Quote Originally Posted by athena View Post
You are completely right. At the time, I was anxious to find a doctor to deal with the heart and knee problems and didn't really invest much time researching different ones. Maybe now that I'm not so rushed, it might be a good chance to find one that would be a little more thorough.

I think the doctor mentioned that insurance would probably not cover the bone scan for "people like me," but my parents have offered to pay out of pocket. I know it wouldn't fix anything, but it would be nice to at least have an idea of the current density. As I've started to gain a healthier outlook, I've really become worried about any damage I may have caused in the past.
I know what you mean about rushing. Despite my advice, I'm still seeing a GI doctor I think is "okay", not as bad as my last one, but not perfect for me. It's hard switching doctors -- mentally, anyway.

I have no history to suggest any bone brittleness -- in fact, I've never broken a bone -- so my experiences don't really relate to yours, but my doctor (my main one, whom I really like) said that a bone density test on its own wouldn't help me much. She said what matters is change, so for example comparing the test results when you first hit menopause vs. two years later. She said, if the bone density test comes out low, she would say to take calcium, which is what she would say anyway.

BUT! If there is a family or personal history that indicates a problem, there may be more indication for taking the test, even if it's just to plan for another test in a couple of years to compare. It may be that there *are* treatments out there for people with aggressive bone loss issues, and they just wouldn't be appropriate for a person who has never broken a bone or had any issues. It may even be that there is newer, better info out there since when I talked to my doctor about it several years ago.