Getting A Bone Scan

[AmandaD]

All right. I posted earlier about my doctor being a dolt and not having seen a "sprue" in 30 years. He told me I needed to be supplementing and so I called my gastroenterologist. (The gastro doctor is so much more knowledgeable...whew...)

She explained that I need to make sure I'm eating dairy (which is hard isn't it? because i'm a bit dairy intolerant right now) and that I should be taking a multi-vit that includes A,D,E, and K because Celiac can cause significant deficiencies in those vitamins.

Would you all agree with this? My doctor also said they'd like me to have a bone density scan to see how my bones are doing? So, another question, have any of you been through this and is it a big deal...when should I be having that done? I was just diagnosed about 10 days ago...

All right. Enough from me. Many thanks to a ll of you!

[jenvan]

amanda-

those are often times deficiencies..so taking a multi for now is a good idea. is your dr going to test your levels for those vitamins also? the bone scan should also be done at some point. however, if you need to wait a month or so, that's not a big deal. it is bascially an x-ray of several points in your body, then measurements are averaged and scored. i had mine done a few weeks ago.

below is a description of the type of scan i had done:

The scan: During the scan, you'll be asked to lie very still on a table while a machine with an arm-like device supporting the gamma camera passes over your body and records the pattern of tracer absorption in your bones. This is painless. A scan of your entire skeleton takes about 30 minutes. Scanning a limited area of your body takes from 20 to 45 minutes.

[AmandaD]

Yes, I go back in a few weeks and they do blood tests particularly for D deficiency (all of my aunts and grandma's have osteoporosis (one of these aunts also has celiac) - many of them take supplements for it...I remember grandma actually giving herself shots! Ick!)

Have you had your blood tests done - curious to know, did any deficiencies actually really show up?? I'm wondering ...

Thanks again!!!!!!!

amanda-

those are often times deficiencies..so taking a multi for now is a good idea.  is your dr going to test your levels for those vitamins also?  the bone scan should also be done at some point.  however, if you need to wait a month or so, that's not a big deal.  it is bascially an x-ray of several points in your body, then measurements are averaged and scored.  i had mine done a few weeks ago.

below is a description of the type of scan i had done:

The scan:  During the scan, you'll be asked to lie very still on a table while a machine with an arm-like device supporting the gamma camera passes over your body and records the pattern of tracer absorption in your bones. This is painless. A scan of your entire skeleton takes about 30 minutes. Scanning a limited area of your body takes from 20 to 45 minutes.

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[jenvan]

iron was the only deficiency that came up positive thus far.

[hez]

I have done the bone scan and it was easy and painless! It is good to do it now (sometime in the next six months) to get a good baseline of where you are at. That way they can look to future scans to see how your bones compare.

My doctor also did bloodwork for vitamins. I can't remember which vitamins but the bloodwork was good so I did not pay much attention.

Hez

[AmandaD]

Many thanks for the info! I think the bone scan's a really good idea - particularly with my family history - if I can prevent osteoporosis now that'd be nice (I'm 29 now)...good to hear it's painless...

As for the vitamin deficiencies, I'm sort of intrigued to see what those will tell me. I've been pregnant or nursing a kid for so long I'm sort of assuming I'll be at ZERO levels for just about everything )!!!

[KaitiUSA]

I had a bone scan done too to make sure celiac did not interfere with my bone growth and all that. It was not bad at all and was very quick.

I also had all my vitamins and mineral levels tested which all looked good too....I take supplements to keep those levels optimal too.

[AmandaD]

Did it take you all long to get in to have it done? Was it a long wait (as far as scheduling at your hospitals was concerned...)?

[laurelfla]

Did it take you all long to get in to have it done? Was it a long wait (as far as scheduling at your hospitals was concerned...)?

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hi!

i just got one scheduled... my obgyn had a sign in her office about bone density and my gastro has not been very helpful as far as follow-up, so she set me up with it. i am having to wait about a month though to get in.

good luck!

oh, and how do you arrange to get vitamin levels tested? is it a blood test? and should i call up the gastro guy and ask for it? i'm not sure what to do.

[CreativeCasey]

I had a bone scan done too to make sure celiac did not interfere with my bone growth and all that. It was not bad at all and was very quick.

I also had all my vitamins and mineral levels tested which all looked good too....I take supplements to keep those levels optimal too.

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Kaiti,

How did you get your vitamins and mineral levels tested? I'm new and that seems like a logical first step but I've read conflicting information about how to test your levels accurately.

Thanks in advance for any reply,

Casey

[KaitiUSA]

Kaiti,

How did you get your vitamins and mineral levels tested? I'm new and that seems like a logical first step but I've read conflicting information about how to test your levels accurately.

Thanks in advance for any reply,

Casey

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My doctor ordered a blood test and it checked all my levels that way. He told me that celiacs have had a problem with nutrition levels so he checked them before I went gluten free and then I had another test like a year or more after I was gluten free...big difference that's for sure. I am sure there are other ways to check them but that's the way I had mine done.

[AmandaD]

I actually have a followup with my doctor in October and she said that at that time they wanted to check my levels of A,D,E, and K because those are the ones that kind of get swept easily through a Celiac's small intestine. I know that some doctors in some parts do and some don't. I'm here at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and their gastro department is pretty proactive, I'd say.

hi!

i just got one scheduled... my obgyn had a sign in her office about bone density and my gastro has not been very helpful as far as follow-up, so she set me up with it. i am having to wait about a month though to get in.

good luck!

oh, and how do you arrange to get vitamin levels tested? is it a blood test? and should i call up the gastro guy and ask for it? i'm not sure what to do.

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[WRowland]

Also do some research on calcium balance. Celiac is a good example of the intestinal tract not being a passive funnel. Just because it goes in the mouth does not mean it gets where it's needed. Bone scans and vitamin levels to confirm that absorbtion is actually taking place is valuable info.

Also consider learning more about calcium balance. And highly recommend great book with hated title, "Strong Women Stay Young"