# calcium



## flower girl (Jul 31, 2007)

can someone help i only have to take half a calcium tab and have very bad indegestion is there anything i can do i have taken it before food with food and after food but no good please help


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

You have to take it with food always and it will cause gas and indigestion for the first few days but this goes away as your body adjusts. If you have gas you can take simethicone for those days to help. Are you using it to control diarrhea or just because you need it for your bones. If you are taking it just for the bones you can switch to calcium citrate form of calcium and this is easier on the stomach but may not give the control over diarrhea. And sometimes this form has lots of magnesium in it like a 2 to 1 ratio of calcium to magnesium and it can cause diarrhea.Linda


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## flower girl (Jul 31, 2007)

yes i am taking it for d i started to take half a tab three times a day for 4 days then three whole tabs a day always with food but the indegestion got worse so after two weeks i gave up my d was improved but the pain was to bad i would be gratefull for any advice thanks


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

What brand of calcium did you use. Sometimes just switching can help to a different Brand. Also You could try to find calcium citrate and be sure it does not have the extra magnesium. This may help with diarrhea but it is trial and error to see if it will.Has any one used calcium citrate form of calcium and gotten relief from diarrhea.Linda


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## LeeMNAZ (Aug 8, 2007)

Yes Linda, my wife is taking calcium citrate, the brand name is CITRACAL from Sams Club. It has 315mg of calcium and 80mg of magnesium, she takes 2/day. For the first week, she had stomach cramps, gas, etc, but that went away during the second week. It is real key to take the pill when you eat! She has been free of D for 2 1/2 weeks now after 14 months of non stop D.


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## LeeMNAZ (Aug 8, 2007)

To be a little more specific, she takes Citracal caplets, here's a list of the ingredients:Calcium (as calcium citrate) 315 mgMagnesium (as magnesium oxide) 80 mgVitamin D3 (as cholecalciferol) 200 IU Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine hydrochloride) 10 mgZinc (as zinc oxide) 10 mg Copper (as copper gluconate) 1 mgManganese (as manganese gluconate) 1 mg Boron (as sodium borate) 1 mgShe takes 2/day. This works so far, but we are concerned about the amount of magnesium that is contained in these pills. But since it is working, she doesn't want to make any changes at the moment, she is just enjoying being D free for now.


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## flower girl (Jul 31, 2007)

its calcium carbonate 600mg plus vit d


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

what you are confusing is there are many Brand Name Products and Two form of calcium out there. Calcium carbonate is what I use and the previous poster us using calcium citrate.I use the Walgrees or Sam's Club Brand of Calcium Carbonate and this can upset the stomach when you first take it so you take it with food and this usually passes.Calcium citrate is supposed to be easier on the stomach and you do not have to take it with food but I do not have any experience with this one because most of the Calcium Citrate forms also have magnesium and that is not good for me and most of us with diarrhea.You can try the calcium citrate form of calcium to see if it is better for you or try small doses of the calcium carbonate with food and take simethicone for the gas until your body adjusts.Linda


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## flower girl (Jul 31, 2007)

i am in the uk and dont know if i can get the same as in th usa mine were from holland and barret i will have a look tomorow see what others they do


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## flower girl (Jul 31, 2007)

is calcium phosphate ok


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## smilesrp (Sep 4, 2007)

Flower girl, I have IBS-D and also have Osteoporisis. Besides my Osterporosis medication, I take an absorbable Calcium plus Vit. by Nature's Bounty. It is a liquid filled capsule and I have not had a problem with it. Good luck. --Smilesrp


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## ibsdsufferer (Sep 3, 2007)

flower girl, I have just bought Sainsbury's brand of Calcium & Vitamin D which contains Calcium Carbonate (as Linda describes), although I don't know if it causes indigestion yet, only bought them yesterday!


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## trbx1010 (Aug 27, 2007)

IBSDSUFFER,I am new to the calcium this weekend and I had great success with it. I actually feel like I am missing something....nausea! I tried to take just calcium and it didn't work ask well as Caltrate 600 D plus minerals. I was very desperate to get relief and the indigestion was a bit worrisome at first but it seems to be getting better. I found that my urine was a bit concentrated and that drinking a lot of water seemed to help a bit. But I actually ate out in a restaurant this weekend without feeling treatened by a possible episode of D. It is definitely worth it, just keep the water coming.Good Luck!


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## flower girl (Jul 31, 2007)

have started back on the calcium today had a bit of heartburn but am trying to drink more water to send it down quicker only taking half tab three times a day for now will let you know how it goes


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## Appy (Jun 25, 2007)

Flower Girl,I had the EXACT same problem when I first started taking calcium carbonate pills. I was miserable for about a month -- thought I had developed acid reflux, an ulcer, GERD, whatever -- even ended up having an endoscopy to see if an ulcer or worse was bothering me. I ultimately figured it had to be somehow related to the calcium, however, so I switched to the chewable kind of Caltrate to see if it would be gentler on my stomach. Lo and behold, it was the PERFECT solution. After a short time, my indigestion, heartburn, belching, gas, etc all subsided -- all simply by converting to the chewable form. I strongly recommend you seek out a supply of calcium carbonate in a chewable tablet. Perhaps that is harder to find in the UK, but I am hoping a switch for you might help relieve your discomfort just like it did for me. Appy -- calcium user since about Feb 07 and have been IBS-free ever since! I have my life back!


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## flower girl (Jul 31, 2007)

have tried the chewable calcium but the ones i had were very sweet and they made me feel sick i am not use to having sweet stuff do they make them without sugar do you know


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## ibsdsufferer (Sep 3, 2007)

I have been taking 1 pill in the afternoon with lunch and 1 more at dinner (400g calcium carbonate) for three days so far and I havent had any cases of D (so far) and no heart burn or indigestion, although I had a few small tummy aches this morning (nothing compared to what I'm used to). I am drinking 5 bottles of water a day (sometimes less), can I ask though, whilst taking this calcium are you all still eating healthily or can you handle a few 'naughty' things while you're on them?


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## Prudy (Jan 21, 2006)

Here is how I take my calcium, I started this way when I was taking the half tabs and would choke on the one edge, I usually start eating, then as I have chewed a bite of food good, I pop the calcium in and kind of wrap the food around it and swallow, the take another bite or a drink to get it down.... then continue eating. That way there is food in before I take it and after... acts like a buffer. I just find it easier that way and eliminates any problems swallowing.. or taking it on an empty stomach....Well in the beginning I was very strict nothing that was a known trigger.. then to see if I could handle certain things... I tired them..... in small amounts.. some things I can handle once in awhile.. some I can't in any amount... I don't binge anymore... because I don't like the aftermath, it usually takes a week to get back to normal if I have had something that sets off an episode..Sooooo I tend to be one who leans towards the cautious side of eating..


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## ibsdsufferer (Sep 3, 2007)

Thanks Prudy, I wasn't planning on eating anything 'naughty' just yet, I'm just wondering for future reference like if I was to go out for dinner. I do that with my pills too, except I have a few bites, then pill with water, then finish my meal. Works wonders!


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## LNAPE (Feb 9, 1999)

You can put the pill in a spoon of ice cream or wrap it in some cream cheese (my dogs love there medicine this way) or in a spoon of apple sauce. It is I think harder to take th 1/2 tablet with the rough edge on it than a whole tablet. If all else fails then you can take the chewable kind and the Caltrate Brand name has that available.Linda


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## flower girl (Jul 31, 2007)

i think it is better if taken with a full glass of water


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## Mary:::))) (Oct 23, 2006)

I like the chewable kind........Caltrate 600D for bone and colon health ::







))Mary::







))


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