Dexascan Results

Results were Normal but on the low side for me. The hips seemed fine its the spine. I get another one in a few years. I need ways to bump up calcuim so I guess I will be leaving the calcuim carbonate behind and moving into the more $$ citrate! How much of the citrate should I be taking to make it more than what I have done in the past to make this issue better? Is there anyone else out there that had dexascan come back on the low side and what are you doing?

Debbie, Obviously, I am not a doctor, and I can NOT give medical advice. BUT if you were my mother, my sister, my child, myself, this is what I would suggest for them. You need to have that Dexascan yearly. There is so much medical information out there that links WLS with possible bone loss. Since you are seeing a decline in your numbers on the dexascan you need to stay on top of it. There is too much chance of the problem progressing too far and too fast. After WLS, there is NO way I would wait a few years to follow up with another scan. I was told that the scans should be yearly, at the same time of year for the most accurate results. BTW - I was also told by my moms bone specialist that my labs (blood work) may not show what is actually going on when it comes to my calcium levels. Your body is an efficient machine that is adept at leeching calcium from your bones which will show a good reading on your blood work, all the while you are in fact starting to lose bone mass. Calcium Citrate (elemental), magnesium, Vit D and boron and weight bearing exercise are what I was told would help. Here is part of the regime that I follow. (((FYI - Don't follow this if you are taking Calcium Carbonate - too much carbonate can cause kidney stones))) Calcium as calcium citrate, minimum 2000 mg elemental a day (men too). Take with magnesium but NOT with iron. Take in 500 mg doses spaced at least 2 hours apart. Take the last dose at bedtime and take an extra dose if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night. I personally do not take calcium carbonate, (Tums®, Viactiv®, Caltrate®, Barefoot Coral Calcium Plus®, Os-Cal®, and many multi-vitamin formulas). I have read too much research against it to feel uncomfortable with it. Plus my moms bone doctor called me personally after he found out that I had WLS and strongly recommended that I take citrate rather than carbonate. AND the the last copy of the ASBS (American Association of Bariatric Surgeons) abstracts recommended that WLS patients be put on citrate. Obviously, I am not in any postion to tell anyone what they should do, especially since citrate is not our surgeons protocol, but this is what I am doing. Should you consider citrate, be sure to carefully read the label every time you purchase - formulas change at a drop of a hat. As a matter of fact, this is good business regardless of what supplements you are taking. I have found several things change without any notice since I have had my surgery, including protein bars and powders. Buyer beware! Magnesium as magnesium citrate or amino acid chelate 400-1000 mg a day. OK to take with calcium but not with iron. Can be taken all at once or throughout the day. Start out with 200 mg and increase dosage every few days until the desired level is reached; decrease dosage slightly if loose stools result. Preferred dosage is 1 part elemental magnesium to 2 parts elemental calcium or 1000 mg magnesium to 2000 mg calcium, but this ratio is not accurate for each person. Increasing the dosage until you get loose stool and than backing off a little seems to work best for most people. With that said, it can really be confusing when trying to determine how much of a product actually has 500 mg elemental calcium citrate per serving. As an early post op, I thought I was doing well taking calcium citrate, thought I was getting 500 mg per serving. But I found out I was wrong when restless legs started bothering me. I checked into it and yes, I was wrong. I was dosing with too small a dosage even though by reading the label it looked like I was doing the right thing. Here is something someone sent to me that helped me to better decipher the labels. Here's the way to decipher mineral supplement labels (per serving; check labels carefully for the number of tablets/scoops/capsules required to make up a serving): If the label says... 500 mg calcium as calcium citrate 500 mg elemental calcium Take 4-6 doses per day 500 mg calcium from calcium citrate 500 mg elemental calcium Take 4-6 doses per day 500 mg calcium (calcium citrate) 500 mg elemental calcium Take 4-6 doses per day 500 mg calcium citrate About 125 mg elemental calcium Take four capsules, 4-6 times a day 1000 mg calcium citrate About 250 mg elemental calcium Take four capsules, 4-6 times a day 500 mg calcium A mystery. Check the ingredients listing to see if that indicates the type of calcium. DO NOT PURCHASE. If you can't even tell what kind of calcium it is (carbonate, citrate, etc.) THROW IT AWAY! Hang in there Debbie, and PLEASE do stay on top of this. You may have to plead your case to your docs, but for your own health, please do not take those scan results lightly. This is not a good time to ride it out and see what happens! Proactive should be your motto! This would be a great group for you to join to find out so much more (http://) groups.yahoo.com/group/OSSG-osteoporosis If there is anything else I can do, please just email me or call me. With the funeral and all that goes with it, I am not going to be on the boards too much for the next few days!!! Hugs and Tammy

Sorry, when I peeked at the post after it posted I realized that the way it was formatted in the earlier post was confusing. Hope this helps to make it a bit clearer. If the label says... 500 mg calcium as calcium citrate It has approximately 500 mg elemental calcium Take 4-6 doses per day If the label says... 500 mg calcium from calcium citrate It has approximately 500 mg elemental calcium Take 4-6 doses per day If the label says... 500 mg calcium (calcium citrate) It has approximately 500 mg elemental calcium Take 4-6 doses per day If the label says... 500 mg calcium citrate It has approximately About 125 mg elemental calcium Take four capsules, 4-6 times a day If the label says... 1000 mg calcium citrate It has approximately About 250 mg elemental calcium Take four capsules, 4-6 times a day If the label says... 500 mg calcium It is A mystery. Check the ingredients listing to see if that indicates the type of calcium. DO NOT PURCHASE. If you can't even tell what kind of calcium it is (carbonate, citrate, etc.) THROW IT AWAY!

Okay....I found a product that says the following: 1 Tablespoon equals: Elemental Calcuim (as calcuim Citrate) 1000 mg Elemental Magnesium (As magnesium Amino Acid Chelate) 500 mg Oh Calcuim goddess...would that mean I need two tablespoons to get the pain in the neck calcuim level up to where it needs to be? My Dr's orders say 1500mg but I think if I can get the extra 500 it would be better... Another question can we absorb 1000mg at one time or will I have to break it up? I do vitamins 4x's a day.....Not enough time in the day to do both.... Thanks again and lots of (((((HUGS))))) PS. Bought a new bathing suit....size 16! So excited and can't wait to wear it. Can anyone say beach?

Debbie Glad to hear it is in within normal range, good luck on bumping it up. I had always wished that I had a dexa scan done prior to surgery as a baseline. Not having issues (that I know of). Dianne

Dianne, FYI - I believe that the 2005 ASBS abstracts say that they recommend that we get a "baseline" dexascan within the first year or two after surgery if you didn't get one pre-op. Hugs, Tammy

hey sweetiE i don't know much about this but i am thinking of you and your in my prayers,your gonna do great,i have faith believing everything will be all right,me sending xoxoxoxoxoxoxooXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXXOOXOXOXOXXOOXOXXOXOOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOOXOOXOOXOXOXXOOXXOXOXOXOOXXOOXOXXOXXOXOOOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXOOXXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXXXOXOXOXOXXOOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOOXXOOXXOXOXOXOOOXOOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXOOXOXOXOXOXOXXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOOXOXOXOOXXOOXXOOOXOX YOUR THE BEST,YOUR FRIEND BONNIE

What is a Dexascan? Should everyone have one? This is the 1st time I ever heard of this test. Something that slipped in the cracks for me anyway. Thanks. Elissa

Dexascan helps with checking out our bone density...make sure the calcuim that is being absorbed in our body. My sleep Dr suggested I get this done to make sure I am getting the proper absorption of calcuim. Debbie