Anyone know if the is DS contraindicated for osteoporosis?

I just got diagnosed with osteoporosis today, dammit, and I am trying to get approved for a DS. Will this get me disqualified? Anyone get a DS after being diagnosed with osteoporosis? AACCK! What ELSE is going to get in my way????

Osteopenia here not osteoporosis pre-op. Osteoporosis now though. Any quick and massive WL will cause more bone loss, so start talking to a specialist about potential medications or a wait and see plan. I have never heard of someone being denied for pre-op osteoporosis but if an insurance company sees it in your submission packet they might try to latch on to it and make crap up to try to deny you. They are evil that way.

--gina
  

this will not be an exclusion, but you will have to be very very diligent PO.  checking your blood work and adjusting, don't minimize osteoporosis....

What is your PTH level now???

You are thinking about this all wrong.  This is not about approval or something getting in your way.  The DS may be a bad choice if you already have osteoporosis.  Do you already malabsorb calcium,  now?  

The DS will be a huge problem for you,  a huge problem,  if you are already osteoporitic.  The DS results in significan malabsorption of calcium and you are already way,  way, behind the eight ball on this issue.

Your HEALTH has to come first.

Speak to your endocrinologist.  You need to understand why you are osteoporitic, what your absorbtion issues are now in terms of calcium and D,  before you even consider taking any more steps toward a DS.

And you need to make your DS surgeon aware of your diagnosis.  If your surgeon has an ethical bone in his body, he will hesitate seriouly before performing a DS on you.

This is a concern that would best be addressed by a surgeon who is experienced with the DS. I know you don't have insurance approval yet, but you could contact such a surgeon by email and ask whether or not he would consider this an absolute contraindication to the DS, or for that matter a contraindication for any malabsorptive procedure.  Given your location, I would recommend either Dr. Keshishian or Dr. Rabkin.
     It would also be helpful to understand what is causing your osteoporosis, and whether it is true osteoporosis or just osteopenia, and what treatment options are available for you. There are drugs available for osteoporosis these days, and exercise can also help maintain and build bone mass.  But bottom line, this is a medical question that we can empathize with but which needs to be addressed by a physician.

Larra

I don't think it will necessarily disqualify you from getting weight loss surgery; you're more likely to die from obesity related diseases before dying of osteoporosis.  However, it is not something to take lightly.

I would want to know the reasons behind the osteoporosis before dedicating myself to a very malabsorptive procedure.  Is it from insufficient intake or from difficulties absorbing?  Insufficienct intake...we can fix that.  Some sort of genetic predisposition to poorly absorbing calcium, vitamin D, or other minerals...hard to fix, and will become worse with the DS.

Definitely something to think about.  Generally, a pre-op DEXA is not required for insurance approval OR surgery scheduling.  You are lucky to know this information ahead of time so you can really weigh your options about whether this is the right decision for you. 

And I would be looking into osteoporosis treatments right now, too, if I were you.  Maximize your efforts pre-op to get you in the best possible position post-op, because I assure you, it will be an uphill battle.

 Thank you everyone. I know that the DS will probably cause me more bone loss problems, but since this all just came down yesterday, I don't know very much about what my issues are. I do know that something odd is going on because I am only 44 and have not hit menopause yet. My PCP says this is very rare. I must malabsorb calcium in the first place. If that is the case, then perhaps the DS is not is good idea. I hope to have a consult with Dr. Keshishian soon (waiting for the referral to be processed) and I will for sure ask him. By then I may have more definitive answers about what really is going on. My health must come first, but I am pursuing WLS FOR my health. As I said, I'm only 44 (BMI almost 50) and I fear I will be immobile soon. I'm exercising (walking and swimming) as much as my pain level allows- I do something every day. So thanks everyone! I'll post again when I get more info.

Lori

You should see an endocrinologist.

Lori, it sounds like you're doing all the right things. Just don't assume that you already malabsorb calcium. Don't assume anything! There could be a totally different reason for this problem, so confer with either your pcp or an endo or both to sort out what the underlying cause is.
     And I'm confident Dr. Keshishian will not steer you wrong as to what wls are suitable or not suitable for you.

Larra