early out (definitely bigger than a pencil eraser!)

2 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

On 5/10/2021 at 12:58 PM, Rocio Lopez said:

Happy mothers day to all. I am 4 days out and have started my supplements. I noticed the Calcium Vitamin are huge and they hurt my pouch this morning. What is the best way to take calcium. Looking for brands and form they come in. MANY THANKS .

Hey whatever u do...do not get the chewables. They are so nasty in my opinion. I literally almost puked everytime i ate them. So i switched to the tablets and they are so much better, but cost a little more.

They also make vitamin patches. I try to remember to wear a vitamin d plus calcium one once a week (on top of daily multivitamins and supplements) to make sure I’m not deficient. Do be aware that if you are sensitive to adhesives like I am they can cause some irritation but if that’s not a problem and your team approves them (some don’t) they are an option. Just know that you might have to switch to pills after the first couple months post-op to keep blood serum levels up and avoid deficiency.

I use the vitamin D calcium patch and my blood work is stellar! d switch.

Happy mothers day to all. I am 4 days out and have started my supplements. I noticed the Calcium Vitamin are huge and they hurt my pouch this morning. What is the best way to take calcium. Looking for brands and form they come in. MANY THANKS .

I was told not to worry about vitamins for a few days. I think I started mine after 10 days.