Question:
How often do people get osteoperosis after WLS?
I am waiting for approval from my insurance for gastric bypass surgery.Lately I have read quite a few stories about post-ops getting osteoperosis later on in life.Can't this be prevented by taking your calcium as directed?Liquid calcium should solve any pill swalling problems.Any imput would be appreciated! — natalie J. (posted on September 7, 2003)
September 7, 2003
Hi, I am not sure about a % on the postop osteoporosis but the part of the
intestine that is bypassed with roux-en-y is the part that absorbs calcium.
I started taking the nasal spray form of calcium because it is absorbed
through the nasal tissues..Hope this helps, Carolyn -100#
— Carolyn G.
September 7, 2003
The first step is finding out wher eyuo are BEFORE surgery. Although the
myth is that fat people have dense bones, it's just myth. About 50% of
those able to be dexascanned pre-op already HAVE some damage. My guess
would be primarily from other diets/wt losses. Then, we have the
compounded part about losing the absorption of calcium by not running food
past the calcium absorption point AND the American myth about the main
sources of calcium AND the weight loss itself. We lose fat, muscle &
bone with every pound. Then, add in the perpetual issue of how much
calcium is right? My personal thinking is at least double RDA for
proximals, more yet for distals. And what KIND of calcium is the best
absorbed? And then, once decided, teaching people to read labels so they
know exactly which form of calcium they're buying, regardless of what the
front of the packgin appears to say and finally, the serving size. Many
people take 1/4 of the number of pills they take because their eye skipped
the "serving size" actually being 4 pills. The actual vehicle,
pill, powder or liquid isn't as important over the long haul. I DID follow
my doc's instructions, as given by office personal to a T. HOWEVER, they
didn't say EXACTLY what he said (they said "calcium", he said
"calcium citrate", but they didn't quote him exactly--threw in
their own prejudices) and he did not yet know that we needed so much more
of it. So, following your doc's instructions and just taking your calcium
sound good, when you're on the top looking down and I'd certainly have
agreed with you a few years ago. There's so many more pieces to the puzzle
than that. Some cannot fit the dexascan machines pre-op, so they don't know
where they started, so may have followed a good program, including wt
bearing exercise and STILL have compromised bones. My body type is the
ideal for OP, and I'm guessing my mom & g-ma had it, as well. For sure
my great g-ma did. Mine could have been predicted, given all the factors I
know TODAY. Maybe it could've been prevented with the info I have today,
maybe it was already started. I'll never know.
— vitalady
September 7, 2003
I had a dexa scan at nine months post op. THEN I had the beginning of
osteoporosis. God knows where it is at now. I suspect that I had some
before wls, but I know the wls is'nt helping it as I can't swallow all
those horse pills called calcium citrate. I can't find liquid and probally
could'nt stand the taste anyway. Some say there are chewable citrates but I
can't find them and I have no idea what the calcium nasel spray is called.
In the mean time, I'm sure my osteoporosis is advancing and I have no idea
what I can do to stop it when I can't even find the citrate I need. Seems
in some ways I have more health problems since losing half my body weight
than I ever did at 319.
— Danmark
September 7, 2003
Daniel, Have you tried the Citracal Calcium Citrate with D that are coated
caplets? If not try them or any other kind that is coated. I still have
the bottle of GNC ones I bought as a pre-op that I will likely never use
because they are not coated. It really is the difference between getting
them down and not. There is liquid avaialbe too, so don't use the
"cannot get the pills down" as an excuse to get worse with the
osteoporosis.
<p>The the original poster I agree with what Michelle said, there is
not enough long term info to know for sure but getting a Dexascan is a good
start. I would not have fit on a machine as a pre-op but I had one at 6
months PO and my looked pretty good. I don't know the official results but
the tech was explaining things to me and said it looked pretty normal. So
now we have something to compare to in the future. She did tell me that it
is important to always have them taken on the smae machine if you want a
true comparison. So if you would need to go further away as a pre-op then
wait a few months and get it close to home where you would normally go from
then on. I personally do not think we lose that much in the first few to 6
months because we still hav eplenty of fat on our bodies producing estrogen
which helps protect the bones. It's when the fat gets down a lot lower
that you want to be on a every day regimine. You must find some form of
calcium citrate that you can take, as this is not something you can chose
to not take if you want to protect your body. Weight bearing exercise and
weight training will also help a lot to keep bones strong. So get walking
and then when you are healed well and are strong put some strength training
into your routine.
<p>I started at first with the Citracal coated tablets that did not
have the vitamin D in them as they were quite a bit smaller, and went down
so much easier. At about 4 months I switched to the ones with the vitamin
D as it does help absorb more of the calcium. The only thing I am doing
"wrong" as of now is that many times I take 2 pills together. I
need to get in 4 a day and I find that taking them 4 separate times and
then also spacing them around my multi-vitamin that I end up skipping some
of them, so I went to 2 twice a day. This means I am taking 630 mg at
once. Supposedly we only absorb 400 mg at once so I may be throwing awa
some, but I figure I am still getting in more by getting in all 4 pills
than missing 2 of them. Besides with the vitamin D I am likely absorbing
more anyway and I also eat a lot of cheese and some other foods that are
good calcium sources so I feel I am doing okay. I intend to have a
dexascan on a fairly regular basis so we know what is going on before it
gets out of hand. I'm not willing to trade being fat for osteoporosis and
it will come down to me to make sure I don't.
— zoedogcbr
September 7, 2003
Well this is all discouraging info! Big point, osteoporosis is hereditary.
I guess I will consider myself LUCKY since I NOW, most likely will live
long enough to see IF I get the dreaded osteoporosis due to this surgery.
Otherwise I might never have known. Get the drift?
Osteoporosis is a horrible condition. But when you weigh out ALL the other
horrible conditions we had in store for us before WLS, then it becomes a
chance I am willing to take. Odds are in my favor, I think.
— Ginger M.
September 7, 2003
Chris D... I will use the excuse as it is true. I've been in pharmacies and
constantly ask about citrate pills. They are all large. The only chewables
available are carbonate and there are'nt any liquid. So yes, I will use the
excuse! There are people here who say there are other options. Well I
have'nt found them although I have been looking for two years.
— Danmark
September 7, 2003
the calcium citrate pills are large I take citrucal plus. Any pharmacy will
have a hndy little device caleed a pill cutter, buy one and use it, no
excuses for neglecting your health. Our drs. can only do so much and then
WE HAVE TO TAKE CONTROL OF OUR OWN HEALTH AND BODIES.
— **willow**
September 7, 2003
I have found chewable calcium citrate at the health food store and they
taste kind of like a sweet tart. They made me feel a little dumpy early on
but now they are great. They are made by Twinlab and I am sure that you
could also find them on line. I actually gagged on the liquid stuff but if
you can handle it then it is a great alternative.
— Carol S.
September 7, 2003
— vitalady
September 7, 2003
I had already lost 3/4" befor surgery, but since surgery in Jan. 2001,
I have lost another 1-1/4". My endocrinologist has me on a
non-hormone hormone (Evista) and I just take an additional 1200 mg of
calcium daily...which I still continue to forget. UGH! Some women swear by
two tums a day, but I don't think that's good calcium, is it????
— Betty Todd
September 7, 2003
Lifetime liquid calcium with Vit D and magnesium is available online at
www.vitaminworld.com or at any of their stores. I've used this since I was
six months out. No connection to them; just a satisfied customer. Nina in
Maine
— [Deactivated Member]
September 8, 2003
I love UpCal D from vitalady.com. I cannot/will not swallow pills, yet I
easily get in my calcium CITRATE with the UpCal D. It is tasteless and I
don't think it is gritty at all-compared to emptying the insides of citrate
capsules-YUCK! Slowly, researchers are starting to study the link between
wls and osteoporosis, but until we have more answers no one knows the
percentage. So, I believe it is better to be safe than sorry. We do not
absorb calcium carbonate as well as CITRATE so I don't care how much the
CITRATE costs or what form of CITRATE I have to take, I will do it. I did
not go through all this to become healthy only to be crippled with
osteoporosis in 10 years!
— Kristen S.
September 8, 2003
My doctor recommended the chewable calcium at
http://bariatricadvantage.com/products.htm. I have been taking calcium
carbonate which is not the right one, so I ordered these last Friday.
— Jazzy
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