I'm 53 and was diagnosed with severe osteoporosis today

[baby_bear]

My doctor called this morning with my bone density test results. T score minus 3.1.
Major osteoporosis. My mother and her mother have/had it severely, but this is
crushing (no pun intended). I have the bones of a 90 year old woman.

I have taken calcium, Vitamin D3, Vitamin K2, done the right exercises, etc.
Now I have to start taking biphosphonates.

I am totally bummed. I don't want to take this drug but what can I do?

I know there are worse things to have, and I am thrilled that my mammogram was
normal.

Any thoughts/experience most welcome, especially about biphosphonates (e.g., Fosamax).

thanks
b_b

[crim son]

1. My sister was anorexic and she had the same diagnosis

in her late thirties after continually getting stress fractures from running. I'm sorry to hear you have the same thing, but it really is important to take good care of your bones now. I wish I knew what my sister was taking but I don't. Good luck, baby_bear.

[bleedingheart]

2. I would recommend doing what my mother in law did..

under a doctor's supervision...she took the meds and she also started weight training.

Weight training (also under supervision) made a significant difference for her and she now doesn't have to take the Fosomax or anything anymore.

[bleedingheart]

3. here is at least one link about it..

http://www.newstarget.com/010528.html

my in-laws live in Boulder where they get a lot of exercise and that and the strength/weight training...made a big difference.

I would definitely recommend checking it out..

[Katherine Brengle]

4. Excellent advice -- women should start weight training as young as possible

and HEAVY.

Heavy, consistent weight training does wonders to increase bone density. I really wish more women knew that, and cared.

Good luck!

[graywarrior]

5. In addition to making your posture a lot better.

[Katherine Brengle]

8. And yo' body look hotta :D

But seriously, the benefits are such that I can't understand why anyone would pass it up. Plus it's fun and empowering.

[baby_bear]

15. Thanks for the link - what about the drugs?

And thanks for the encouragement. I am definitely feeling more positive - at least I know I can do something myself.
Now I have to decide whether to try that by itself or take the Fosamax too.

I hate the idea of it.

Thanks again.

b_b

[baby_bear]

11. Wow, that's a great story

I am definitely going to go for the weight-bearing exercise and walking (as soon as my sore knee gets better, sigh).

I haven't really heard of anyone getting better to the point of going off the Fosamax or other biphosphonate. That makes me feel more positive.

Thanks so much.

b_b

[pitohui]

6. i'm sending you a hug

yeah, my mom had similar situation, unfortunate the vitamin/calcium supplements are not really absorbed and don't seem to do anything, she was a fanatical taker of all the right supplements and fanatical eater of all the right foods and exercised for an hour a day from, like, birth, so i don't know what else to tell you

she also got a bit of sunlight daily, so it wasn't that in her health hysteria she avoided the outdoors which i think is what puts today's young women at risk

sometimes we just have to use technology if we have a genetic predisposition, i'm afraid i'm probably right behind you, just hoping for the best and at least glad they've invented SOMETHING

i suspect the weight training suggested by the others here is one way to go, my mom did some but probably not enough, she was more the yoga, swimming, hiking new age-y type of exerciser, i did okay on my last bone density test, been trying to work out with weights 2-3x a week -- it can't hurt if done correctly and safely and it may very well help

[baby_bear]

13. I guess the supplements work for the manufacturer

I have spent a ton of money on calcium, vitamin D3, vitamin K2, and strontium, but the only
thing they seem to have affected is my bank account.

I've really got to get going on the weight bearing exercise. I just don't want to take the Fosamax.
I have read horror stories about it.

Thanks for the input, pitohui, and I hope your bones stay dense!

b_b

[mopinko]

19. what horror stories?

i am starting to think that there are no meds that do not provoke a backlash of some kind.
want to hear some horror stories about what your life will be like when your bones are gone? that's what did my mom in, and it was not pretty. although she lived to be 90, her last 15 years were sheer misery.

do take the bone vitamins, tho. fosamax blocks your bodies access to minerals stored in your bones. so, not enough calcium taken in= risk of lots of nasty things.
weight bearing exercise is helpful, but be honest with yourself. are you really going to change your life at this age? i know i am in your shoes, and trying, but it is hard to teach old dogs new tricks. really.
take the meds. nobody likes taking pills, but if you want to get old and stay healthy, you are gonna have to. otoh, if you are done living, go ahead and take no risk.

take care of yourself. we need all the lefties we can get.

[baby_bear]

24. Well, that's an interesting take.

My mother is also going through misery with her bones. She is in constant, intractable pain and depressed as
well. She has been on Fosamax for over a decade.

I guess I will just keep reading and asking questions until I decide. I agree that it's hard to change habits
and I'm not a good exerciser. I just don't like the knee jerk reaction of my doctor that I should take the
medication, rather than trying to figure out why my bones are so bad at this age. I don't even know if stopping
the Prevacid can alter the damage already done.

Anyway, good luck to you and to me too. And thanks for sharing and being frank.

Take care,

b_b

[mopinko]

29. there was a study recently about those acid drugs.

it makes perfect sense to me that reducing stomach acid would make it harder to metabolize minerals. not that that means it is a fact. but not surprised by recent findings. i have a 13 y.o. kid with crohns disease, and she takes them, but takes a huge calcium supplement with it. still, her bones are as bad as mine. not uncommon just from the crohns. she may be looking at fosomax as well.
can't speak for your doc, but mine swears that this is a safe drug. (good doc, university hospital affiliated, recommended to me by another doc whose wife is a patient.) she was not pushy, and was patient about trying other approaches. but i only have osteopenia.
it will take a couple of years to rebuild those bones. think hard about what it will be like to go through a hip replacement. you do not have a risk free path to take.
i have been on it for several months, and have had no problem at all.

my mother also was very depressed. her loss of mobility caused her to sit down and rot. it was incredibly sad.

take care of yourself.
(and sorry if i sound preachy. this type of discussion is kind of a hot spot for me.)

[baby_bear]

30. no, you don't sound preachy

I wish the best for your daughter with Crohn's disease. That can be miserable. Much worse than
what I am contemplating here.

My doctor has suggested I go to an endocrinologist to find out whether my osteoporosis is primary
or secondary in nature. I think he just wants to scrape me off the bottom of his shoe, as I ask way
too many questions.

That's okay with me.

Thanks for your input, and I'll send a virtual valentine to you and your daughter.

b_b

[mopinko]

31. yeah, well that's a different thing. docs.

make me crazy. 52 years with an invisible illness (fibro) and you get a little sick of them.
good luck with that.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

25. Swimming and hiking are new-agey?

:wtf:

[MadHound]

7. My Mom was diagnosed when she was fifty-eight, and at seventy seven,

She's still going strong. I'm not certain what her drug regiment is, but one thing I know her doctor recommened was exercise, low impact, preferably water. She has swum virtually every day since then, up to a mile a day. It is a tough disease to fight, but it can be done.

I would recommend getting a second opinion, especially if you are uneasy with the treatment method. There are many medications out there for osteoporosis. I will chat my Mom up next time I talk to her and see what her recommendations are.

Take care of yourself, and realize that among other things your immune system is going to be weakened a bit. Get proper rest, diet and exercise. And as my Mom says, keep moving in spite of the pain. You've got to keep range of movement as much as possible for as long as possible. My Mom has been practicing Tai Chi for the past ten years, and it has really helped with these issues, yoga might also do the same.

:hug: I'm so sorry to hear this, but with proper care and a bit of stubborness you can minimize the impact of this on your life.

[Connonym]

9. :hugs:

There are also recent studies that show that regular use of drugs like Prilosec or Prevacid can interfere with calcium absorption. If you take any meds for reflux you may want to talk to your doctor about that.

I hope the meds help to reverse it.

[baby_bear]

10. I read about that too, Connonym

I even got the article from JAMA. I have been on Prevacid for 14 months. My doctor agreed with my suggestion to stop taking it. Who knows how much that contributed, or whether stopping it will help.

Thanks for the hugs.

b_b

[mzteris]

12. the Boniva

is easier to deal with. The Fosamax caused major digestive problems for both me and my mom.

They're working on a yearly shot.....

Also - weight bearing exercise - even LIGHT weights or isometrics or stretching. Water workout, maybe?

I also bought some Bone Density 'vitamins' at GNC - I don't know if they help or not really, but I figure they can't hurt.

Be careful, don't take chances with any chances with falling. No iceskating! :)

[baby_bear]

14. My insurance doesn't cover Boniva

Only Fosamax and Actonel. They are pretty much the same as Boniva, except for the frequency of dosage,
from what I have read. I have read awful stories about GI distress and dreadful bone pain from users of
all of them. I can only hope that I won't be one of those. What else can I do? I will definitely do the
exercise (weight lifting and walking), but I guess I have to reconcile myself to taking the drug as well.
I don't want a broken hip. I have to walk down 20 stairs to get to my condo entrance. I live on the steepest
paved street in Seattle.

Thanks for the advice, mzteris. I'm taking all the right vitamins and minerals too, but I think they are worthless.

b_b

[sleepyhead]

21. Fosamax isn't that bad.

I have been taking it for over a year without any problem. Remember to take it with a full glass of water to prevent esophageal irritation. I have also been working with a personal trainer (had an 8-month hiatus but am starting again) and my last bone scan showed nearly normal bones. My stepmother has taken Fosamax too - she actually ended up with extra-strong bones and was able to discontinue it. The most difficult part of my routine is setting aside the time to exercise. My trainer showed me some exercises I could do at home with ankle weights and if I can't get to the gym, I can at least put in 30 minutes or so at the beginning or end of the day.

Definitely use your insurance coverage - the biphosphonates are hideously expensive, and you are correct - according to my doctor, Boniva isn't any more effective, just more convenient.

[baby_bear]

23. Thanks, sleepyhead

I am agonizing over whether to try just the exercise plus stopping the Prevacid and seeing if that works, rather than going straight to the Fosamax. So thanks for sharing your story (and your mother's).

I am of course also struggling with feeling like I have just been declared an old woman at age 53.

Thanks again.

b_b

[sleepyhead]

32. You are most definitely NOT old.

I am 51 and refuse to buy into that. Yes, our bodies are changing, and it can be frustrating, but now we have the experience and wisdom to make this part of our life much more fulfilling. I don't think I'd want to relive my 20s or even my 30s. Personally, I didn't really come into my own until after I turned 40. So absolutely don't let the numbers upset you. Do what you have to do for your health and well-being and enjoy your maturity!

[Arugula Latte]

16. My M-I-L takes hormonal therapy -- it has worked wonders.

Yes, there is the increased risk of breast cancer, but she used to get frequent fractures and that stopped when she started on it. Then she quit briefly when the research came out on the cancer link, and the fractures restarted. She got back on it and has been fine ever since.

Good luck to you!

[Madspirit]

17. Hugs

My girlfriend has severe psoriatic arthritis. It's not the same but it still helps me understand what a drag this is. I hope you also look to alternative treatments ALONG with, not excluding, traditional treatments.

That's great great great about the mammogram. Congrats on that.

Lee

[LeftyMom]

18. Two dietary things that might help

1. If you're drinking sodas, quit. The phosphoric acid in them causes the body to flush calcium out of the bones to maintain proper blood chemistry.

2. Reduce your protein intake. Most Americans get waaaaaaaaaay more than they need (remember breastmilk is only 5% protein, and babies are growing faster than they ever will again and have the most nutritional need for it) and the processing of the excess again requires calcium to be flushed out of the bones to keep blood chemistry correct.

[YDogg]

20. Also, if you smoke, quit.

Back (skeletal) problems - perhaps related to osteoporosis - are thought by some to be made much worse by smoking.

[baby_bear]

27. I don't smoke, but it's good advice

My problem appears mostly in the hip. I am thinking I should cut back on drinking wine.
I do like my wine. But I sure don't want a broken hip.

Thanks for your input!

b_b

[baby_bear]

26. I just read that about protein

I got up at 3 this morning and read "The Myth of Osteoporosis" that I checked out of the library yesterday.
It says that animal-based, but not vegetable-based, protein requires more calcium, thereby leaching it from
bones. I don't actually eat a lot of meat, but I can cut back and substitute more beans and the like. And I never drink sodas. But both are good advice, from what I read in this book.

Thanks,

b_b

[MoseyWalker]

22. my brother was mister health nut

for over 30 years, and got a brain tumor. One never knows how genetics or the environment is going to affect any of us.

I might die tomorrow from the tia's and minor strokes I have experienced.

Give what you can while you can, and even if you never see the results of your efforts, well........

there's always tomorrow for someone.

not raining on your parade, but there are many things worse than bone density problems.

[ProfessorGAC]

28. Hey Baby Bear!

On bad days, stop by the Chronic Health Group here on DU. Lots of sympathetic and empathetic ears to lend there. Nearly everyone there has something that most people sure wouldn't want. (I've got MS.)
The Professor