University of Chicago for Osteoporosis care?

Posted by beachesanddreams @beachesanddreams, Mar 30 4:32pm

Greetings! Has anyone gone to the University of Chicago for osteoporosis treatment?

After a lot of researching, I discovered that UChicago’s Hyde Park campus has a program that educates, informs and treats all the marks: medication therapy, nutrition, and physical therapy for the appropriate exercises. I made an appointment for June, with the hopes this TSA mess will be resolved by then (fingers crossed for all of us).

I’m encouraged by all this comprehensive care in one place, and wonder if anyone can share their experience(s) if they received care there. Thanks so much!

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

Profile picture for jozer @jozer

@beachesanddreams Thank you much...depending on conversation and answers I get from my April appointment with my current endo I may look into seeing what U of C has to say. I've wondered since I started this journey 2 years ago why we don't get a complete package of how to treat this so-called life long chronic condition. All I got was fear stress and anxiety; hold railings! don't bend over! no snow shoveling! don't lift! don't twist! do resistance exercise! but no concrete plan on how to do that in a safe manner. Just doing all those things I was told not to because I always have and as of yet have not crumbled into dust, I have always been active, always done aerobics with weights/bands... and it is called living your life! And of course, meds. And yes, the fracture fear chat of winding up wheelchair bound for the rest of your life. No info...not a safe exercise discussion, not a PT referral, I did get a one-page printout of calcium rich foods, and a 4-page printout about Reclast after the infusion was done! Not trying to say my doc isn't decent or isn't doing the right thing but it seems like none of them have the time or perhaps the knowledge to really do a deep dive into how to treat osteo. My two cents anyway!

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@jozer Your two cents is worth far more, because you are 100% correct, right down to the PT part.

My own daughters haven’t been told by their doctors how to protect their bones, which leaves it to me, and you know that eye roll we get…it breaks my heart a little because I don’t want them to have to navigate this.

Osteoporosis is a pie with many slices, and just as you explained, I’ve yet to find a doctor who can adequately explain and treat each one. Every human being on the planet is in possession of bones, which means every human being has the potential to get this.

I so hope UChicago delivers, I really do. You know what they say when something feels a little too good to be true…

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Profile picture for cat1203 @cat1203

@beachesanddreams (love your "handle") thanks for the website info. I live in Chicago and may want to check this out. I have an appointment with a new rheumatologist next month at the Rush Osteoporosis Clinic for which I have high hopes. I was not impressed with my previous rheumatologist. Hoping for better at Rush. But nice to know about UofC if not.

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@cat1203 Thank you for the compliment!

Rush Osteoporosis Clinic didn't come up in my search for osteoporosis centers. I’ll definitely check it out; it’s always good to see what else is out there. Thank you for putting it here for anyone in your area who might want to check it out as well.

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Profile picture for prarysky @prarysky

@beachesanddreams A lot of logistics to juggle that's for sure. It's encouraging that the person who made the appointment shared her own story and didn't treat your call as just scheduling a routine appointment.

I wanted to also let you know that I, too, was diagnosed with a tarlov cyst many years ago. When I got home and did some research, I became worried, but for whatever reason, that cyst has not caused any special side effects that I'm aware of. Maybe I was lucky in where exactly it was located.

I'll hold good thoughts for you on both the U of C consult and the tarlov cyst. Even if you have to cancel the U of C appointment you just made to take care of other health issues, you now have one resource you can keep ready for when you are ready!

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@prarysky I’ve had lower back pain since 2022 after a COVID infection, followed one month later by Influenza A. I was a teacher at the time, was freshly vaxxed for both, still masking, but hey, a girl’s gotta eat during the 8-hour day, and kids come to school so sick.

The back pain afterward was terrible. I figured all those high fevers “settled” into my back. We know better now.

Then in 2024, I broke my ankle (not OP related, according to my orthopedic surgeon). I was off my feet for six weeks, then wore that boot, and the pain was excruciating. I had PT for both my back and ankle.

First rheumatoid diagnosed me with psoriatic arthritis without so much as a single MRI to my lumbar spine. He put me on methotrexate and SKYRIZI. Second rheumatologist did an MRI; turns out, there is no current or past indication of inflammatory arthritis in my lower back. Just Tarlov cysts, with a hemangioma as a side dish.

I’m managing the symptoms so much better now (again, thanks to Dr. Google), BUT, I do have weakness in my left leg as a result. So somewhere, something is hitting a nerve. The thigh pain used to wake me at night, but with stretching, exercise, heat at night and ice in the morning, I’m doing so much better without medication. (First doc tossed sleeping pills at me, and when they didn’t work, told me to take more. 🤦🏻‍♀️)

I need to treat both the cysts and OP together, but I am getting zero guidance as to how to do it. I’m holding my own, but it’s a little scary out here.

I’m glad you didn’t have symptoms from your cysts. My research shows me that is the case for many, and I’m happy you have no pain or discomfort.

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Profile picture for beachesanddreams @beachesanddreams

@jozer Your two cents is worth far more, because you are 100% correct, right down to the PT part.

My own daughters haven’t been told by their doctors how to protect their bones, which leaves it to me, and you know that eye roll we get…it breaks my heart a little because I don’t want them to have to navigate this.

Osteoporosis is a pie with many slices, and just as you explained, I’ve yet to find a doctor who can adequately explain and treat each one. Every human being on the planet is in possession of bones, which means every human being has the potential to get this.

I so hope UChicago delivers, I really do. You know what they say when something feels a little too good to be true…

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@beachesanddreams I yell at my girls about calcium, vitamin D all the time! They seem to pay attention...who knows! My eldest has thyroid issues and is on Synthroid; which is known to hurt bone health I have told her to be extremely vigilant and to demand a dexa scan waaaaay before the protocol of age 65!

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