stephi
04-29-2007, 02:48 PM
Then and Now
This message is directed towards menopausal folks. I came to this board 2 & ½ years ago when I was first diagnosed with osteopenia/osteoprosis at the age of 53 . I was dismayed, because I am very healthy, active and so on. My OB-GYN wanted to put me on Fosamax right away. Naturally I declined as I needed to research data first. Well, 6 books and dozens of articles later I drew certain conclusions about my findings. I wanted to do a natural approach- calcium, D, mag and so on,- continue with my exercise program and some wt. bearing.
I had my second DXA a week ago and was bummed out- as my numbers were worse:
AP Spine: L1-L4 T score 10/04: -2.4 Dual Femur -2.9 Total Mean -2.8
4/07: -2.8 -3.2 -3.0
They noted in the significant column that there was a significant change (for the worse) in my spine and I did not see an asterisk anyplace else. I have not spoken to my new OB/GYN about the results even though she left me a message to call her. I will call her but what I did first was to re-read the Myth of Osteoporosis, and spent hours reading more recent updates about drug therapy and so on. The more I read, the better I felt about not opting for meds even now. I am sending my physician a note with some relevant information about what I based my decisions on and hopefully we will discuss this at a future date.
For now, I decided to up my Vit. D to 800, from 400. I will start a real exercise program with a personal trainer twice a week, as I only did minimal wt-bearing these past 2 years.
I am healthy, active and my only risk factor is that I am petite (weigh about 114). Here is an some interesting article I read:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Update_on_osteoporosis_drugs.htm
This message is directed towards menopausal folks. I came to this board 2 & ½ years ago when I was first diagnosed with osteopenia/osteoprosis at the age of 53 . I was dismayed, because I am very healthy, active and so on. My OB-GYN wanted to put me on Fosamax right away. Naturally I declined as I needed to research data first. Well, 6 books and dozens of articles later I drew certain conclusions about my findings. I wanted to do a natural approach- calcium, D, mag and so on,- continue with my exercise program and some wt. bearing.
I had my second DXA a week ago and was bummed out- as my numbers were worse:
AP Spine: L1-L4 T score 10/04: -2.4 Dual Femur -2.9 Total Mean -2.8
4/07: -2.8 -3.2 -3.0
They noted in the significant column that there was a significant change (for the worse) in my spine and I did not see an asterisk anyplace else. I have not spoken to my new OB/GYN about the results even though she left me a message to call her. I will call her but what I did first was to re-read the Myth of Osteoporosis, and spent hours reading more recent updates about drug therapy and so on. The more I read, the better I felt about not opting for meds even now. I am sending my physician a note with some relevant information about what I based my decisions on and hopefully we will discuss this at a future date.
For now, I decided to up my Vit. D to 800, from 400. I will start a real exercise program with a personal trainer twice a week, as I only did minimal wt-bearing these past 2 years.
I am healthy, active and my only risk factor is that I am petite (weigh about 114). Here is an some interesting article I read:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Update_on_osteoporosis_drugs.htm
Sponsor
taape
04-29-2007, 03:28 PM
I've been here just about as long as you. I don't understand what makes bone density get worse either or why certain people get osteoporosis and others don't.
My BMD was really low when I found out there was a problem and I couldn't tolerate Fosamax. So I went on Forteo and got good results. But in the 6 months since I've been off it and used Calcium, Vit D, sunshine, and exercise it's worse than when I started on Forteo. It's very disappointing and frustrating. I don't know what to do next.
My BMD was really low when I found out there was a problem and I couldn't tolerate Fosamax. So I went on Forteo and got good results. But in the 6 months since I've been off it and used Calcium, Vit D, sunshine, and exercise it's worse than when I started on Forteo. It's very disappointing and frustrating. I don't know what to do next.
stephi
04-29-2007, 03:38 PM
I've been here just about as long as you. I don't understand what makes bone density get worse either or why certain people get osteoporosis and others don't.
My BMD was really low when I found out there was a problem and I couldn't tolerate Fosamax. So I went on Forteo and got good results. But in the 6 months since I've been off it and used Calcium, Vit D, sunshine, and exercise it's worse than when I started on Forteo. It's very disappointing and frustrating. I don't know what to do next.
Hello there,
I am not sure it is exactly known why people lose bone density. It is known that it is part of the aging process, so like many things it happens to all of us - although at different rates and and different times. Mostly, it is based on hereditary traits and to a lesser degree lifestyle. Please read the information on the links I provided.
My BMD was really low when I found out there was a problem and I couldn't tolerate Fosamax. So I went on Forteo and got good results. But in the 6 months since I've been off it and used Calcium, Vit D, sunshine, and exercise it's worse than when I started on Forteo. It's very disappointing and frustrating. I don't know what to do next.
Hello there,
I am not sure it is exactly known why people lose bone density. It is known that it is part of the aging process, so like many things it happens to all of us - although at different rates and and different times. Mostly, it is based on hereditary traits and to a lesser degree lifestyle. Please read the information on the links I provided.
phylwill1152
04-29-2007, 05:34 PM
Hi stephi, thanks for sharing the article it is a good one. I was 53 when i was Dx (now 54) too...i started out taking actenol for a couple of months, but the more I read the more i knew it wasn't for me. I've been taking strontium citrate ( a natural supplement shown to have good results with none or very few side effects) since last August. I haven't had another DEXA yet so i can't say how well it is or isn't working, but i am hoping to see some improvement. My scores are similar to yours.
Bone loss is a natural part of aging. Seems i read somewhere that women lose bone mass during menopause but that it slows down once you get to the post menopause stage...to be honest i don't know when one stage ends and the other begins or if this is even true. Glad to hear that you've read the Myth of Osteoporosis..i found it very helpful in the beginning. it really helps put the fear factors into perspective. take care...phyllis
Bone loss is a natural part of aging. Seems i read somewhere that women lose bone mass during menopause but that it slows down once you get to the post menopause stage...to be honest i don't know when one stage ends and the other begins or if this is even true. Glad to hear that you've read the Myth of Osteoporosis..i found it very helpful in the beginning. it really helps put the fear factors into perspective. take care...phyllis
PikaB
04-29-2007, 10:40 PM
...I wanted to do a natural approach...
It's fine to try a natural approach. But in the back of your mind, you should have a contingency plan forming, just in case the natural approach does not halt the BMD loss. (At what point, if ever, would mainstream medical therapies be tried? When BMD reaches -3.0? -4.0? When osteoporotic fractures begin to occur?)
It's fine to try a natural approach. But in the back of your mind, you should have a contingency plan forming, just in case the natural approach does not halt the BMD loss. (At what point, if ever, would mainstream medical therapies be tried? When BMD reaches -3.0? -4.0? When osteoporotic fractures begin to occur?)
DesertBloom
04-29-2007, 11:43 PM
Hi Stephi: Thanks for the links they were very interesting. :blob_fire
I agree with Pika on having a back up plan, I did the natural approach for 40 years and unfortunately it didn't halt the process. After sustaining 6 spinal fractures, something else had to be considered. I can't/won't take bisphosphonates, so I'm on forteo (1 year) and hope that it will increase my bmd. Until I have my next dexa the only other test to use to find out if it is working is the bone marker tests, and according to those I'm building *new* cortical and trabecular bone, and not the type that just coats the outer layer of cortical bone, that bisphosphonates do.
The point about t-scores is very interesting and I have always wondered how they came up with those figures and why, but in my case I got a glimpse into the microarchitecture of my bones so I knew they were bad without having to have a dexa to confirm it. The back surgeries I had where bone was removed and replaced with donor bone gave me this opportunity to see what the interior of my bone looks like, as well as the outside, and to see how soft it was.
Good luck with your decision, and I'm sure what ever you decide will be right for you, but always have a back up plan just in case it doesn't go the way you expect, not that it won't, but you know what I mean.
Thanks again...:wave:
I agree with Pika on having a back up plan, I did the natural approach for 40 years and unfortunately it didn't halt the process. After sustaining 6 spinal fractures, something else had to be considered. I can't/won't take bisphosphonates, so I'm on forteo (1 year) and hope that it will increase my bmd. Until I have my next dexa the only other test to use to find out if it is working is the bone marker tests, and according to those I'm building *new* cortical and trabecular bone, and not the type that just coats the outer layer of cortical bone, that bisphosphonates do.
The point about t-scores is very interesting and I have always wondered how they came up with those figures and why, but in my case I got a glimpse into the microarchitecture of my bones so I knew they were bad without having to have a dexa to confirm it. The back surgeries I had where bone was removed and replaced with donor bone gave me this opportunity to see what the interior of my bone looks like, as well as the outside, and to see how soft it was.
Good luck with your decision, and I'm sure what ever you decide will be right for you, but always have a back up plan just in case it doesn't go the way you expect, not that it won't, but you know what I mean.
Thanks again...:wave:
Olivette
05-01-2007, 01:24 AM
hi steph...have you had your calcium levels checked to rule out hyperparathyroidism?. That's what caused my early bone loss. Check out parathyroid.com where there is a huge section on osteoporosis.