Diagnosed with Osteoporosis

Parent Cafe
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<p>What do I do now?
I am not menopausal, I am fairly active- ( restoration horticulture student,- however back pain has limited my ability to work as much as I want- thought I was just trying to do too much- have to keep up with the 23yr olds)-rheumatologist told me to take calcium- exercise and come back in three months.</p>

<p>But frankly I am wondering if there is more I could find out- </p>

<p>As a patient- I hate saying " I saw this on the internet and wondered if it could be something", but it seems to me- there has to be some reason why I have this-
I’m not * that * old, I am active, I eat ok- don’t smoke- don’t drink to excess- don’t take steroids-I am small boned and not obese but I 'm not * thin*- I am certainly white though- & I have been taking prescribed Vitamin D for about six months. </p>

<p>I am calling my naturopath- cause even though my insurance doesn’t cover her ( Thanks IAM :stuck_out_tongue: - if H was an engineer it would be covered), she takes more time to see what the trouble is than my allopathic Dr. does.</p>

<p>Medical professionals- how do you feel when a patient says " I saw this ontehweb" ?
Would it bother you if they brought in articles ( from reputable sites- like Johns Hopkins), or would you groan?
( I have only done that once- with my psychiatrist and I don’t think he read it)</p>

<p>I am having to do my own research- my Dr didn’t have any handouts, I think my bone scan surprised her.</p>

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<p>Is it actual osteoporosis or osteoPENIA? I’m surprised at your diagnosis. If it is really osteoporosis, I’m surprised they aren’t putting you on those awful meds that I refuse to take. It’s hard to get enough calcium, but it’s a good idea to beef it up. Make sure you have Vit C with it to help the absorption. Do you lift weights? Make sure you do that, too.</p>

<p>People who diagnose themselves from the internet make docs crazy, but it is certainly reasonable to ask your doctor questions about things you have learned.</p>

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<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/832401-great-news-i-no-longer-have-osteoporosis.html?highlight=reversed+my+osteoporosis[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/832401-great-news-i-no-longer-have-osteoporosis.html?highlight=reversed+my+osteoporosis&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Maybe VeryHappy can give you some tips.</p>

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<p>I don’t know who you’ve seen, but the UW has a metabolic bone clinic that is excellent, run by Dr. Susan Ott. You might want to see if you can get a referral to them.</p>

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<p>I have been thinking about ordering Osteo-K [Strengthen</a> Your Bones with Osteo-K](<a href=“http://www.nbihealth.com/p-10-osteo-k.aspx]Strengthen”>Osteo-K | NBI)
A friend of a friend swears it has helped her osteo. </p>

<p>I do know that there are different types of Calcium and that one works/absorbs better than the others. You also need to take vitamin D.</p>

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<p>my Bone scan T score is -2.7.
Ostopenia would be -1 to -2.50</p>

<p>I suspect I have absorbtion issues, since I have always been sensitive to dairy. ( but does it stop me from eating ice cream? Tofutti cuties are just not the same)</p>

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<p>If you arent taking foxamax, actonel , boniva etc you need to be taking lots of calcium and vitamin D. There was an article recently, I think in a business magazine, that osteopinia was essentially created by the developers of the inexpensive version of the office bone scanners. I’ll look for them. Also ek, there are ususally regions int he scan that show where the weaker areas are in your hips/spine.</p>

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<p>I’m dealing with Osteopenia. One of my docs would like me to take one of those awful “bone building meds” but I’m refusing for the time being and hoping to do what VeryHappy did. I’m also white and smaller boned and tend to the thinner side. I also have other issues that make me “high risk” for further bone loss. Plus my mom didn’t keep much milk or dairy in the house when I was growing up because she didn’t like it so I may not have started with a good foundation.</p>

<p>I’m also all over the internet in my quest to figure this out. For instance, I just discovered that a medication I’ve been taking for a few years now, assuming this internet info is correct, can inhibit how the body absorbs Vitamin D. I didn’t know that and no one ever suggested it though all docs know I take this medication. In spite of taking mega doses of Vitamin D over the past year plus I’ve seen little upward movement in my levels, so maybe that’s part of my problem.</p>

<p>Metabolic Bone Clinic? That sounds pretty interesting and in my neck of the woods.</p>

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<p>My rheumatologist prescribed Vit D for me, but my naturopath changed it to Vitamin D 3, which is what humans need.
<a href=“http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/589256_4[/url]”>Vitamin D: A Rapid Review;

<p>Since I have been taking the Vitamin D3 twice a day, instead of the Vitamin D2 once a week, I have noticed more muscle mobility and less pain, but still I wonder if I have some vertebral fractures- they only scanned my hips, not my spine.</p>

<p>While H’s family had lots of dairy products ( his dad delivered milk), my family went for a long time using powdered milk- which was nasty and lumpy, to save money.</p>

<p>I think we spend way more on groceries than my parents did.</p>

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<p>EK: if you have had absorption issues, are you sure that you are absorbing any vitamins? have you been tested for lactose intolerance and/or Celiac disease?</p>

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<p>nysmile, I’m hardly an expert, but I’ll reiterate my little tale and maybe emeraldkity can learn something from it.</p>

<p>I’m very petite and slim (5 feet tall, 108 lbs) and both my mother had and my sister has osteoporosis. I had osteopenia while I was taking Prempro (back before they decided that was bad for you); once I stopped the Prempro, I quickly developed osteoporosis.</p>

<p>I had already been taking Actonel, calcium, and Vitamin D. Once I was diagnosed with osteoporosis, my doctor added an estrogen patch to my regimen (something called Vivelle Dot), and – while I had been exercising regularly – I began lifting weights with a vengence. </p>

<p>I’ve reversed my osteoporosis and am now back in osteopenia territory, which makes me very happy. (Edit: Well, that is my screen name!</p>

<p>My doc took me off of the Actonel for the time being – apparently you’re supposed to take a break from it every five years or so, and I’ve been on it for nine! – but I continue with the estrogen, calcium, Vit D, and significant weights and jogging on the treadmill at the gym.</p>

<p>EK, you’re right that steroids can cause bone loss, but there are other diseases like Cushing syndrome and thyroid problems can cause it too. Your rheumatologist probably wants to see what happens to you over the next three months – I assume you’ll have another bone density test then?? – and, once he sees what’s up, he can treat you properly.</p>

<p>I have a cousin – same body type as mine – who injected herself with something called Forteo everyday for two years. It added significantly to her bone density. So I know that if I don’t continue to improve, there’s more that can be done.</p>

<p>Edit: Two other relevant facts: I entered menopause around age 47, and I’m 61 now. EK, you said you’re not menopausal. Since menopause is the primary cause of osteoporosis, it seems to me there must be something else going on. </p>

<p>Also, my gyn referred me to an endocrinolgist to deal with this. I didn’t know rheumatologists handled this disease.</p>

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<p>Ran into a friend of mine at the gym that I had not seen in a while. We knew each other from a former gym we belonged to. She works part-time at a health food store, and is VERY conscientious of the food she puts in her body, takes vitamins, etc. She found out her body has a problem absorbing calcium and she was deficient in Vit D. The thing is, she never had a problem with dairy - she consumed plenty of it, especially yogurt, but for some reason, her body was not able to absorb it. This was quite a shock to her… as it was me, because I’d never heard of inability to absorb calcium from dairy, without side effects of lactose intolerance. Just something to keep in mind.</p>

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<p>At what age do doctors normally start testing for this? I’m 51 and haven’t ever had any sort of scan. My doc just runs blood tests–not that I’m willing to take any supplements so maybe she figured it wasn’t worth testing me for osteoporosis. I have no clue if I’m menopausal. I had a hysterectomy years ago but without removing whatever it is that causes the hormone changes, so I’m not sure if I would notice or not.</p>

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<p>Good question, TheAnalyst. Given your hysterectomy, I’d ask your doctor.</p>

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<p>I was seeing a rheumatologist for arthritis and because I wondered if something else was going on because I had it much worse than my mother.
However, I am double jointed ( as is the dr) which apparently makes for more problems.
I asked for a bone scan cause my vertebrae grind together sometimes and I worried that I was getting kyphosis like my paternal grandmother had. (But she was in her 70s)
I also have unknown cause scoliosis, & I am not sure when I got that. My mother recently told me ( well within the last 6 month) that she knew I had it, but she didn’t know if I had it as a child.</p>

<p>I will ask the dr for a referral for an endrocrinologist- thanks for the suggestion of the UW, I didn’t even think of them-I have been going to first hill & roosevelt is much close</p>

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<p>I have heard (from a doctor) that there is some evidence that a high meat diet can interfere with calcium absorption, especially from non-milk sources like vegetables. Women from cultures that do not eat much meat or drink milk do not necessarily have calcium deficiencies. The get the calcium they need from foods like greens, nuts and fish. I think it’s quite possible that it’s not just your calcium intake that impacts your bone density, but what your overall diet is which can maximize or minimize your calcium intake, your physical activity, and genetics.</p>

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<p>TheAnalyst, I agree you should ask your doctor. I think the recommended age varies depending on risk factors. I’m high risk for osteoporosis, and my doctor recommended my first bone density scan last year (age 50), and started testing my blood calcium and Vitamin D levels.</p>