I haven't had the surgery yet, but soon. I was hoping to be able to take the Viactive chewable's they taste great.

Have you tried the Bariatric Advantage brand? Any chewable iron is tough to get down, but theirs come in fruit flavors and I find if I suck them, vs chewing, they go down better. they also have a product call calcium crystal. Tasteless, they can be added to pudding, oatmeal, whatever. I put a couple small scoops into my smoothies . So much better than even their chewable versions. 2 scoops =600 mg. I also take their sub-lingual B-12.

Like you I am on thyroid medication. Though should be small enough to swallow (eventually....depending how far out you are). They crushed them and put them in jello for me in the hospital and i've continued with that . I am 3 1/2 weeks post op.

Hope that helps.
Cindy in FL

The calcium (citracal petites) are the hardest for me. They don't taste at all, but I chew them up and it's like hard shells in my mouth, but it's gotten easier over time and now I don't even notice I'm chewing! My thyroid pills are sweet so that's not a bother and my other vitamins are capsules, which I have been swallowing for months. Sometimes you can crush and mix in pudding or something.

I think the big thing is to remember to use the calcium citrate and not the carbonate because we absorb it.

I am 16 months post op- lost 140 and now weigh 140. I think my body likes to be 140. I eat, exercise and enjoy an active life, I know take One a Day Energy formula and a calcium pill, my vitiam panel came back just fine, You must take your suppliments. As time goes on things will get better and you will be able to switch to pills, which are easier and quicker, The chewables to me were unbearable. The liquid made me sick and the cost was too much. Everyone is going to tell you to crush it and put in in applesauce. It works. Anyway you do it is fine. If you stop taking them you are going to look like crap, your hair will fall out and you will have no energy to enjoy your new bod.

http://www.nutrovita.com/26989/kal/calcium-citrate-chewable.htm

This is the brand of Calcium Citrate I take with vitamin D.. its not chalky and I tolerate it well.. they are chewable and a little sweet.. but not too bad.. Good Luck!

Calcium Citrate is water dissolvable. Place one pill in about an oz of water, wait 15 min, and all that will be left is the filler on the bottom. Drink the water on top, you get your Calcium. Don't drink the filler stuff. I checked this out online.

Teri

P.S. I take 3 of them twice a day.. so I go through 3 bottles a month...so it's less than $20.00 a month.. you can get them on-line or in most health food stores (they are generally cheaper on-line).. :-)

does everyone take calcium?

my dr. only requires a multi-vit. For the 1st 3 months I took 2 flintstone vitamins (I hate the taiste, but most like them) Agter that I started taking a regular adult multi-vit. I had trouble swallowing big pills so I just break them in half.

Now at my 9 month check up, I was put on SL-b-12 (those are yummy) and iron (they are small, I just swallow them down)

I take Viactive chewables for my Calcium, and they do taste great..... like a chocolate caramel. I also take Optisource chewable vitamins... these are made special for bariatric patients so they have the proper iron in them already. They are a citrus flavour and not too chalky. Because of the extra calcium in the Optisource, I only have to take one Viactive a day..... too bad as they are yummy!