Possible Osteoporosis and Fractured Spine
Posted , 8 users are following.
hi all, a bit worried about this one as I went to see my gp because of a curve at the top of my spine and discomfort in my upper back and neck area. So she agreed there was a curve and is querying whether I may have a compression fracture because of the appearance of my upper spine. I've been for an xray been referred to a spine clinic and also had blood tests done. So obviously I have to do follow up to discover if it is, as she suspects it might be, osteoporosis.
So the worry is what can they do if my spine is in fact fractured? I hope it's not the case. But if it is and it's old I am not sure what they can do with that. Any advice? Anyone else had a similar experience? thanks
0 likes, 23 replies
Mollysuki margaret22116
Posted
I would say if it's an old fracture then there's not much that can be done. To confirm osteoporosis you would need to have a Dexa scan. Depending on what the results are you may be offered medication or you could change things like exercise, diet etc.
I think you'd find it helpful to contact The Royal Osteoporosis Society. They have a free helpline where you can talk to specialist nurses. You'll also find lots of useful information on their website. Hope that helps.
margaret22116 Mollysuki
Posted
thanks for your reply. I will wait to see what diagnosis I get but may well contact the society then.
lynne73895 margaret22116
Posted
Hi Margaret, welcome to the forum.
I quite understand your concern, breaking any bones is scary. although my breaks have been in different areas to you, ( coccyx and both wrists) all I can say is fractures DO heal and depending on the cause, appropriate steps can be taken to avoid more breaks in the future.
Once your test results come back, your GP should have more idea as to how you should proceed. Hopefully your tests have included vit D and tests for parathyroid. If they haven't already been done, make sure your GP requests them. If like me you live in the UK, you may find the range of blood tests on offer is very limited, certainly compared with our American members.
Its early days yet, but you could start reading about OP. Look critically at your present diet, does it contain all the main nutrients, especially protein and Calcium ? Don't start buying any supplements until you have a confirmed diagnosis and indication of what you may be short of, that you cannot get by adjusting your diet. I initially wasted a lot of money panic buying supplements like Ca, only to find its best obtained from diet.
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Keep an open mind about treatment that your GP may suggest. Our requirements differ from person to person.
Best wishes
margaret22116 lynne73895
Posted
yes I know my doctor has tested vitamin d and other vitamins and all the usual routine blood work . Thankfully my blood sugar and cholesterol are always within a good range. I hope that is still the case. My diet isn't perfect for sure but not dreadful. I am totally prepared to make alterations if that will help. Of course it may not be osteoporosis but I am beginning to feel it is the most likely scenario.
sheila56291 margaret22116
Posted
Hi I have osteoporisis but when it was first diagnosed I was asked if my mum had a Dowagers Hump which she did. She had not broken anything and never had any problems. Hope this helps.
margaret22116 sheila56291
Posted
hi yes we did talk about that. I already knew about dowager hump because I googled - of course - after noticing the curve. My gp felt the curve wasn't just straightforward but looked like there was a distinct indent which is why she is thinking of a fracture.
amkoffee margaret22116
Posted
A fractured vertebrae caused by osteoporosis does not break in the same way as a broken finger or arm. The vertebrae fractures but typically stays together. (However it does collapse on itself which puts pressure on the disc which causes pain.) It looks like broken glass, with fractures all thru it. If it is a new break and it's causing you pain the normal treatment is a procedure called kyphoplasty. The surgeon injects bone cement into the cracks of the vertebrae which then lifts it back up and makes it stronger. In almost every case this is a simple procedure done as an outpatient. But you should know that there is the risk of the surgeon getting some of the bone cement into your pulmonary artery and then the cement will travel to your lungs. While this is rare, it happened to me. And the surgeon did not tell me that this was a risk. I am better now but spent 3 days in ICU followed with 6 months of having to wear oxygen 24/7. I'm not trying to scare you but I think you should know all the risks.
margaret22116 amkoffee
Posted
sorry for the trauma. Sounds particularly awful. Glad you recovered. I did read that procedures were problematic. As you say it is as well to be armed with the info. thanks
kathleen65757 margaret22116
Posted
It may not be a fracture. I have what you describe with arthritis in the neck and back and scoliosis plus degenerated disc disease and osteoporosis which is all bad enough but not a fracture in my case.
Whether you have osteoporosis or not it is worthwhile to start a regimen that supports your bones and general health. Check your calcium and vitamin D 3 levels in your blood tests. Take vitamin K2 to aim the calcium onto the bones and put of the arteries. Have a really good diet of fruit and vegetables. A good start then for you!
And all the best!
margaret22116 kathleen65757
Posted
thanks for that yes my bit d is a bit low.
QuiltyDiva margaret22116
Posted
Hi Margaret,
Once you know for sure if you have Osteoporosis, you can do something about that. Try to avoid taking Biphosphonates as they are total poison and will not build the right type of bone. Bio-identical HRT pellets are the way to go to improve your overall health. HRT Pellets will build new bone at approximately 10% per year.
As far as the bump in your spine, since you do not know if it is a fracture or not, try not to worry too much. After you get the results, you may be able to have physical therapy or chiropractic adjustments to help your bump. Keep us posted when you have the results of all the tests. Some fractures will heal on their own and may not cause pain.
What is your age, height and weight? You mention your diet is not great. That is something you can fix. A healthy diet and moderate weight bearing exercise (walking) can do so much to solve health problems. It is your life. However, you must be the one to take care of your body. Doctors only treat symptoms. You must make the changes in order to have a healthy lifestyle.
Good luck and wishes for good health.
Sincerely,
JoAnn
margaret22116 QuiltyDiva
Posted
sorry think you misunderstood. I said my diet was pretty good. my blood tests still confirm that. low cholsterol and blood sugar. I said it wasn't perfect but it is good. I also do nordic walking and cycle. I know it is tempting to lay blame but not sure that works here. I do however, have an auto immune disease and apparently there us a higher risk factor there.
QuiltyDiva margaret22116
Posted
Glad to hear your diet is good and blood work is better than average too. What is your auto immune disease?
margaret22116 QuiltyDiva
Posted
I have Behcet's disease (though in remission currently). I understand that having these type of auto immune disorder ...things like Lupus also....put you into a higher risk category for osteoporosis. Many of us have continual issues with vit d not sure if that has anything to do with it.
QuiltyDiva margaret22116
Posted
Hi Margaret,
I am sorry to hear about your autoimmune problems. Since I have no knowledge about it, I cannot offer any advice. However, I do know this about Vitamin D deficiencies and you may already know this as well. Your ability to absorb calcium is dependent on Vitamin D. I also have low levels of D because I have high levels of lead and other heavy metals. I use a sublingual Vitamin D3 Emulsion supplement from Biotics Research. It has no unpleasant taste and is more quickly & readily absorbed by your body. Following the sublingual dose with a teaspoon of Almond Butter will help with the absorption process. Vitamind D pills that go through your digestive tract are not as effective. Ask your doctor to be sure it is okay to take. It is an over the counter product and I buy it on the internet.
You have my prayers for your health.
Sincerely,
JoAnn
margaret22116 QuiltyDiva
Posted
thank you JoAnn very kind. I will look at that supplement. I am seeing my gp tomorrow and will mention it. I want to get my bit d up a bit. I have been feeling quite tired. Do you think that fatigue can be linked to vit d deficiency?
QuiltyDiva margaret22116
Posted
Margaret,
Honestly, I do not know about your fatigue issues. See what the labs show. My husband is ALWAYS tired and needs 9-10 hours of sleep. I manage perfectly well on 4-6 hours of sleep and have tons of energy. I am 70 and he is 72. Everyone is different. I have always been low on Vit D and always have tons of energy. Once I got on HRT Pellets, I actually noticed that I have more energy and love staying up all night. My husband cannot understand how I can do that and still function the next day. It does not bother me at all.
Maybe there is some other deficiency that is causing you to feel tired. Diets high in processed sugar can affect energy levels. The "crash" some experience when they are low on sugar manifests itself in a feeling of exhaustion. You can read up on how to detox if you think sugar is the culprit. Typically as we age, we need more sleep. I am not that typical person though. Fatigue can be caused by so many factors including our thyroid, age, anemia, dehydration, diabetes, heart disease etc. Work with your Doc to rule out each factor and you may be able to pinpoint the cause.
Blessing and prayers for you to feel well soon.
Sincerely,
JoAnn
margaret22116 QuiltyDiva
Posted
lol lucky you being able to stay up all night. Not me. So bloodwork all good and only things slightly off are vit d and b12 is slightly on the low side. My blood sugar was great 5.1. I don't have a high sugar diet. And cholesterol good too 4.7. She was pleased with results. Have to redo x ray on spine because she ordered x ray of upper back but not quite capturing top of spine/neck area which is where pain and the curve is. She is not seeing evidence of osteoporosis she says now. I remembered an x ray years ago showed a prolapse disc in the neck area. I am now wondering if that has gotten worse.
lynne73895 QuiltyDiva
Posted
Do you know what caused your high levels of lead and other heavy metals? Can your doctor give you treatment to reduce this?
i know its different, but at the wildlife hospital where I volunteer, we get swans admitted with high lead, from all the lead shot and lead weights fishermen have discarded in the past, but they still remain in reach of our wild fowl.
The swans are given a chelating agent which eventually helps them to excrete it.
I've always been wary of taking cod liver oil, or other sea 'products' in case its contaminated. Our seas are so polluted now. Mankind has a lot to answer for!
I get D3 made from lanolin ie sheeps wool, which hopefully is heavy metal free. Although you cannot be sure of anything nowadays!
Best wishes
QuiltyDiva margaret22116
Posted
Oh dear. Hope that disc is not going to be a big problem for you. Sounds like you got some good news though. Did your Doc give you the okay for the Vitamin D3 Emulsion product? I do 2 drops each day. A bottle can last me almost a year so it is not super expensive. I buy it on Amazon and it is under $25 USD. You might be able to find it on the internet by a search for Biotics Research Vitamin D3 Emulsion. There is no bad taste either.
B12 is easily fixed with OTC meds. We all lose that each day so I take a supplement too. For awhile I did booster shots of B12 but I don't have to do that now.
What did your Doc say about the exhaustion issues? Sometimes, stress can affect our energy level. Hopefully you are less stressed now that the Osteoporosis has been ruled out. If you are a high risk person for that, look into HRT Pellets. Both my Mom and Grandmother had severe Osteoporosis. Northern European, fair skinned, blue eyes and slight frame women are at risk. My ancestry is Nordic so I am a high risk person.
Blessings and prayers for your complete healing,
JoAnn
QuiltyDiva lynne73895
Posted
Hi,
I did chelation for several years and it is better now. The suspected cause was acid rain that was polluted with metals from the "Rust Belt" area of the Midwest USA. I was living in the Boston area during my youth and acid rain destroyed our lakes and ponds, leaching into the aquifers. Finally the EPA forced companies to put scrubbers on their smokestacks to reduce the level of pollutants. I also had high levels of Nickel & Aluminum. The lead level was causing cognitive issues at the time. It was very scary as I thought I was slowly dying. However, our bodies do have the ability to heal. Thankfully all that brain fog has lifted and I feel great now (for my age). LOL. At 70, I count my blessings every single day.
You are so correct about the damage that mankind has done to the planet and wildlife. It makes me sad to learn about wildlife decline. We certainly have similar issues here in the USA. There is no place on earth that has not been affected by pollutants. In my youth, there was so much nuclear testing. We all used to eat snow during the winter and I am sure it was contaminated with radioactive particles.
Thank you for your comment.
Sincerely,
JoAnn