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Please help

Posted , 7 users are following.

tooyoungforthis
tooyoungforthis

I am 44 years old, I had a total hysterctomy last year due stagw 4 endometriosis.   I was started on HRT, EvaMist, immediately.   I had never had a fracture before, however, in the last 3 months i have had 5 fractures (4 in my hands, 1 in my foot) on 3 separate occasions. I had a DEXA scan this week and the results came back showing osteopenia in the back and hip, but not in the forearm.  I am blown away!  With the exception of some arthritis, I am healthy, 44 years old, never smoked, routine weight bearing exercise, occasional alcohol use, little caffeine. I am a nurse, always on my feet. Very active.  My lab work was unremarkable.  What am I doing wrong?  My doctor recommends fosamax.   Can anyone offer me some insight, suggestions of lifestyle or dietary changes, medictions?  Any response appreciated.  I am hungry for informatioin. I came by this site while searching. Thank you.

1 like, 26 replies

26 Replies

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  • kathleen65757
    kathleen65757 tooyoungforthis

    Posted

    Osteopenia does not warrant taking fosamax for a start.

    Osteoporosis is more advanced and some even say that osteopenia does not necessarily lead to osteoporosis.

    Check out the thread 'strong Bones' on here as many are trying natural way to improve bone health.

    There is good information throughout the threads on this topic as well.

    Whether bones can be improved naturally is in question but I believe it is worth a try.

    Supplements and exercise are recommended by some people including myself.

    I take vitamin D3, vitamin K2, magnesium, zinc and calcium as needed. Foods like avocados, kiwi fruit, skin of cucumber, natural gelatin, prunes, and of course a good diet of fruit and vegetables.

    Hope this helps. I am in Australia and am 71 years old with osteoporosis.

  • Anhaga
    Anhaga tooyoungforthis

    Posted

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/strong-bones-support-group-511551

    A couple of us have posted our own ideas here.  

    I'm so glad you are seeking advice and doing research. None of the OP drugs are considered safe forlong term use, so at a relatively young age you will want to avoid starting them.  There must be a reason why you have had the fractures, but fortunately none of them were compression fractures of the spine, and your scan did not indicate any osteoporosis.  I think one of rhe key nutrients many people with bone issues miss is Vitamin K2.  Quite a lot of info on the internet about this vitamin (not same as K1) but many doctors don't know its importance.  My daughter is a young dietitian and she didn't know about it until I told her!  It's the vitamin which makes sure calcium goes into the bones where it belongs!  

     

    • tooyoungforthis
      tooyoungforthis Anhaga

      Posted

      Thank you , Anhaga. It's a lot of information, I'm trying to piece it all together and decide what is best for me. I truly appreciate your insight. I've looked locally for K2, but haven't found it. I may order on line.
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga tooyoungforthis

      Posted

      I gor K2 from an organics food store.  I've never seen it in the pharmacy, although it may be in some of the multi formulas for bones.....
  • faith87650
    faith87650 tooyoungforthis

    Posted

    Hi. I had osteopenia until I broke my hip and then was told once a fracture that moves you into osteoporosis (although true accident not just falling over). I was looked after by a professor of osteoporosis who lectures all around the world. Most odd as he never mentioned Vit K2 either. Have been through all drugs as you shouldn't stay on anything for too many years. I would definitely be wanting a referral. Never heard of anyone fracturing their hand with it. I had TAH but did take 10 yrs to get osteoporosis afterwards. Be very careful lifting when nursing as you don't want a vertebral fracture. Might want to re think where you work if on a ward, am three months into latest fracture and I can barely walk and definitely couldn't work. You do sort it out in yr head and it just becomes a way of life. Good luck
    • kathleen65757
      kathleen65757 faith87650

      Posted

      Amazing logic from that professor! What moves you from osteopenia to osteoporosis is t scores. Under -2.5 it is osteopenia and above it osteoporosis. People can break bones and not even have either condition.

      Sounds like old knowledge/information!

      Some sources are saying just as many people without osteoporosis break bones as those with osteoporosis.

      When you start to research it is amazing what you discover.

      Zinc is being touted as even more important than vitamin K2 now. New information is flowing very fast at the moment.

       

    • faith87650
      faith87650 kathleen65757

      Posted

      He is a world expert and lectures everywhere so not really in that category! Think so much emphasis is only now being put on scans. Did show better on MRI scan. Haven't had dexa scan for 8 years. Think one has to be careful as can be taken in by a lot of stuff. Just remember behind everything is someone making money. There is a lot of info about that's true.
    • kathleen65757
      kathleen65757 faith87650

      Posted

      I think you are right about too much emphasis on scans! Bone strength is different from bone density too which might be more apparent on MRI.

      I had one on my knee which showed I had very tiny bones.

      I do not know about your professor but thought it an odd thing to say.

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga kathleen65757

      Posted

      The issue with Vitamin K2 is that it has nearly vanished from our diet as animals are now being raised on grain instead of grass, chickens are not pasteured, but are also being raised on grain.  They can't synthesize K2 for us, and we can't make enough for ourselves.  So we are developing a hidden deficiency in this micronutrient.  Many people still don't distinguish between Vitamin K1 and Vitamin K2.
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga

      Posted

      I meant pastured, of course!
    • allison72169
      allison72169 faith87650

      Posted

      Not sure if I understand you completely; first sentence is incomplete thought. But to the extent that I think I do grasp what you're saying: a fracture in and of itself does NOT automatically reclassify someone as having osteoporosis. And I fracture that results from a "true accident" most definitely does not, as ANYONE might have sustained it, osteoporosis or not! So is it correct to assume that your fracture was sustained in a "just falling over" scenario?
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga allison72169

      Posted

      In my case three factors place me in the risk category, one of which is a previous fracture, which they designate as "fragility" fracture, but owing to circumstances of the accident I've always questioned that.  The other factors are being on prednisone for a "long" time (over three months) and low bone mass, the new name for osteopenia.
  • Handbrake
    Handbrake tooyoungforthis

    Posted

    I agree with all that's being said, there's lots we can do to get our skeleton in the best possible shape for us before resorting to medical treatments ( and we need to do this anyway before these drugs can have a positive effect). Join us on the strong bones site as there's lots of really helpful information to get your teeth into and decide what's right for you! Like you I was like a rabbit in the headlights after my DXA scan but the support from those going through something similar is great
    • LayneTX
      LayneTX Handbrake

      Posted

      I can not find this Strong bones site y'all refer to. I looked under bones, "s", is it a subset of something? I used to be smart, but not feeling so much today or lately wink 
    • LayneTX
      LayneTX

      Posted

      Never mind! Found it. I thought is was a regular forum, but it's the chat room that Anhaga told me about before. I'm now "following" it. 

       

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