What's the science behind poor bone recovery after stopping Prednisolone years ago

I don't think you should switch to another bone med if the first one didn't do what it was supposed to.  Denosumab works by killiing the osteoblasts which not only work in bone remodelling but are part of your immune syustem.  I'll private message you a couple of links to articles regarding treating thinning bones.  

I also have crohns and had a massive course of hydrocortisone when diagnosed for them to pull up the crohns and went home on tablets after ten days. 

I am not young like you. 

My tscores are a lot worse than yours but I have refused the drugs including the one you have been taking and the one considered as both are not safe in my opinion.

I have chosen the natural route which is very odd for me because I am on drugs for diabetes and crohns as well as others. I can justify those though and know they are necessary and the right way to go.

Vitamin K2 is probably the most important as it puts the calcium onto the bones. Weight bearing exercise is also necessary as far as one is able.

Others on here will have good advice as well.

I am still on something for the crohns, Pyralin, maintenance level unless there are symptoms.

My GP said the fact I have Crohns also means that some nutrients may not be absorbed and there would have been years like that prior to diagnosis.

The drugs for osteoporosis can be very detrimental to healthy bones so it is a matter of doing a lot of research for you to make your own personal decision,

I agree with Kathleen that there are certain drugs one must take, there's really no choice.  I'm on longterm steroid treatment for polymyalgia rheumatica and one of the risks from that is, as you know, bone thinning.  But prednisone was a necessity for me, the alendronic acid offered me was not.  So I've been taking my calcium and all the other nutrients needed for good bone health, D3, magnesium, K2, and a few others, watching my diet well and getting plenty of appropriage exercise.  Because of the PMR some things are not as easy for me as they might have been, also I was diagnosed with high D level in early spring, so it gets complicated.  But I seem to be doing well.  I think the OP drugs are too easy for the doctors, and maybe too easy for patients.  It is work trying to get well and recover from serious illnesses.  But we do what we can!  

Hi Jay,

the skeleton remodelling process ,I find is quite a complicated process and I find there is still a lot we don't know. my simple understanding is that our bones undergo continuous remodelling ( turnover) of bone with removal of old bone by osteoclasts and replacement with new one by osteoblasts...in a steady state this balancing act of bone formation v bone reabsorbtion maintains bone mass. Osteocalcin is a marker of bone turnover  and PINP ( pro collagen from bone) I think is a serum bio marker of bone formation...as your bone turnover is ok it could be possible that your issue is related more to bone formation. Perhaps it's slower than your rate of bone turnover?

The cause of secondary osteoporosis after taking steroids is well documented in that it is known to happen for some people but still not clear why it happens. Evidence suggests bone loss is more rapid during the fist 6 months of taking steroids ..thought to be due to accelerated bone loss ( decreases in serum PINP and PICP,osteocalcin and free urinary deoxypyridinalone) however these effects are thought to be reversible during recovery. Another point worth making is that the% of circulating osteocalcin that is not y-carboxylate is used as a marker of vit k status and more recently the importance of taking vit k2 mk7 for helping to get calcium into your bones rather than sitting elsewhere in your organs,blood vessels etc. If you look up bone remodelling it may give you ideas to discuss with your dr and help you make an informed decision on the right treatment for you. At the least you can be pleased that your results haven't deteriorated any further so at least your doing something right. Good luck with everything and kindest regards

 

Hi Jay,

prednisone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone are all steroids. steroids are hormones

These deplete calcium

kind regards

,judith

Hi All 

Thanks all for the responses and info. It looks like i'm pretty much doing the right things. I guess I'll just have to accept that progress is slow when strengthening bones.

Wishing you all good health.

Jas

oops finger slip.. 600 mg