LisaM

Two things I've found - the bad breath stinkies came up on another thread, something that I really struggled with, too.

Estroven, the soy people, have put out a calcium chewing gum. Found it at Walmart in the vitamin aisle. They have it in peppermint and wintergreen, and it gives about 333 mg of calcium per two pieces. Really is helping me keep my calcium above the 1500 mg a day that my doc wants me at, and helps the bad breath, too. Just don't swallow the gum!

Also, I've found something that helps when I'm about to start a dumping episode (they start with nausea and sweating for me). If I take a Caltrate 600, which is basically just a gigantic Tums with about 600 mg of calcium carbonate, it heads off all but the worst episodes.

Hope this helps somebody... Do you have suggestions for what's worked for you?

__________________
Lisa M

Lap RNY - 9/26/05
surgery/lowest/goal
Weight: 303/137/150
BMI: 56/25.1/27.4
Now in maintenance stage, with desired weight range: 150-153 pounds
Current weight: 143 Updated 7/16/08

"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself." Harvey Fierstein

sUzYzPLaCe

Aside from trying to find my razor blade to slit my wrists, nothing has worked! Suzy



Hope this helps somebody... Do you have suggestions for what's worked for you?[/quote]

CiCi

I have never heard of calcium helping with dumping! That would be great! Do you think it would work with chewable calcium citrate as well? (My doc says citrate is what keeps us from getting kidney stones.)

__________________
T r a c i
RNY LAP March 30, 2005
244 pre-op / 121 current and holding!

LisaM

I had caught the rumor regarding kidney stones, too - so I went and did a little research. I'm interested because I get a kidney stone about once every ten years, and they hurt like hell! So, just to cover all bases, I take some of both - at least one 600 mg tablet of carbonate every day, and the rest of citrate. The Estroven gum I mention above is a combination, as well...

Results below:

Does Calcium Carbonate Or Too Much Calcium Cause Kidney Stones?
Until 1983 it was commonly assumed that higher calcium intake could increase kidney stone formation.
The following landmark study of 45,619 men corrected this misunderstanding by showing that men who were deficient in calcium had more calcium (oxalate) stone formation in their kidneys. It also showed that higher calcium intake reduced stones. This appears to happen because calcium can help to reduce oxalic acid absorption in the intestine by binding with oxalic acid and carrying it out of the body in the feces, so less oxalate stones form in the kidneys. Roughly 99% of kidney stones are composed of calcium oxalate.


Curhan GC, et al. A prospective study of dietary calcium and other nutrients and the risk of symptomatic kidney stones. N Engl J Med 1993 Mar 25;328(12):833-838.
Comment: This study said, ”A high dietary calcium intake is strongly suspected of increasing the risk of kidney stones. However, a high intake of calcium can reduce the urinary excretion of oxalate, which is thought to lower the risk. Less urinary excretion indicates inhibition of oxalate absorption into the body. Dietary calcium intake was inversely associated with the risk of kidney stones.’ Men who consumed the most calcium had the least potential for kidney stones. Higher dietary potassium intake and increased fluid intake were also associated with having a lower incidence of stones.

Levine RJ, et al. Trial of calcium in preeclampsia. N Eng J Med 1997;337:69-7.
Comment: This study showed no increase in kidney stones among 2295 women who took 2,000 mg of calcium carbonate per day for a study period of up to 25 weeks.

Takei K, et al. Oral calcium supplement decreases urinary oxalate excretion in patients with enteric
hyperoxaluria. Urol Int 1998;61:192-195.
Comment: This study investigated four different types of calcium supplements and said that appropriately dosed oral calcium supplementation may be ”e an effective strategy [to reduce kidney stones]e ’

Williams CP, et al. Why oral calcium supplements may reduce renal stone disease: report of a clinical pilot study. J Clin Pathol 2001;54:54-62.
Comment: 500 mg of daily calcium carbonate improved mechanisms associated with reduced kidney stones. However, this is still being investigated, and no one has reached a solid conclusion about whether calcium carbonate (or other forms of calcium) supplementation can reduce the incidence of kidney stones.

__________________
Lisa M

Lap RNY - 9/26/05
surgery/lowest/goal
Weight: 303/137/150
BMI: 56/25.1/27.4
Now in maintenance stage, with desired weight range: 150-153 pounds
Current weight: 143 Updated 7/16/08

"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself." Harvey Fierstein

HAMPTON5555

Good info, I am going to try the gum!!!

I find that my breath smalls mediciney?

__________________
Rain
12-27-04 Dr. Callery (Open RNY)
296 before pre-op
285/164/155 5'7"1/2

"Where you are matters more, if you remember where you've been."
"It's the journey, not the destination!!!"