Repeat Dexa scans - Osteoporosis Message Board

suzieuk45 · 05-05-2007, 03:54 PM

Hi all - I've been reading through postS on this board for over a year now have posted before and I see that most people have repeat DEXA scans to track their progress. Well right now I' m really mad

- I was diagnosed in December 2005 and started on Fosamax in Jan 2007 (so far no side effects thankfully). I also take supplements and exercise a lot. Anyway in Jan 2007 I requested a repeat scan to see if the treatment is working or not. My doctor was happy to request it and thought it was a reasonable request. I didn't hear anything at all until I went back to the doctor to chase it up a couple of weeks ago. The doctor contacted the hospital and has sent me a letter telling me that on the 'NHS there is no indication for a repeat DEXA scan'. My only option now is to go back to the doctor and request a referral for a private scan which I am sure will cost at least £200 ($400)Although my last one was done on the NHS I still had to pay £62($120). It' a holiday this weekend here otherwise I would have been ranting on the phone to someone

. I have found the hospital web site and filled in an online feedback form to say how outraged I am by this. It looks like you have one scan here and if you are diagnosed and put on treatment then that is that so I will be left on Fosamax with no idea about whether it is working or not. I'm not going to leave it there though - so much for our 'wonderful' NHS system... Sorry to go on but I have to let off steam

DesertBloom · 05-05-2007, 04:12 PM

Hi suzieuk45: I don't know how the insurance works in the UK, but have you tried getting a 2 or 24 hour urine test for NTx (n-telopeptide)? This test should be less expensive than a dexa, and it will tell you if the med is working. I seem to remember talking about this before, with you, and your Dr said it wasn't necessary? Well now that you can't get the dexa, maybe the Dr will consider this so you can find out if the fosamax is working?

The test won't give you a t-score, but it will tell you if your bone markers have decreased, which it should on fosamax. The NTx test is pretty simple since it's just a urine sample, but there are also blood tests as well that check bone markers. If you need more info on this let me know and I'll post it.

Good Luck!!!

taape · 05-05-2007, 08:01 PM

i'm sorry to hear this. Is your doctor willing to appeal the insurance companies denial for you. If your doctor is prescribing medication it seems like he could justify doing follow up DEXA scans. I think some people actually get their bone density back to normal or real close to it and how would you know whether to continue the medication indefinitely without the scan to compare to.

DesertBloom · 05-06-2007, 08:14 AM

Hi suzieuk45: You may have trouble getting your Dr to order, and insurance to pay for a dexa, since you only started fosamax in January. Usually repeat scans aren't done for 12-24 months after starting a new treatment. Some insurances in the US will pay more often, but usually they make you wait. That's why the n-telopeptide test is used to fill in the gap of dexa's. All the drug companies, universities, and anyone else doing drug studies use these bone marker tests to detect early treatment benefits, as early as 2 weeks after starting a new med.

Good luck trying to get the dexa, and the n-telopeptide, but I suspect the dexa wouldn't show much since you've only been on fosamax for 4 months.