Stepping onto Soap Box....

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Soap Box Mode: ON!

I have been reading all the various back and forth messages

about calcium supplements.

How much to take, what is the best source, what to look for

on labels, etc.

I would like to add some perspective:

Calcium is used in the bone and teeth, at night when you

sleep is when the transfer of calcium from the bone and

teeth takes place, if your body's system is NOT getting the

proper supplemental daily dose it requires. This process

eliminates 450 - 600mg of calcium nightly.

85% of all manufactures of calcium supplements, provide it

in the form of Calcium Carbonate, because provides 40% of

" elemental Calcium " .

Example: (2) 500mg of Calcium Carbonate = 1000mg of Calcium

Carbonate. 40% of 1000mg = 400mg of Elemental Calcium.

It is also important to note, that vitamin D is necessary

for the proper absorbtion of Elemental Calcium.

Vitamin D is also known to cause a problem, when the system

is trying to absorbe another supplement, such as Iron.

Try to at lease maintain a 30 - 60 minute gap between taking

your Calcium and Iron supplement.

Since my ROUX-en-Y, July 13th, 1979 I have mainly received

my calcium supplement daily through TUMs, or generic

antacids which are calcium fortified. I have tried to

maintain at least 800mg of elemental calcium daily and to

this day, I have no sign of bone density loss.

I was informed last October, by a radiologist that I had

experienced substantial bone loss. I thought what else is

knew, I am 59 years old and living with a restricted diet

because of my abdominal fistulas leakage for the past 3

years now.

Well, my surgeon that is following my fistula problem, and

will operate on me in the future, ordered a bone density

test for me and the results came back with what the doctor

called " a very modest density loss " falling within the

" minimal " range for my age group who have not had the

Gastric Bypass surgery.

His recommendation was to continue taking TUMS or any

calcium fortified antacid, as I have been doing over the

last 23 years.

So is it necessary for each of you to become lab

technicians, nutritionist, chemical engineers to enjoy what

has been provided by the surgical procedure.

Wake up there is a wonderful life to be enjoyed and

explored.

If people on this list are selling supplements, and you

purchase them, that is fine. But, do yourselves a REAL

favor, show your physician what you have bought. We are ALL

different and you should ONLY follow your doctor's advice

and counsel.

If you are not, then you are doomed to failure! I can assure

you right now...follow your doctor's advice, if he/she is

NOT providing you adequate guidance then see another. If the

problem is in adequate daily maintenance of necessary

supplements, please see a practicing nutionist.

Soap Box Mod: OFF

This was written with concern about all the enquiries and

misinformation that is being tossed around. I hope that the

above does NOT add to the confusion, but help to release the

anxiety that is apparant among many of the participants in

this group over the past several days. I just couldn't hold

back any longer. My intent is only to inform and help.

I have been living a successful and productive life as a

Gastric Bypass patient for 23 years now, and I feel that we

should all enjoy the new lifestyle afforded us.

The way that the messages have been going, I feel that many

are " frightened " by all the technical jargon and debating

going on about Calcium (especially) and other supplements.

When it would be to their advantage to just follow their

doctor's advice.

Over the past 23 years, every person that I have seen fail

with the Gastric Bypass (regain their weight, and most

gained even more than their weight at time of surgery), had

one thing in common, they never kept routine follow ups with

their surgeons or followed their surgeons advice.

If you as a Gastric Bypass recipient want to be at you

" goal " weight, 5 years from now or even 10 years from

now...follow your doctor's advice.

Any information provided in this forum, should never be used

in place of your medical practioner's advice and guidance.

NEVER!!!!!!!

///Bob

P.S. Fire Away........