Dealing with cancer had to be tough. I went through early menopause (age 32, I’m 54 now) for unknown reasons and didn’t get HRT.
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 2017 and was taking 75 mcg of Levothyroxine daily until about one month ago when it was upped to 88 mcg.

My TBS results L1 - L4 = 1.287 (partially degraded microarchitecture). That is the average of all 4 lumbar vertebrae.

Normal microarchitecture > 1.31

Degraded < or = 1.23.

Given that my 1.287 is closer to 1.31 than 1.23 I took that as a good sign. Now, here's where I question my TBS results. On page one of the report, there is an image of my L1 - L4 called TBS Mapping and the colors are green (high TBS), yellow is in the middle, and red (low TBS) the image of my spine, or TBS Mapping, shows each vertebrae shaded in these colors to show what my trabecular bone looks like. On page two, there is a chart labeled "Detailed Spine Results" and it lists the TBS for each vertebrae.

L1 = 1.278 TBS

L2 = 1.323 TBS

L3 = 1.342 TBS

L4 = 1.205 TBS

L1 - L4 = 1.287 TBS (the average)

My TBS scores for L2 and L3 both are in the normal range because they are both above 1.31. Additionally L1, which is 1.278 shows as partially degraded; however, according to the report that I received my L4 is 1.205 or degraded.

My gut feeling is that the TBS they listed for my L4 is wrong. The TBS Mapping image on the first page of the report, shows that my spine is slightly curved, this shows up a little in L3 and more in L4. In this mapping image they have rectangles or blocks around each vertebrae, and the L4 block is bigger than any of the other blocks because of the curve in my spine and because of this there is a good amount of blank space captured, which I believe may be skewing my L4 TBS.

Lani Simpson, lanisimpson.com/ talks a lot about how most ppl (doctors, radiologists, technicians) have no idea what they are doing when it comes to DEXA scans and they make mistakes because of this. Ex. When I told the technician who did my DEXA w/ TBS that there was a difference of .5 in my t-scores, she made the comment, "A 1/2 pt is nothing." She apparently doesn’t know that a .5 difference in t-scores is not a 1/2 point, it's half of one standard deviation, which, when it comes to bone density, is HUGE.

Before I joined a gym, I asked my endocrinologist and an orthopedic doctor what exercises would be safe for me. Neither had much to offer so I tried seeing a physical therapist but the exercises she was recommending were way too simple/easy for me so I decided to join a gym and to take it slow. I spend 45-60 minutes at the gym 3 days a week. I’m small (4’11”, 107 lbs) and, after 1.25 yrs of going to the gym, I’m up to 110 lbs on the back extension machine, 260 lbs on the leg press, and I carry 60 lbs (30 lbs in each hand) when I do the farmer’s carry.

I may at some point sign up for Dr. Brown’s program and if money weren’t an issue I would sign up immediately. I’m still also considering getting a Marodyne LIV platform.

It’s awesome that you had so much success withDr. Brown’s program.