Guest guest Posted February 26, 2002 Report Share Posted February 26, 2002 Hello It is me again!I need your advice or opinions I guess. I am the gal with a Pcp that doesn't think Calcium and B12 labs are that important. Well after going a round or two, I got him to add it to the recent lab panel. I went in on 2/12/02-- and when I got my results in the mail(I reqstd) on the following Sat. 2/16/02 I saw that there were no Calcium and B12 taken. So I left a msg for nurse to that effect and asked her to call me on Mon 2/18. She did and said she could still get those results from the blood that had been taken on the Tues b4 because it was good for 7-10 days...I had to insist b4 she would agree tho.. I called the following Friday 2/22 to see if they came back and all she would say is " Yes " and you were fine. She didn't give me the numbers..and I was supposed to see him yesterday so I didn't press her for the exact figures..I didn't go..I had some things come up unexpectedly and besides I am just so unhappy with him that I need to go for a consult elsewhere. I am not sure if I will go back or maybe go back once more to keep peace..ARRRGGGHHH! Well in the meantime on 2/20 I had to see my GNY for my annual and he takes what he calls " Womens Health Profile " blood test for Diabetes - Choles- and I guess Calcium because his nurse called me this morning and said my results showed my Calcium was high! He is having me come in for a bloodtest that rules out something else..Thyroid or something? I guess I said all that to say this... How could I go from " OK " per PCP to " High " at the GYN.. in one week? Now you wanta hear the kicker? Last October I had a blood panel test for my WLS and my Calcium was 10.7 and the range was 8.5--10.4 MG/DL so it was a bit high.. When my Calcium Citrate ran out that mo I stopped taking it to see if those levels would come down in the next 3 mos so I could see how to regulate it...I HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN TAKING A CALCIUM SUPPLEMENT and it comes back high? ( I did order some from and it will be here tomorrow) but I am kind of freaking..I definitely will get a Dexascan to see what that says..Does anyone have any comments on what is going on here? Let me add one more thing and this is on my B12 Labs.. Last Oct my B12 results came back >1500 and the range was 180-914 PG/ML so it was high and I had been doing the 1000mc sublingual from GNC daily so when those ran out I stopped taking them also to see what the results would be in 3 mos...The nurse said I was within the range so I was normal and I WASN'T EVEN TAKING A B12 SUPPLEMENT !!!! HMMMMM...(I ordered those too) in 500 mc. Can you see my dilemma? I am sorry for the small novel but just find this a bit confusing.. Sylvia RNY 10-20-99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2002 Report Share Posted February 26, 2002 Sylvia, You should wait and see your PCP before jumping to any conclusions. Elevated serum Calcuim has little to do with the amount of calcuim that is resorbed by bone. If you are premenopausal and have no risk factors for osteoporosis, (ie steroid use) you do not need a DEXA scan. As far as the B12 level is concerned, there is a reason for such a huge range. It can take months for a B12 level to drop, and can also take months to build it up again. Remember you can have differences in lab values with different labs. One lab may call a hemoglobin of 12 low, another will put it in the normal range. --------Margie Schmidt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2002 Report Share Posted February 26, 2002 my surgeon tells all her patients to have a scan near their first year post op. do a baseline at the very least. it may not need to be done annually but it does need to be once you have had surgery. Okay, my question is: Once you have had a scan, how often do we need to get a follow-up? I had a scan in July after my March WLS (I think it was the same year, it could have been the following year). Dr. said my bones were like a 35-yr-old. Pretty good since I was 53 or 54 at the time. So, when do I get another one? In Charlottesville, VA RNY w/ gall bladder removal, 3/31/99, 318 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2002 Report Share Posted February 26, 2002 >>> If you are premenopausal and have no risk factors for osteoporosis, (ie steroid use) you do not need a DEXA scan. >> like all things, there are a hundred different doctors and a hundred different opinions. we are all individual and some proteins work for us and some don't. the statement that you don't need a DXA scan is true IF you have not had gastric bypass. if you have had a malabsorptive procedure then you do need a scan. Osteoporosis is a known long term side effect of our surgeries. i was 42, not at all menopausal, no risk factors except a white female, no steroid use and damn if i hadn't listened to my surgeon i have no idea where i'd be now since my very first scan showed osteoporosis. i was at least able to correct that to some extent because i had that knowledge. my surgeon tells all her patients to have a scan near their first year post op. do a baseline at the very least. it may not need to be done annually but it does need to be once you have had surgery. like i said - we are all different, we have to trust and respect our surgeons and what they tell us. we have to rely on the knowledge out there and here to know whether to wait till we are post menopausal to do a scan at a health fair or do a DXA scan at a year post op. sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2002 Report Share Posted February 26, 2002 Okay, my question is: Once you have had a scan, how often do we need to get a follow-up? I had a scan in July after my March WLS (I think it was the same year, it could have been the following year). Dr. said my bones were like a 35-yr-old. Pretty good since I was 53 or 54 at the time. So, when do I get another one? >>>>>>> it all depends on your results. first I would make sure it was a DXA scan that was done and if it was then you are probably good for 3-5 yrs or until you go menopausal. next time you have it done - make sure it is in July. we absorb some vit. D from the sun and it is crucial to the results of the scan that they are done at the same time of year. there have actually been research studies done on just this one factor. also to consider is your insurance, if they will pay for an annual - do it. it takes 10min and is non-invasive. sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2002 Report Share Posted February 26, 2002 And just the WEIGHT LOSS alone makes us high risk, regardless of HOW we lost it, dieting, non-malabsorptive or RNY. Thanks, http://www.vitalady.com For info on PayPal, click this link: https://secure.paypal.com/affil/pal=vitalady%40bigfoot.com Re: Calcium and Labs--Strange > >>> If you are premenopausal and have no risk factors for > osteoporosis, (ie steroid use) you do not need a DEXA scan. > >> > > like all things, there are a hundred different doctors and a hundred > different opinions. we are all individual and some proteins work for us and > some don't. > the statement that you don't need a DXA scan is true IF you have not had > gastric bypass. if you have had a malabsorptive procedure then you do need a > scan. Osteoporosis is a known long term side effect of our surgeries. > i was 42, not at all menopausal, no risk factors except a white female, no > steroid use and damn if i hadn't listened to my surgeon i have no idea where > i'd be now since my very first scan showed osteoporosis. i was at least able > to correct that to some extent because i had that knowledge. my surgeon > tells all her patients to have a scan near their first year post op. do a > baseline at the very least. it may not need to be done annually but it does > need to be once you have had surgery. > like i said - we are all different, we have to trust and respect our > surgeons and what they tell us. we have to rely on the knowledge out there > and here to know whether to wait till we are post menopausal to do a scan at > a health fair or do a DXA scan at a year post op. > sue > > > > Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG > > Unsubscribe: mailto:Graduate-OSSG-unsubscribe > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2002 Report Share Posted February 26, 2002 It'll be July. Those of us with damage are doing annually, as far as I know. Some go every 2 yrs. But same month as the one before. Thanks, http://www.vitalady.com For info on PayPal, click this link: https://secure.paypal.com/affil/pal=vitalady%40bigfoot.com Re: Calcium and Labs--Strange > my surgeon tells all her patients to have a scan near their first year post > op. do a baseline at the very least. it may not need to be done annually but > it does need to be once you have had surgery. > > Okay, my question is: Once you have had a scan, how often do we need to get a > follow-up? I had a scan in July after my March WLS (I think it was the same > year, it could have been the following year). Dr. said my bones were like a > 35-yr-old. Pretty good since I was 53 or 54 at the time. So, when do I get > another one? > > In Charlottesville, VA > RNY w/ gall bladder removal, 3/31/99, 318 > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2002 Report Share Posted February 26, 2002 Will it help if I jump up & down and scream with you awhile? Like what business is it of OURS (who pays the bills) what the lab results are, right? Darned upstarts. Not sure if Sue said it yet, or not, but my experience now has been that the higher calcium lab results might actually indicate trouble brewing. My blood levels were very healthy, pushing top end or over right along over the years. OF course, had I DXAscanned early enough, I might've saved my bones. But my doc only checked labs, how did I know? (Well, I only had about 12 hints & didn't take them). Anyway, the citrate is headed for your bones. If anything, my blood levels dropped when I switched to calcium. Perhaps because the citrate somehow interfered with the blood leaching the calcium out of the bones.Does that make sense? The parathyroid will be interesting. I don't know much about it and keep forgetting them to check mine, Of course, seeing high calcium levels + knowing I have osteoP, well, I shouldn't HAVE to ask, right? Sigh. Thanks, http://www.vitalady.com For info on PayPal, click this link: https://secure.paypal.com/affil/pal=vitalady%40bigfoot.com Calcium and Labs--Strange > Hello > It is me again!I need your advice or opinions I guess. I am the gal > with a Pcp that doesn't think Calcium and B12 labs are that > important. Well after going a round or two, I got him to add it to > the recent lab panel. I went in on 2/12/02-- and when I got my > results in the mail(I reqstd) on the following Sat. 2/16/02 I saw > that there were no Calcium and B12 taken. So I left a msg for nurse > to that effect and asked her to call me on Mon 2/18. She did and > said she could still get those results from the blood that had been > taken on the Tues b4 because it was good for 7-10 days...I had to > insist b4 she would agree tho.. I called the following Friday 2/22 > to see if they came back and all she would say is " Yes " and you were > fine. She didn't give me the numbers..and I was supposed to see him > yesterday so I didn't press her for the exact figures..I didn't go..I > had some things come up unexpectedly and besides I am just so unhappy > with him that I need to go for a consult elsewhere. I am not sure if > I will go back or maybe go back once more to keep peace..ARRRGGGHHH! > Well in the meantime on 2/20 I had to see my GNY for my annual and he > takes what he calls " Womens Health Profile " blood test for Diabetes - > Choles- and I guess Calcium because his nurse called me this morning > and said my results showed my Calcium was high! He is having me come > in for a bloodtest that rules out something else..Thyroid or > something? > I guess I said all that to say this... How could I go from " OK " per > PCP to " High " at the GYN.. in one week? > Now you wanta hear the kicker? Last October I had a blood panel test > for my WLS and my Calcium was 10.7 and the range was 8.5--10.4 MG/DL > so it was a bit high.. When my Calcium Citrate ran out that mo I > stopped taking it to see if those levels would come down in the next > 3 mos so I could see how to regulate it...I HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN TAKING > A CALCIUM SUPPLEMENT and it comes back high? ( I did order some from > and it will be here tomorrow) but I am kind of freaking..I > definitely will get a Dexascan to see what that says..Does anyone > have any comments on what is going on here? > Let me add one more thing and this is on my B12 Labs.. Last Oct my > B12 results came back >1500 and the range was 180-914 PG/ML so it was > high and I had been doing the 1000mc sublingual from GNC daily so > when those ran out I stopped taking them also to see what the results > would be in 3 mos...The nurse said I was within the range so I was > normal and I WASN'T EVEN TAKING A B12 SUPPLEMENT !!!! HMMMMM...(I > ordered those too) in 500 mc. > Can you see my dilemma? > I am sorry for the small novel but just find this a bit confusing.. > Sylvia > RNY 10-20-99 > > > Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG > > Unsubscribe: mailto:Graduate-OSSG-unsubscribe > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 27, 2002 Report Share Posted February 27, 2002 NOt true!! In fact being MO for years actually creates denser bones. It is of course variable when considering folks different ethnic backgrounds, ans medication history-------------Margie Schmidt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 27, 2002 Report Share Posted February 27, 2002 Yes, weight GAIN encourages the bones to become more dense. Weight LOSS, such as astronauts, who have NO weight) causes the loss of bone density. Thanks, http://www.vitalady.com For info on PayPal, click this link: https://secure.paypal.com/affil/pal=vitalady%40bigfoot.com Re: Calcium and Labs--Strange NOt true!! In fact being MO for years actually creates denser bones. It is of course variable when considering folks different ethnic backgrounds, ans medication history-------------Margie Schmidt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.