Warning! Labs don't tell the whole story - Get a DexaScan

Four months after my WLS, I had a DexaScan to measure my bone density. I knew that with WLS the risk of bone density loss was high. A couple of weeks ago, I had a followup DexaScan. And I'm very glad I did. I take my vitamins and lots of calcium citrate (with D and magnesium) religiously. Well, guess what? I have lost 12% in my left hip and 2.4% in my spine since my baseline DexaScan (2 years and 3 months). So often I hear people say that "their labs are good" and I always explained that labs don't tell the story on bones. Well, I'm living proof. My labs are good, too. I also do strength training 3 times a week. So even though I'm doing everything right, I'm still losing bone density -- some probably naturally due to aging, but it shouldn't be that much. The malabsorption of vitamins is alive and well in my body. So I'm upping my calcium intake. I don't know what else to do. Let this be a warning to all of you who are lax with your vitamin regimen. Deb

Deb--I so wish I had a baseline dexa. I didn't have one until this year. How old ar you? Is menapause a factor? Are you gonna take one of the osteo drugs? My doc was concerned about upping the calcium intake too much because of kidney stones. I already take 1600 per day. Anyways--thanks for the reminder. I suggest you post this on the main board.

I'm 52 and still peri-menopausal -- 4.5 months since last flow. At this point I don't plan to take a drug. While I've lost that much, I'm still in the normal range. I may decide differently after the next dexa if I can't stop the decline with more calcium. My mom has osteoparosis and she takes Fosamax. I was in shock for a while and had my own pity party. I had been so careful to do what I was supposed to do. I couldn't believe that had happened to me. Deb

Deb--the reason why I asked is because my doc told me that at the beginning of menopause there is often a sharp drop in bone density and then it usually levels out. I'm peri-menopausal also--maybe that is what brought on the big drop for you?

Deb, When they test your labs do they do PTH and Vitamin D along with the Calcium which is included in the Comprehensive Metabolic Panel? You need the PTH and Vitamin D to know the big picture. Do you know what your PTH and Vitamin D levels are? What calcium are you using? How often are you taking it and in what doses? Kathy

I don't see PTH or Vitamin D on any labs. I track my labs on a spreadsheet, so I know those weren't done. The first year I took calcium citrate but didn't understand that I needed to count only elemental calcium, so I wasn't taking enough. The last year I have used calcium citrate and made sure that I got in 1500-2000 mg of elemental calcium daily. Now I've upped that another 1000mg. It's hard to get all that in during the day without taking more than 500mg at a time and still allow for iron & thyroid medicine. I don't count the calcium carbonate that's in my multi-vitamin. Deb

Serum calcuium will always be 'normal' even when losing bone mass. That's because if there is not sufficient levels in your blood stream through intake, it will 'snag' what it wants at the expwnse of your bone structure. It is only when you have lost a lot of bone density that the serum levels will begin to show values out the reference range. And then it is probably too late. J

I had my first Dexa stan about 4 months after my WLS. I had a repeat at my 1 year anniversary. Both were identical, which is great. Both showed osteopenia, which isn't great. I'm only 50. The doctors said that they had no way of knowing how long it had been there, couldn't really determine a cause. Maybe it is from all the Diet Coke I drank for all those years. Maybe it is menopausal. Who knows?? Anyway, I started taking Fosamax every week in addition to the 1500 mg of calcium citrate I take daily. That can cause heartburn, so each week is always a new trial for me. Did I have any heartburn this week? How bad is it? I'm keeping a journal of how it goes, and pretty much I can take the meds without noticing any heartburn. I keep my Prilosec in stock, just in case. Sue O.

This is why I have an appointment with my doctor... to get this done. Thanks for bringing it up - this is a very important issue. Laura

I was 59 when i had surgery..had a bone density test before..it was normal. I had another one 2 yrs after wls I have ostrioperosis in my left hip and ostrorpernia in my spine. I have been religious takeing my vitimins and calcium. I have been put on Actonel 1 time a week ...I was on that for 4 mo. and I developed pain..which we havent determined why yet. So I stopped taking the Actonel on my own..until i find out what this pain is from. I am older so i am postmensis....but i was shocked at this...I have also had chemo and radiation and thyroid problems all which strikes against me..as well as have some relitives with this. I have not exercised like I should. I have to start walking again at least 3 miles a week. I dont know what my levels are i was never told. I dont know what tests were done either. My sister who also had wls also has ostriopernia but she is 4 years older than I am. I hope this helps some. I see I'm not alone. Cha