Bone Loss After VSG

PTH of 17 is very good. I'm a bit jealous.  Mine was 20-something pre-op and about 33 now. I noticed yours went up slightly too post-op. But we're both normal and in acceptable range for that one.

Maybe, we're just a bit perfectionistic?? 

Gail

Should PTH be high or low?
The Kaiser standard is 10-65

At six months I was 22
I year out - 38

Is that getting better or worse?

I had a DEXA scan at 1 year out when I was 60.  It looked good at that time.

Lower is better.

But all these numbers fluctuate a bit just due to random factors at the time of the test. So two numbers isn't really enough to know for sure there is a trend. If it goes up again, then that could be worrisome but only if the other numbers are also worrisome.

I have read that--about the high serum calcium being indicative of not getting enough calcium. But whenever I up the dosage, even to 1500, it goes sky high, and the endo gets concerned about kidney stones. So I must not be processing it correctly.

That's interesting about the PTH. Last year, it was 45 (with the normal range being 10-65). The endocronologist did the test again in April of this year, and it was down to 33 but serum calcium was a bit high.

I just got blood drawn for my 4 year (2 months late) today, so we'll see what it is now.

Marie, did you have an article or link to the relationships b/n PTH and calcium. I need to arm myself with more knowledge. I got back my first labs and my PTH was 54 (with normal range 10-65) and my calcium 9.9 (normal 8.6-10.2). I know you mentioned that high PTH indicated that the body is leaching from the bones, but every time I try to increase the calcium, the serum level goes up. Neither my PCP or the endo seem to really register any labs that don't show up outside normal, so I want to educate myself (and them)...

Thanks!
Lizanne

I'll try to find something.

No worries...I've been doing some research on it. I've increased my calcium but will have to push to have the serum calcium checked again shortly as it seems to go up with even normal calcium supplementation. I don't think I absorb calcium properly, possibly because of the PPI(s) I still require.
I've pretty much gotten it back down to 1 a day but if I go below that, I get very severe esophagitis (sp?) and I don't want to get Barret's. So I'm b/n a rock and a hard place. Dr. J once said that possibly Dr. C could fix my malfunctioning valve with the EsophyX but that it wouldn't be covered by insurance. I may have to push on that since there is no other way to fix it w/o more stomach tissue. The hiatal hernia repair that Dr. J did didn't fix the problem because of the valve...no more hernia but the valve stays open. Very frustrating.

L.

I'm waiting to hear back from my PCP and Bariatric Internist, but bone loss occurs during rapid weight loss and people who have WLS are at higher risk for this to occur. Because I was going to have WLS, my PCP ordered the DEXA Scan last year, but otherwise, I would have had to wait until I was older to have this done. If I had not had a baseline DEXA Scan done last year, I wouldn't have known how much bone I had actually lost. It's still within normal range, but it was shocking.

My results last year seemed good, but I was a lot heavier and obese people usually have strong bones related to the increased mass exerting pressure on the bones. I was also taking estradiol for menopausal symptoms, which may have also helped to preserve bone mass.

Now, that I am off estrogen replacement and have lost  100 lbs, my bone mass has decreased by about 10 % in one year. I am doing all the right things. I wonder, how bad it would be, if I had not been proactive taking my supplements, weight training, and exercise?

Since anyone on this forum has had WLS, your PCP or GYN provider can order the DEXA Scan. WLS does increase one's risk of increased bone loss. We still have larger bones, but they are less dense.

Gail

Your post reminded me that we WLS peeps often do have bigger bones than average. So while 10% may have shocked you, do think maybe this was just your bones going back to normal??