Hi, Mary and @ess77. I’d had a Dexa scan in autumn of 2018 and at 64, there was no sign of osteopenia at all. Then Feb 2019 I was diagnosed with Acute myeloid Leukemia. The heavy chemo, nausea and medications really interrupted my calcium intake. Then toss in the bone marrow transplant it was pretty much a year with a drain on bone health. Autumn 2019, my exit Dexa Scan after transplant showed osteoporosis! I was just gutted with that news!

My transplant doctor and I have a really good rapport. He knows I’m not a dottering old woman and he treats my husband and myself like colleagues. So we discussed the bone loss and agreed with me that I could have one year to turn things around.

I worked with a PT to get some targeted exercises for my hips and spine, then ramped up the calcium intake through foods, dairy, supplements, Vit D3, Mag. I wanted to add strontium but it would interfere with some of my meds at the time so I was limited by what I could take.

We were ALL shocked and pleasantly surprised to see one year later that another Dexa showed a reversal big time of my osteoporosis. Yaaaay!! And that was after spending most of 2020 taking huge doses of steroids which is a real bone robber!
Just had my 4th Dexa last week (Oct 2021) and I’m still holding my own!! Even showed bone density growth in both hips.

Oh, this was cute. My transplant doctor had a Fellow working with him this time. She came in the room first to review my Dexa scan. Told me I have osteopenia and was very frank about putting me on some Fosamax or Prolia. I said no, I prefer to keep working out, I’ll ‘up’ my routine. She was aghast that I wouldn’t take any meds. And then told me, OH you have to be so careful at your age working out and exercising so hard. Snicker snort!! Oh honey…

When my doctor came in, we chatted about my bones after the Fellow left. He said, “I know you and how active you are. Considering all of the work you do to keep healthy there’s no need to have you on any medications as this time. Exercise builds healthy bones and you’re proof of that.” Fist pump!!! Yes!

I know this healthy route may not work for everyone. Sometimes we have no choice but to take a bone strengthening medication. We can’t have a crumbling infrastructure. 😉 But it’s obviously working on your (80 is the new 60) body, Mary, and Elizabeth, you too!! Plus the exercise keeps us younger and healthier all the way around.
The daily vino is out for me yet but i have a daily glass of Welch’s grape juice in a wine glass…does that count? 😂