Osteoporosis quite severe if I started hrt now will it help . I am 74

Posted by tiny28 @tiny28, Apr 6 9:57am

Any other woman of a similar age to myself with osteoporosis found hrt helpful quickly? I am just so scared of the other drugs. I have had no fractures yet but I feel they are imminent !!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Osteoporosis & Bone Health Support Group.

@baguette

1. An orthopedist looked at the DEXA scan and said it was inaccurate. The lower lumbar vertebrae were rotated, and there was more than one standard deviation between low and high T scores. A difference of a few tenths apparently doesn't matter. I don't remember my scores off-hand.

2. I waited a year to see the orthopedist. I did a lot of reading and felt I was ok because again, I fell several times and nothing broke. I also came across information that raised concerns about DEXA accuracy. Also DEXA gives only a small piece of the puzzle. Dr. Susan Ott has some videos online you can find for her explanations.

3. It's been four years since the DEXA scan and I am still fine . The orthopedist uses the REMS ultrasound technology, and I will continue to use that instead of DEXA. If you want to continue to use DEXA you can research if there is a machine near you that offers the trabecular bone score software, which gives more info on bone quality. I think it costs extra, but it is more useful information. My orthopedist advised me to use only TBS equipped DEXA machines. There aren't any near me so I will continue with REMS. He says you cannot make errors with REMS as you can with DEXA. If the ultrasound can't get a good image it shows nothing for that area, whereas DEXA, if I understand it correctly, fills in the missing info on its own.

Jump to this post

Thank you for your information.

I am aware there are many problems associated with DEXA scans. McCormick lists and explores them in his 'Great Bones.'

I think one of the techs may possibly have done a lousy job of positioning me on the scan that showed my hip osteoporosis DX. A year later, a different tech took a lot of time to position me 'just so' and I was back to hip osteopenia. Both scans normal on spine.

The second DEXA was also after 2 Prolia injections, which then required a relay med to quit the Prolia. But I wonder whether I was actually diagnosed correctly; have another DEXA scan coming up in June.

Will also look for TBS for that next scan. The closest REM is a 7 hour drive.

I found no online DEXA videos from a Dr. Susan Ott who you referenced. She is apparently an MD who seems eminently qualified.

In contrast, there are a lot of videos posted by a 'Dr.' Susan Brown, who is NOT an MD but has a PhD in anthropology so therefore calls herself 'Dr.' I always try to verify the bio of people who give healthcare info online.

I ran across Brown's prolific video output when I first starting looking into osteoporosis but did not feel comfortable getting healthcare info from an anthropologist, even if she also claims to be a 'certified' nutritionist. She appears however to have an amazingly successful osteoporosis business catering to those who fear/want to avoid meds.

REPLY
@broken13

I am 67 with severe osteoporosis. I did Forteo to build bone and then Raloxifene to maintain the gains.
No side effects at all with Raloxifene . Forteo initially had some headaches and tummy upset, but just took it at night and that worked. I am also very med sensitive, so happy this worked and I have had no further fractures for the past 8 years. If you need to build bone, I would research Forteo.

Jump to this post

may I ask you for how long raloxifene (the med to maintain the gain) after being on forteo or tymlos should be taken? thanks

REPLY
@nelluna17

may I ask you for how long raloxifene (the med to maintain the gain) after being on forteo or tymlos should be taken? thanks

Jump to this post

Nelluna I get a bone density scan every year, so the decision to go back on Forteo was based on that. The endocrinologist wanted me to try Evenity, but my insurance would only approve Forteo because I had it before and it was effective. I am grateful for that, because I was nervous about Evenity. I've only had initial side effects with Forteo that have now completely passed at the 6 month mark. Taken at night, it is very doable and has been very well researched as a medication for Osteoporosis .

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.