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New to osteoporosis and overwhelmed
Hello, I am new to this forum. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis 2 weeks ago. Lumbar spine T-score -2.9; Left Total Hip T-score -3.2; Left Femoral Neck T-score -3.3. I am 58, female, technically met the criteria for menopause just this year (August 2023), 5'6", 125 lbs. I exercise regularly (mostly hiking and walking, some Pilates Reformers, bands, exercises from PT to strengthen my knees and butt), eat healthy (Ca level 9.4, Vit D level 25), get plenty of sun. Mom is 83 and still in osteopenia. She had a compression fracture at 78 when putting a 55 lb suitcase onto a scale. One maternal aunt broke her hip at 60 when she was transferring a pot of stew. She had leukemia and died at 65. Additional risk factors include small (wrist) bones and Asian. All preliminary blood tests to rule out other causes came back neg (TSH, PTH, some autoimmune markers, etc.). When I requested a bone density scan my primary doc at first said I'm not 65 and I'd just reached menopause, but after I shared my family history concerns she approved. So the T-scores really came as a huge shock. Had my first appt with my primary doc last week. After 5 questions, she decided to refer me to an endocrinologist who is also a bone specialist. I will be seeing her in 10 days. I'm trying to educated myself on osteoporosis and there is so much (conflicting) information out there I feel really overwhelmed. I am so glad to have stumbled across this forum and find the discussions very interesting and informational. At this moment, I have hundreds of questions but I would like to start with a few.
1. How common is someone with my profile getting the kind of T-scores I got? My primary doc said "not uncommon". My OB/GYN said "it's pretty rare" based on her patient panel. During the holiday get-togethers I saw many female friends and relatives who are much older +/- have been in menopause much much longer +/- very sedentary and they are not at my level of osteoporosis. What are your observations in your life circles?
2. Is it reasonable to request a repeat of the Dexa Scan before I embark on a life long journey of drug therapy? Anyone with flawed Dexa Scan results?
3. I'm told my T-scores are bad, but I'm having a hard time understanding how bad and what that translates into in real life. The only thing I could find was T-scores less than -2.5 you have osteoporosis. My daughter just got married in July. Does that mean I shouldn't bend over and pick up my future grandkids once they reach 10 lbs? 20lbs? 30lbs? Should I not pick up a 20 lb watermelon from the pit at Costco? Should I switch out all my cast iron pots and pans? I get the sense that I need to be mindful of my activities from now on to prevent fractures but how careful is careful enough? Thank you for any input.
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@jozer
I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in my femoral bone; the hardest area to change. I am now in the "normal" range as per dexa and "normal" for bone quality as per TBS.
So yes, it is possible to go from osteoporosis to normal bones with no side effects and no fractures.
Plus, you can try strontium citrate and see how you do and then go off of it if you want to do so with no concerns unlike osteoporosis drugs.
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1 ReactionYes, I’ve personally chosen weight training - heavy and specific - along with nutrition and supplements to fight bone loss and hopefully rebuild some. The meds side effects, some extremely negative, without impact on fracture risk is most definitely not worth it. Check out research on jaw necrosis after 3years of injection-based meds. Also, don’t necessarily trust your DEXA scan without blood tests confirming results. I got a REMS scan which showed osteopenia at -1.9 rather than DEXA -2.9 osteoporosis (at age 57). My bloodwork showed within normal range osteoclast levels. I would not agree to Evenity (endo doc said I had a case for severe osteoporosis- hah!) which is toxic and no real evidence that it helps reduce fracture risk. And you’re right, there is no way to be 30 when we’re post-menopausal 50’s plus. Glad you’re self-educating.
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1 Reaction@cfbutler
From Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation, "medicines for osteoporosis can reduce the risk of breaking a bone by at least 35%." Would be better to have the reduction in risk with no side effects for any of us.
Also, prunes have been mentioned. I've tried to take 4/day and I don't like the taste so not sure how long I can consume.
Study results: "Daily consumption of 50-100 grams of prunes (about 4–10 fruits) can help prevent, delay, or slow down bone loss and improve bone density in postmenopausal women and older men, acting as a non-pharmacological aid against osteoporosis. Studies suggest prunes reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which protects bone structure and strength in the hips and tibia.
Key Findings on Prunes and Bone Health:
Effective Dosage: Consuming 50g of prunes daily (approximately 4–6 prunes) for 6–12 months is sufficient to protect against bone mineral density (BMD) loss and improve bone strength.
Target Population: While effective for older adults in general, research highlights significant benefits for postmenopausal women (especially in the 1–5 years following menopause) and women over 65, who are higher risk for osteoporosis.
Mechanism of Action: Prunes are rich in nutrients like vitamin K, potassium, magnesium, and boron, as well as polyphenols. These compounds reduce inflammatory markers and oxidative stress that contribute to bone resorption.
Bone Density Maintenance: A 12-month study showed that women who ate no prunes lost bone density, whereas those consuming 4–6 daily maintained it, specifically in the weight-bearing cortical bone of the tibia.
Long-Term Impact: Daily intake, while not a cure for osteoporosis, serves as an effective, natural, and safe,, long-term strategy for maintaining bone health.
Research from Penn State University and other institutions suggests this
@cfbutler
So your REMS results matched your Blood work results?
Dexa can be influenced by any bone abnormality or even aging especially in the spine so this is not unusual. REMS is not affected by these problems. Is this what you think might have happened?
@kathleen1314
Yes, and from the images I requested, it looks like I was slightly rotated- the tech tried to shift me by putting his arms under me rather than asking me to be involved in moving - I felt not comfortable at the time but didn’t know the implications at the time. Research is out there that states technicians and interpretation errors are found in over 80% of scans. Change is seriously needed.
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1 Reaction@dtevis
Interesting - I love prunes and eat 4 almost every day. Perhaps I’ll increase it to 6. Maybe blending them into a smoothie could work for you. I’m a firm believer in getting what we can from whole foods and plant-based supplements if we can.
@cfbutler
Toxic?
@jozer
I sometimes wonder if how the sequencing of drugs can be part of the issue when improvement doesn't happen.
@cfbutler
Yes, I think that REMS will be the change. NASA has been evaluating REMS for awhile to use in the space program. Right now most evaluations etc are stopped or slowed down, but hopefully NASA's review of REMS will be shown eventually.
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1 ReactionAnother interesting situation. I know the space program evaluates among other things bone health in people who have been in space...and I believe bone health is lost due to gravity? As far as REMS and TBS (TBS I believe is added on software to DEXA) my scan center has not heard of these two tests. I think there is a group of rheumatologists in my area who do use it but I need to research that more. I am due to get BMD testing again this summer. Nothing until then including any blood work (reclast july 2025).
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