# How To Take Caltrate (IBS DIARRHEA)



## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

Many new posters seem to ask this question a lot so here goes.If you are having frequent urgent attacks of diarrhea the formula that seems to work best is Caltrate Plus with Vitamin D and Minerals in the purple and white box. (You can find other brands with the same ingredients you just need to read the label).Take one tablet with each meal and it doesn't seem to matter if it is before during or aftering eating just maintain a regular supply of calcium going into your system. This means whatever amount you take do it at the same time every day. (Three meals a day but if you don't eat three meals a day take it at the same time every day). You may notice a bit of gas and indigestion at first if this happens you can cut down to 1/2 tablet with each meal. This goes away after you body adjusts to the added calcium. This seems to help those who are more sensitive to it. You can also if needed take something like Mylanta gel caps with it. Only if needed.You should notice some improvement from the beginning. You must know this is no cure and if you stop taking it the diarrhea usually comes back. It also may cause constipation and if this should happen just cut your dose back. You have to work with it to find what is right for you. There are many variables and if you need answers I am always glad to answer any emails.Don't give up too soon because if you find it works for you the cramps bloating and spasms and the diarrhea all can disappear as long as you continue.Ingredients in Caltrate Plus:Vitamin D 200 IUCalcium 600 MG (Calcium Carbonate)Magnesium 40 MGZinc 7.5 MGCopper 1 MGManganese 1.8 MGBoron 250 MCGLet me know if I can help.Linda


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## Guest (Nov 9, 1999)

Thanks, LNAPE. I've started taking Caltrate Plus recently and your post is really helpful.


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## penelope (Feb 16, 2005)

Thanks for the helpful info. I'm new to IBS so any ideas are worth trying. penelope


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## Guest (Nov 9, 1999)

Linda,Thanks so much. I think this will be a great help for the newbies. I also think you should bump it to the top pretty often for the new people. It has been such a good help for so many of us, and I thank you for letting us know about this.------------------LET'S ALL PRAY FOR A CURE TO THIS IBS SOON!BETTIE


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## mazzy (Feb 20, 1999)

Great to see you're still posting on this, Linda. You helped me out so much & I'm still doing great w/the Caltrate Plus since starting on it earlier in the year.I agree that everyone should NOT give up too quickly on this & everyone has to find what works best for them. I started out w/the three a day, but found it a bit much...so I cut down to two a day. On occasion I do have probs w/gas/bloating but have found that also ties in with what foods I've been eating so please keep this in mind. This has been a tremendous help to me, but I never kid myself.....and I don't think any of us should. Tho the Caltrate has been a great aid, I can still over-do on pizza or mexican food & throw my system into turmoil....& I honestly believe this can happen to non-IBS'ers as well. Balance is the key, so keep in mind that we can over-tax our bodies quite easily.A positive attitude goes a long way & getting wiped out emotionally because we have ONE bad day won't help us a bit. So stay on top of how YOUR body works, what your trigger foods are, & pay close attention to what works best for YOU. ------------------Loving, caring, healing thoughts...mazzy"We help others, not by interfering with their lives nor by imposing our ideas on them, but always by acting in a spirit of sympathy & self-identification with them in their troubles & joys."


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## Guest (Nov 10, 1999)

Thank you Linda! I just typed and sent a message, but went back to view it, and I don't know where it went. I apologize to anyone else who may have recieved it! Anyway, I had written down the exact ingredients that you listed for the Caltrate supplement when I went to the store. Thank you for listing them. I live in a very small town, there isn't much to choose from. But there was, however, about 4 bottles that said Caltrate plus or a plus sign on them. The one I bought is in an orange and white box called Caltrate 600 PLUS Chewables. It was the only box that had the exact ingredients listed on it. The rest of the boxes you had to look at the fine print, and they did not include the minerals. Also, I saw some postings on the board from people who were having trouble swallowing the big pills. These are chewable, so no problem. Thank you again, I took my first one this afternoon! Star


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## marianne (Jan 3, 1999)

Linda - keep up your good work. You've probably helped more people with their diarrhea than a convention full of gastroenterologists. You certainly helped me as well as hundreds of others. Many thanks.


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

bump


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## JanieJo (Oct 18, 1999)

Bumping up to the top for Kerri (and others!)


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

bump for Morgan


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## Guest (Nov 19, 1999)

I bought my caltrate plus today and have taken my first tablet with dinner. How long do you have to take before it helps?Thanks so much for the advice and hope it helps.


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

Morgen,I has a big improvement from the very first day. I could not believe it. It is a matter of working out what is the right amount for you and being consistant with taking it. Let me know how you are feeling and maybe I can assist you if finding the correct amount for you. Email me.Linda


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

Bump for the new peopleLinda


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## Guest (Nov 23, 1999)

hello I also tried calcium but as I am in another I had to try Oscal and it appears to work for me. I went out and bought Solgar calcium Mag and Boron. It contained these three only and the Solgar daily vitamin contained the vitamin D, Zinc mzngznese, copper in the dosages necessary. I will take the daily and the calcium.


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

Good to see you found what may work for you. The calcium is important in our bodies and now we know just how important since being able to ge the diarrhea under control.Linda


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

Bump for Stay StrongLinda


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## Guest (Nov 30, 1999)

I saw this in another post the other day and happened to have Caltrate in my cupboard. I started taking it and it has helped a lot, so far. It's actually kind of amazing! We were set up at a Christmas Bazaar over the weekend and I was scared of D, but I managed to eat oatmeal for breakfast, a turkey sand with lettuce (no condiments...LOL) for lunch, and some FUDGE!!!!! (a small piece, which is usually a big no-no), and I was fine. Then for dinner one night, since I knew we were headed right for the motel room, I had a Chicken Fried Steak, a really big no-no....and I was fine! So, I am experimenting with this big time......so far, so good. I am taking two a day of the chewables. (Yes, I have more gas, but it's sure better than the other problem!)


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

msoregon,The gas will go away when you system get used to the added calcium intake. Just don't forget to take them and you should do fine. It is pretty amazing how fast it works when it does for you. I just can't believe from the first day I took it I felt so much better.Let us know how it goes.Linda


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## Guest (Dec 1, 1999)

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for the info. on Caltrate. I started taking it last Wednesday and I have to say that it works incredibly well. I can't believe that gastrointerologists don't know about this home remedy. It seems almost too good to be true.I'm really grateful for this suggestion and I will pass it along to others who have IBS. My co-workers are grateful for this suggestion too as it has reduced the number of times I zoom by their offices on the way to the ladies room ------------------Zil


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

Zil,It is just so amazing to me such a thing could work so well and so quickly after suffering for 23 years almost daily. The doctors don't want to let you know even if they did because you would not need to go visit them so often and the drug companies can't give you a RX for this. I how you get on here and spread the word as I have been doing for more than a year and maybe other will take the chance on it. Best regards.Linda


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## Guest (Dec 2, 1999)

Here it is Wednesday, and all is well still. I am taking one Caltrate Plus in the morning, and one about dinner time and sometimes one before bed. My Mothers Dr. had prescribed this for her osteoporosis (sp), that's why I had it too. It has been great for her and her poor old bones, so it's also good for us in other ways. I am still so excited about it, I intend on calling my Dr. and telling him too. I also plan on telling him that he should come read this board, since my "illness" is so strange, and one they have never heard of. Errrrrrr I get so mad sometimes at them!! I have found ALL my "strange" symptoms mentioned on this board.....and I thank God for each and every one of you.....thank you!


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

msoregon,Sometimes it makes you wonder if the doctors even hear a word you are saying. I would suspect most IBS people tell them the same stories I guess they want you to think you are the only one and they are trying there best to work with you. What a joke. I am glad you are doing well with the calcium and did you get any indigestion when you first started to take it.Linda


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## Guest (Dec 2, 1999)

hi. as I've mentioned in a couple other posts, I'm -- finally (after an IBS bout lasting 1-1/2 years) -- doing a bit better bowel-wise. some of that success is due, at least in part, to my minerals I've been taking for 8 weeks. as I've said other times, unfortunately, the Caltrate didn't help me in any great way (I couldn't absorb it properly). however, some other super-absorbable calcium, plus extra magnesium, have been helping me. what relief!so, there still may be hope out there also for those few BB members who are unable to achieve success with Caltrate. good post.


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## Guest (Dec 10, 1999)

I first read about Caltrate Plus on another Board (don't remember where). That was back in March. I've been taking 1 tablet every day since then and have only had about 1 bout of D a month since then!! (I used to have D 2-3 times a week.) It's just wonderful...I can actually go out to dinner with friends without having to take Immodium before I leave the house. I recently took a one day road-trip (2 1/2 hours one way) with 2 friends and didn't worry at all - I did have Immodium in my purse, just in case - habits are hard to break!I don't actually take the Brand Name Caltrate Plus...I buy the Target Store's equivilant (compare the labels). If you haven't tried this, please do, it's helped me so much!


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

CoLee,This is great news. You should post this as a new post so some who don't go through all of the messages will see it and maybe try it also. Thanks for the response.Linda


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## Guest (Dec 11, 1999)

Dear Linda,first of all, thak you for the great work, your advice has changed my life and for the first time in the last 12 years I have felt really good.At first I didn't take your advice because I have tried so many things with no result, but in August I was in new York and I bought Caltrate plus with amazing instant results. Since then I have only had a couple of incidents and I feel really happy and bless you everyday.What I wanted to share is that I am C predominant with episodes of D, so I thought Caltrate wouldn't help, but it does. Just one pill a day with my lunch makes me regular and i don't have C or D or pain or the many symptoms (I would need 10 lines to list them) associated with this condition.Thank you Linda and keep up the good workBalen


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## Guest (Dec 11, 1999)

First of all, thanks to EVERYONE for being so great! I am glad I found this group. Hopefully this group will continue to change lives and help us cope.... I bought Caltrate+ yesterday. What huge pink pills! I took a fourth of one and it MAY have helped,I am not sure. I will try more tommorrow and am really exited about it! thanks again


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

Belen,I bet there are a lot of the skeptics in the back ground. That is why I stay and keep spreading the word even it is only one more getting relief from this nightmare it is worth it because I know how bad I felt all the time and I mean all the time and the symptoms are gone and stay gone with the caltrate. Thank you so much for your response and hopefully others will take note and give it a try.HilaryKir,Please feel free to email if you have questions I am very glad to help. The pills are big and if you can't swallow them there is a Caltrate chewable version that has the same ingredients and this may work for you. The only thing is different is I think it has lactose in it. Let me know and other also how you do.Linda


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

bump for new people


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## marianne (Jan 3, 1999)

Newcomers - this really works


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

bump for newbies


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## brenda1 (Aug 19, 2004)

Well, this is exciting because I gave up on Citracel after going too much and having hemmaroid flare-ups. I decided to try the Caltrate. I bought a pink and white box called Caltrate 600 D (I think, I'll have to check the ingredients). I started taking it yesterday, one at breakfast and one at dinner. I was afraid to overdo it. I did experience a lot of gas in the afternoon-evening. Today I went once in the morning (my bad hours) but suddenly had to go in the early evening. I was surprised because I hadn't eaten much since breakfast. I'm encouraged by your descriptions and will keep it up and see what results I get. Thanks so much for the valuable info.!!


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## marianne (Jan 3, 1999)

xyz - bump


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## tammebear (Jan 10, 2000)

Hi. I just wanted to say that I had bought some Calcium supplements awhile back just to take them for nutritional support. I smoke.These are the drug store brand with Vitamin D and Iron. I thought I'd try them for my D problem. I have noticed a slight reduction in the number of times I need to hit the throne. I am going to buy some Caltrate Plus in the purple box to see if the extra minerals will make more of a difference. Plus I'm going to make a Dr appt to see if he could prescribe Colestid, which I'd read about in another post. Apparently it is a pill form of Questran, which I have tried and couldn't stand to swallow it. Yech!I just really need some relief to get my life back. I've been unemployed now four months and can't seem to find the right job. I losing motivation to even look, it's discouraging.tammebear


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

tammebear,Give the Caltrate Plus a try or at least one of the store brands with the same ingredients. Take one with each meal and let me know if you have questions. We have a lot of feed back from the many who are being helped and if you can get the diarrhea uncer control with calcium instead of a drug I think it is much better. Good Luck.Linda


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## John (Aug 6, 1999)

_To the top for newbies._------------------_*Regards,John"WANNA GRANT THIS IBS PEST TO ETERNAL REST"*_


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## tammebear (Jan 10, 2000)

I'm still taking the Caltrate + chewables. I'm taking three a day with meals. I haven't taken the FiberCon for two days. The D has slowed down, but is still there. I'm so tired of being sick. I will stick with the Caltrate, I need the Calcium anyway.Thanks for a great website!tambear


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## squonk (Oct 12, 1999)

Do you really take three a day? I wonder if I should take more because I only take one right now and I don't even know if it affects me.


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## Guest (Jan 20, 2000)

i'm newwow... i had no idea that there were so many people out there with the exact same problems i've been so embarassed about! i'm so thankful to see some real advice, as opposed to my doctor's "nervous stomach" shrug-off. i'm looking forward to learning more.


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

Dlite,Welcome and feel free to ask anything you want here. We all have been there and done that.Linda


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## bigmac (Apr 22, 2016)

All these post are dated 1999 and January 2000. So, I don't know if it is still active. Before I describe my issue, someone please reply so that I will know that i'm not wasting my time - bigmac


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