Hi Texasgirl, There's a few ways to get your daily fix of calcium and preventing constipation, i don't know how many you have tried, or how much colon you have left for that matter. but here are a few simple angles to combat constipation lass or pasty poo.
Firstly have a wee lookie at the ingredients of the suppliments your taking and have a look see if they contain Bone Meal, if they do don't take them. Bone meal calcium comes from animals' bones and increses the risk of constipation, and also and in my opinion a very important factor is that any heavy metals the animal has ever been exposed to are stored in the bones. Over the counter samples of supplements with bone meal or dolomite has been tested and significant amounts of lead, arsenic, mercury, and other potentially toxic metals were detected. So if they got bone meal in them, thow them in the bin lol.
Calcium in foods is found to have a much higher absorbtion rate than suppliments, but this entirely depends on how much colon you have left. But that being said, milk products such as hard/cottage cheeses and yogurts are high in calcium, as is green vegetables especially spinach. But ironicly enough spinich can interfere with the absorption of calcium as can rhubarb and bran.
A simple way to estimate one's daily calcium intake is to multiply the number of calcium rich foods you have eaten each day by 300 mg.One serving equals 8 oz of milk or yogurt, 1 oz of hard cheese, 16 oz of cottage cheese, or 2 cups of broccoli. Incidently, foods labeled as containing 100% of the recommended dietary value of calcium should not be considered as the single source of a full day's supply of calcium. So dont let that fool ya.x
If your intake of calcium still remains below the amount recommended by your doctcor, calcium supplements are inevitable. But there are a few ways to gently soften you stool and reduce the risk of constipation lass, so don't worry.If you are mobile enough, regular exercise helps, as does increasing fruits, vegetables, and high fiber foods in your diet. Have a few prunes with your cereal in the morning, and drink an extra liter of water per day.
If all else fails then ask your doctor or stoma nurse if you can take stool softners or calcium supplements with magnesium added (i.e. Citracal Plus w/Magnesium) to minimize the constipation. Dietary magnesium does not pose a health risk in most people, although risk of magnesium toxicity increases in patients with kidney failure. Also, very large doses of magnesium-containing laxatives and antacids also have been associated with magnesium toxicity.
Hopefully a few of those suggestions could be suitable for you Texasgirl, cant be much fun for you
Take care lass.
Oh and P.s, taking Calcium supplements with Vitamin D added is said to be very benificial to folks with osteoporosis. Reasech done on Vitamin D shows it to be one of them kinda wonder drugs.