My program recommends an annual bone scan, because it's the only way to find out if your body is cannibalizing your bones for Calcium in your blood stream. Your calcium must be extremely low to show in a blood test, because your body will just leach it from your bones to make up for what you are not getting.

I missed getting this done the first year somehow, so last month, I got my first bone density scan post-op. It's also my first one post-menopause, so not sure how much change is due to that and how much can be blamed on WLS. Last scan was in 2005. I am already walking 4 days a week, so plenty of weight bearing exercise. And I am taking the amount of Vitamin D and Calcium recommended by the Kaiser Fremont Bariatric program, which is 4000iu of Vitamin D per day (800 from 2 Multivitamins + 1500iu from calcium plus D + 2000iu vitamin D tablet) and 1500 mg a day total of calcium citrate. I was taking the calcium twice per day (3 tablets each time), but I am going to switch to taking it three times per day (2 tablets each time). So we will see what next year brings.

Here's the scoop on the scan:

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was performed to obtain bone mineral density (BMD) measurements using the Hologic Discovery bone densitometry unit. For each BMD measurement, Z and T scores are calculated. Z score represents the number of standard deviations of the patient's BMD from expected age matched values. T score represents the number of standard deviations of the patient's BMD from the average peak BMD value at age 30. A FRAX score has also been calculated using the LEFT FEMORAL NECK data.

OSTEOPENIA is defined as a T score from -1.0 to -2.4 representing an INCREASED fracture risk.

OSTEOPOROSIS is defined as a T score more negative than -2.4 and represents a HIGH fracture risk.

T score: Fracture risk comparison to gender and ethnicity matched 30-year-old.

0 = Average risk

-1 = 2 times the risk

-2 = 4 times the risk

-3 = 8 times the risk

LUMBAR SPINE:

BMD = 0.843 g/cm2 g/cm2

T score = -1.9

Z score = -0.7

LEFT HIP TOTAL:

BMD = 0.855 g/cm2 g/cm2

T score = -0.7

Z score = 0

LEFT FEMORAL NECK

BMD = 0.657 g/cm2 g/cm2

T score = -1.7

Z score = -0.6

** IMPRESSION **:

1. Bone mineral density in the LUMBAR SPINE is in the Osteopenic range. Compared to the prior study, there is significant change.The bone mineral density has decreased by -15.0 %.

2. Bone mineral density in the LEFT HIP is in the Normal range. Compared to the prior study, there is significant change. The bone mineral density has decreased by -23.3 %.

3. Based on FRAX, the 10 year probability of hip fracture is 1.0 %.

4. Based on FRAX, the 10 year probability of major osteoporotic fracture is 9.2 %.

Negative effects if you do and negative effects if you do not take calcium supplements. The article seems to indicate consumption of calcium from leafy green and dairy sources do not pose a heart attack risk. Living life is a risky business. I guess just choose the path of least collateral damage to your body along the way if possible.

To me it appears the largest risk is to postmenopausal women and heart disease

Interesting. Unlike many women' date=' I do have a baseline from pre-menopause. The change was dramatic. Large enough that for me, bone loss is a reality. My paternal grandmother suffered with osteoporosis beginning in her 70s. My maternal female relatives all die before 75, so I'm not sure about that side.

I do get a lot of calcium from foods. I eat a cup of nonfat greek yogurt a day and often eat spinach and salmon.

Lynda[/quote']

Hi Lynda:

But are the changes real, or just due to the machine calibration? That's what I would worry about.

Good luck with this.

I'm hoping kaiser does a good job of calibration. Some of the scams with issues were from a portable site I think. And the differences were not off by as much as mine changed.

Lynda

You just have to give it your best shot in life. Medicine doesn't know it all, but Im sure those docs at Kaiser are doing the best they can for you. Really, thats all we can ask for in life. Learn better, do better. I am always looking at the research, but you can find research that is the opposite of the ones I found as well.

Really, it's why I take one 250mg cal citrate per day. I know it's not "enough" according to what I should be getting, but it's more than "nothing" and it supplements the lesser amount of dairy I can take in now. I don't take high amounts of any supplement, and even then I was asked to cut back on B Vitamins and D after the last blood panels cos my levels were plenty high enough.

MED: Minimum effective dosage -- more is not always better, or necessary, and can make things worse. Knowing that is a personal thing though, cos every body is unique.

Hey all!! It's good to see my familiar peeps on here!! Does anyone know if the elliptical is useful for this purpose? It's my main form of exercise.

Hey Dooter,

Doc wanted me to add strength training. Most articles about retaining bone mass call for weight bearing exercise (pretty sure elliptical falls in this category) and strength building (lifting weights or an equivalent exercise using your body mass as the weight, such as push ups or planks).

Lynda

Hey Dooter' date='

Doc wanted me to add strength training. Most articles about retaining bone mass call for weight bearing exercise (pretty sure elliptical falls in this category) and strength building (lifting weights or an equivalent exercise using your body mass as the weight, such as push ups or planks).

Lynda[/quote']

Ok. Sounds good. I'm almost officially "post menopausal" (only 43yo-weird huh?) so I'm concerned of bone loss.