Is it really osteoporosis? - Osteoporosis Message Board

Linni · 10-31-2005, 03:40 PM

I've posted a number of times on here - from my disbelief at my scores (when I have always lived a healthy life style and haven't broken a bone in 25 years, nor lost an inch of height) to the fact that I can't tolerate Fosamax. I've now seen a specialist and am getting a battery of tests and x-rays. But this whole thing has been a worry for me for the past three years.

Today my mother called me (She's 79 and has better scores than I do at 55). She goes to a very large church and got talking to a woman who's a doctor at Columbia and one of those doctors who search for medical reasons for strange symptoms. (The thing which immediately came to my mind was that TV show - House! But I guess there are real people who do this!)

Well - long story short, this woman has seen a number of cases where the t-scores read incorrectly on certain people, people who have low scores yet exhibit no symptoms of osteoporosis. She told my mother that she is becoming more and more convinced that the bone density machines don't always give an accurate picture for every person. She has come across this time and time again, she said. This is the same info. as I read in The Myth of Osteoporosis.

I feel very angry about this - because I feel I'm not the only one on this list who is in this position, who've been told we have osteoporosis on the basis of a bone scan, which may or may not be accurate in our case. Meanwhile I'm not going to fill my latest prescription for Actonel.

taape · 10-31-2005, 06:50 PM

I don't blame you for being angry and also not filling the Actonel. I wouldn't want to take medication, especially one that causes so many awful side effects, if you didn't need it. I can understand your frustration especially since you are living a healthy lifestyle like you mention and it doesn't appear that ostoeporosis runs in your family. My condition was so severe that it showed up on plain xrays. You mention that your getting some tests done which may help diagnose if you do have low bone density. I was also given a urine test that pointed to osteoporosis. I had 2 DEXA scans at different hospitals within a month of my first one to see if the machine was inaccurate. Unfortunately, in my case there were other tests that also showed a positive diagnosis. Let us know what the additional tests indicate in your case.

NancyH · 11-05-2005, 10:29 PM

I'm sure some people do get inaccurate diagnosis and I wish I was one of them. I to was low enough that a ordinary xray showed density levels very low. I"ve had several dexa scans by different medical facilities and they show basically the same. My bone density is in the moderately severe range and I still don't take the pills, I really want to do it by diet and exercise. I have the book the "The myth of osteoporosis" and reading it as well. My Dr is a specialist in osteoporosis so I'm feeling that I'm getting the best care possible without being hounded to take drugs.

CrohnieToo · 11-06-2005, 07:59 AM

Well, if you are going to insist on an accurate and definitive diagnosis about the quality of your bones insist on a good spiral bone biopsy. If you are that much of a masochist, that is. Me? I take my chances with the DEXA scan.