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Anyone progress from osteoporosis to osteopenia?
Osteoporosis & Bone Health | Last Active: 3 days ago | Replies (78)Comment receiving replies
Hi debbik,
Welcome to the club, I guess — though none of us really want to be here!
I have posted here before, but here goes anyway. Like you, my DEXA numbers were steadily declining. I chose to stick my head in the sand. With so many other health issues going on, it seemed to be the easiest thing to do. Then at age 68, I had a whopping 8.8% decrease in my Spinal T-score: -3.0! Full blown osteopenia in the Femoral neck: -2.2, and -2.0 in the Total hip. Wake up call!
My rheumatologist was pushing the medical model, the OP drugs. Kind of rolled his eyes when I said let me try a more natural way first. The side effects of the drugs frankly scared me, although if all else failed, I would have gone that route.
From that point on, I dedicated myself to turning this around. That meant structured exercise, 5 sessions a week: strength training, weight bearing, resistance bands, balance, coordination. (Mind you, nothing too heavy. I started with 1 pound weights. Still only up to 3 pounders!) Get out in the sunshine, walk. Increase protein intake. Eat the rainbow! Bioidentical hormones. Supplements galore, things like tocotrienols, collagen, strontium citrate (I know, controversial!), vitamin K2, etc., etc. I bought a low intensity vibration plate (yes, more controversy!), an investment in my health.
My most recent DEXA scan at age 70?
Spine: -0.3 “Normal”(!)
Average Femoral neck: -1.65 “Osteopenia”
Average Total hip: -1.35 “Osteopenia”
My doctor is no longer recommending I begin drug therapy!
So…..it is possible to tackle osteoporosis using alternative methods, and successfully increase your bone density. Not to say that is the only way, but hey, it sure is worth a try.
Replies to "Hi debbik, Welcome to the club, I guess — though none of us really want to..."
Thanks for the lift. I needed that.
Thank you so much thisnthat!! So encouraging. I still work full time which can get in the way, but I’m really trying to put together an exercise program and stick to it. You must be so happy with your results…. And you probably feel amazing… I need to step it up….i appreciate your words!!!
To thisnthat…. I’ve read your post three times now because it is so encouraging… I would love to learn more about what exercises, etc you’re doing. Maybe come along side you and learn as much as I can from you? I am so excited for you and what you have accomplished… it’s really what I want to achieve!!
This is very inspirational. Can I ask how old you were when you started the bioindentical hormones? And how many years after the start of menopause? My doctor (so far) says I'm too far past the start of menopause (11 years), and I think I heard Dr. Keith McCormick say that as we get "too old" the estrogen receptors in our body don't respond to HRT anymore so it doesn't help. Thanks.
Thank you for the inspiration! Im 74 and trying to stay off drugs. My spine is good but hip femoral neck went from -2.3 to -2.9 in 3 years after pelvic radiation for endometrial cancer. I saw a PT and have ramped up weight bearing exercise, cardio, and yoga (4x week) while being mindful of other lifestyle factors. I’ve always had a good lifestyle, but the new numbers called for extra work. My endo is only interested in drugs and wouldn’t offer any additional testing like CTX. I’ve looked for people who’ve improved BMD naturally. Glad to have read your post. Keep up the good work!
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@thisnthat congrats on your progress! Your bones weren't as bad as mine to begin with, that's for sure...I just want to ask if those most recent scores were adjusted by the radiologist due to the strontium Controversy or no controversy, strontium is denser than calcium and replaces it in the bones, so DEXA's do get thrown off. Regardless of that it looks like your program worked. With my scores (after cancer treatment) I could not risk the holistic approach!