mamasays
05-07-2003, 02:42 PM
I am 44. premenopausal, and my hip z-score was 1.3, but spine was -2.4. MD wants to start me on actonel or fosomax. BTW, I've been on the web for DAYS looking for information on this subject for a premenopausal, healthy (or so I thought!) female and this site is a godsend - thanks! My questions: Why the descrepancy in hip vs spine - anyone have a thought? and as long as I have not hit menopause, is exercise and increase in calcium a viable alternative? I have always been a milk/yogurt/cheese person, so while I wait for blood test results, any thoughts as to what keeps the bones from absorbing calcium? My weak nails have always been a joke - all my life - was that a sign that I've had a life-long problem and didn't know it? I've always been thin (currently now at 114 lbs) and am not a dieter. I have been on a consistent exercise program for 4 months now (before that - sporadic) and am a non-smoker (did for a while as an irresponsible young adult). No known thyroid or other health issues. Help and assurance needed! Thanks
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Cheryl Ann
05-07-2003, 06:16 PM
There are many reasons why we women lose bone. Some medications like prednisone, cause bone loss. Also trouble with not having regular monthly periods can do it. I am very post menopausal and my spine is a -3.7 and my hips are -3.5. Two years ago I was diagnoses with osteopenia and now it is severe osteoporosis. My bone loss was due to the fact that I am allergic to estrogen, so could not do HRT. I also have bad osteoarthritis, so have had to take a lot of steriods. I am allergic to fosamax and actonel, so am on the last choice I have, Miacalcin. So far I am losing my hair, and my doctor says with my severe problem that there is no choice but to take it, just buy a wig I guess. I also take 1500mg of calcium and one vitaminD each day, along with walking. Don't be too scared, you may be able to take fosamax or actonel and have no problems. Just try and don't give up. Hope this info has helped in some way. Good luck.
bjg
05-09-2003, 08:30 AM
there is another alternative besides fosamax actonel and miacalcin..and that is evista..it is for post menopausal women only...it carries the risk of blood clots.but i have been on it for one year..it gives me vivid dreams but no other side effects that i know of..i just had a bone density scan done a few weeks ago..it has slowed my bone loss ..when i had my scan in 2002 it showed a 3% loss of bone ..this scan it was only 1%..and i am still only considered to have osteopenia..i hate taking meds..fear terribley the side effects ..but without the drug i would most likely have been at or very close to having osteoperosis this year..instead i still have only moderate osteopenia
bobgure
05-09-2003, 10:47 AM
Hi Mamasays,
I relate to your sense of shock and confusion. I am a 46 yr old man who has been diagnosed with osteopenia.
The rhematologist I saw was less than helpful or informative and I'm at a loss as to what causal factors are involved with this. I'm also losing height and that's REALLY alarming to me.
I made an appt. with an endocrinologist who specializes in bone/osteo disorders and I want answers.
WHY am I de-mineralizing?!
I want to be re-tested thoroughly for Celiac Sprue( search this out), absorbancy probs, total hormonal profile, nutritional profile,full metabolic profile.
"I don't know..wait a year for another DEXA" is NOT good enought for me.
I see a relationship with my soft nails, hair loss, exhaustion, loss of muscle mass,extreme thinning of skin and excessive urination and evacuation.
Contrary to conventional medical 'wisdom', dairy has been implicated (research this) as actually contributing to the problem as well as too much protein intake(esp animal protein sources).
Zinc, VitC,boron, vit K,vitD,silica,silicon, Dandelion,DHEA,Cal/Magnesium(calcium from citrate..beware the 'Coral' scam)Quercitin,SAme,manganese,strontium, B Vits, etc...are all important for bone health.
However, If i'm NOT absorbing these, what difference does it make?
There are MANY resourses and support for osteo on the web and through hospital services. I've spoken to many kind and well informed people and doing 'osteo' google searches as brought me to many sites that were very illuminating.
Meanwhile, i'm exercising , will be seeing a physical therapist for the proper ways to do it ( kind of humiliating for an ex-martial artist) and juicing organic and doing the nutritional thing.
I'm desperate enough to definitely take fosamx or anything that will halt this or help. Even though down the road they'll most likely find less than desirable side effects...The drug companies/FDA have proven themselves over and over to not be all that reliable or concerned with our well being..$$$$
Good luck and keep plugging away, take charge as best you can and fight gently to get your medical questions and needs met...regardless of what the 'experts' or MD's tell you....keep pushing because this is MY body and I have a RIGHT to take care of myself.
Learning how to 'let go of results' is something I'm trying to exercise. I guess 'trying' is kind of a contridiction...lol.
= )
Bob
I relate to your sense of shock and confusion. I am a 46 yr old man who has been diagnosed with osteopenia.
The rhematologist I saw was less than helpful or informative and I'm at a loss as to what causal factors are involved with this. I'm also losing height and that's REALLY alarming to me.
I made an appt. with an endocrinologist who specializes in bone/osteo disorders and I want answers.
WHY am I de-mineralizing?!
I want to be re-tested thoroughly for Celiac Sprue( search this out), absorbancy probs, total hormonal profile, nutritional profile,full metabolic profile.
"I don't know..wait a year for another DEXA" is NOT good enought for me.
I see a relationship with my soft nails, hair loss, exhaustion, loss of muscle mass,extreme thinning of skin and excessive urination and evacuation.
Contrary to conventional medical 'wisdom', dairy has been implicated (research this) as actually contributing to the problem as well as too much protein intake(esp animal protein sources).
Zinc, VitC,boron, vit K,vitD,silica,silicon, Dandelion,DHEA,Cal/Magnesium(calcium from citrate..beware the 'Coral' scam)Quercitin,SAme,manganese,strontium, B Vits, etc...are all important for bone health.
However, If i'm NOT absorbing these, what difference does it make?
There are MANY resourses and support for osteo on the web and through hospital services. I've spoken to many kind and well informed people and doing 'osteo' google searches as brought me to many sites that were very illuminating.
Meanwhile, i'm exercising , will be seeing a physical therapist for the proper ways to do it ( kind of humiliating for an ex-martial artist) and juicing organic and doing the nutritional thing.
I'm desperate enough to definitely take fosamx or anything that will halt this or help. Even though down the road they'll most likely find less than desirable side effects...The drug companies/FDA have proven themselves over and over to not be all that reliable or concerned with our well being..$$$$
Good luck and keep plugging away, take charge as best you can and fight gently to get your medical questions and needs met...regardless of what the 'experts' or MD's tell you....keep pushing because this is MY body and I have a RIGHT to take care of myself.
Learning how to 'let go of results' is something I'm trying to exercise. I guess 'trying' is kind of a contridiction...lol.
= )
Bob
OsteoMom
05-09-2003, 01:45 PM
I wonder about that as well, Mamasays.......
my mom's hip score was much worse and is staying worse than her spine score.
And I am the opposite in my early stages of osteo - my lower spine score was worse than my hip.
I would love to know the answer if someone here can give it.
Say, are there any medical people who visit these boards to give answers like on some of the others - or are we all just on our own here to share stories?
my mom's hip score was much worse and is staying worse than her spine score.
And I am the opposite in my early stages of osteo - my lower spine score was worse than my hip.
I would love to know the answer if someone here can give it.
Say, are there any medical people who visit these boards to give answers like on some of the others - or are we all just on our own here to share stories?
peregrine
05-09-2003, 02:29 PM
"Say, are there any medical people who visit these boards to give answers like on some of the others - or are we all just on our own here to share stories?"
Osteomom
Osteo mom,
Personally, I find the anecdotal information that appears on these type of boards much more helpful (or at least helpful in a different way) than the information that comes from the medical profession. Here we learn what "actually" occurs from people dealing with similar symptomology, etc. In my book, this is very valuable to my decision-making process.
Peregrine
Osteomom
Osteo mom,
Personally, I find the anecdotal information that appears on these type of boards much more helpful (or at least helpful in a different way) than the information that comes from the medical profession. Here we learn what "actually" occurs from people dealing with similar symptomology, etc. In my book, this is very valuable to my decision-making process.
Peregrine
Canyonbabe
05-11-2003, 03:00 AM
Ir is my understanding that the spine is the first place to show osteo and therefore usually has a worst score. They only did my spine and this is what I was told was the reason. As for the nails, my nails are so hard and grow so fast that I have to cut them with really heavy clippers to keep them a reasonable length. Same with hair, thick and grows like crazy and my T-score was -4.5. Doesn't get much worse than that. I am on Miacalcin but it is bothering my sinus. Afraid of the others. Hate to lose my hair though even though I do have alot.
OppOnn
05-19-2003, 09:48 PM
I don't want to lose my hair, gain weight or upset my stomach with meds (I have Crohn's disease, in remission) ... my hair is important to me, and I struggle not to put on too much weight which would be no good for other potential problems in the future.
I am against taking drugs if I can find another way.
Which is what I am looking for.
I found a way to remission for my Crohn's, with no drugs, and I want to try and do the same for osteoporisis.
I have been taking enough calcium with magnesium and
VitD and other minerals, a multi-vit, do 30 mins per
day on reclining bike, but don't walk or exercise enough and do not get enough sun - all to be rectified
now my latest bone density test has scared the wits out of me.
My doctor wants me on Actonel, before that on Frosemax, but I will not do that, not with my stomach! No way
will I risk having no life whatsoever now by irritating
my stomach.
So, why am I not absorbing my calcium? I too want to find out what I can do and what all kinds of tests, but
I want alternative options.
Has anyone heard of the Heidleberg test? Not sure that is spelled right but I think it can tell what you are absorbing and what not. Or something similar.
Any answers would be appreciated. And I will keep you all posted on my research.
O
I am against taking drugs if I can find another way.
Which is what I am looking for.
I found a way to remission for my Crohn's, with no drugs, and I want to try and do the same for osteoporisis.
I have been taking enough calcium with magnesium and
VitD and other minerals, a multi-vit, do 30 mins per
day on reclining bike, but don't walk or exercise enough and do not get enough sun - all to be rectified
now my latest bone density test has scared the wits out of me.
My doctor wants me on Actonel, before that on Frosemax, but I will not do that, not with my stomach! No way
will I risk having no life whatsoever now by irritating
my stomach.
So, why am I not absorbing my calcium? I too want to find out what I can do and what all kinds of tests, but
I want alternative options.
Has anyone heard of the Heidleberg test? Not sure that is spelled right but I think it can tell what you are absorbing and what not. Or something similar.
Any answers would be appreciated. And I will keep you all posted on my research.
O
OppOnn
05-20-2003, 05:30 PM
bobgure:
so please keep us updated. I am interested in what you are interested in. And I want answers.
Not sure who to go for them yet. Whether to go to a conventional doctor or an alternative one. Conventionals aren't usually educated in what you - and
I - want to know.
Did you have any success with your endocrinologist?
I want to know why, with all the calcium and minerals I take, and all I do, I am not absorbing, deminerlizing, etc. And I want to know what to do now.
My doctor is useless. All she knows is take a drug.
Has sent me for 3 different bone densitites over a
5 year period, with 3 different methods so no true
comparison. Also let me wait 4 years since my last test. My fault, too, I should have insisted. And I
am usually proactive.
Any answers would be appreciated. I am scared.
And no one has answered my post with any answers yet.
O
so please keep us updated. I am interested in what you are interested in. And I want answers.
Not sure who to go for them yet. Whether to go to a conventional doctor or an alternative one. Conventionals aren't usually educated in what you - and
I - want to know.
Did you have any success with your endocrinologist?
I want to know why, with all the calcium and minerals I take, and all I do, I am not absorbing, deminerlizing, etc. And I want to know what to do now.
My doctor is useless. All she knows is take a drug.
Has sent me for 3 different bone densitites over a
5 year period, with 3 different methods so no true
comparison. Also let me wait 4 years since my last test. My fault, too, I should have insisted. And I
am usually proactive.
Any answers would be appreciated. I am scared.
And no one has answered my post with any answers yet.
O