If you find you can't improve your bone density through natural means and feel you must take medication, before doing so please get your doctor to check you for secondary causes of osteoporosis. The drugs (and natural treatment) will not work unless secondary causes are dealt with first.
Secondary causes of osteoporosis - Osteoporosis Support
Secondary causes of osteoporosis
Written by
HeronNS
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24 Replies
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That's very interesting and thank you for posting.
I was diagnosed with osteoporosis several years ago, but prior to that I had experienced unexplained weight loss, hair loss, hot flushes and even more fatigue (I already have ME/CFS) and I was convinced that I had hyperthyroidism, but my GP wouldn't do full thyroid testing...to cut a long story short, they finally diagnosed me with hyperthyroidism last October. I did stabilise my bone health by taking your lead and working on it naturally, and although my spine has returned to osteopoenic, my femur has deteriorated slightly, but I'm hoping that now that my thyroid is finally being treated, my bone health will continue as it is, or perhaps even improve.
Information like this is so important to us all because it is often down to us to join the dots.
Interesting article - why don’t GP’s check these risks before writing out scripts?
Thanks very much. When I have read about IBDs (ulcerative colitis, crohn's and coeliac disease) being a possible cause for getting op, IBS is not included. With IBS the gut cannot tolerate certain carbohydrates (fodmaps) and they do not get absorbed in the small intestine. Both the dietitian who put me on the low fodmap diet for IBS and the physio have said that it is the malabsorbtion of minerals (calcium) that is the cause. So if dietitians and physios recognize this why aren't doctors?
You make a good point about IBS. My GP said my blood levels were all normal and therefore I didn't have an absorption issue. But I've since learnt that blood levels of calcium don't tell you how much you're absorbing from diet. If you're not absorbing much, it will be leached from your bones to keep your blood levels normal. I wish I'd known that at the time, as I could have questioned my GP further about it!
I asked my gp to refer me, on the NHS, to dietitian. The gp hadn't heard of the low fodmap diet, to help manage IBS symptoms. The dietitian gave me three booklets on the low fodmap diet produced by Dept. of Gastroenterology at Guy's and Thomas', but it seems that malabsorbtion (of minerals, calcium) caused by IBS are not taken seriously. I don't know what my blood levels are, because I haven't had blood tests done.
The first thing to happen, following a diagnosis of osteoporosis, should be for the doctor to check for underlying causes. That includes blood tests for Vit D, calcium, thyroid and parathryoid levels. My GP didn't give me these specific blood tests either, simply prescribed Alendronic Acid and Adcal! I had had my Vit D and calcium checked previously for a separate problem and was told they were normal, even though my Vit D was below the normal range. Fortunately I then saw an orthopaedic consultant who recommended getting my blood Vit D up to 100nmol/litre (it was 47 when the GP said it was OK!). I've been getting regular Vit D and calcium blood tests since (at my request) to monitor these. Vitamin D helps you to absorb calcium, the higher the level, the more calcium that's absorbed. In extreme cases this can cause other health problems, but these can be avoided by taking Vit K2, which helps direct the calcium to your bones. I take a range of supplements which, fortunately, mostly have little impact on my IBS. The only one I struggle with is magnesium, which is also said to be important for the bones.
I did ask the gp about getting a calcium and Vit D test but she just put me on AA and accrete. At my next gp appointment I will ask about it. Both the AA and Accrete (I took Osteocare calcium and VitD supplement before) have worsened my IBS and I have had to stop taking them (I asked the chemist and ROS).
BTW how are you managing your IBS? have you been able to source what makes it flare-up ? Hope you don't mind me asking how often are you getting your tests done, and is your gp always agreeable to your request Met00?
I've learnt to some extent over the years what foods I can and can't tolerate, but it's very hit and miss. I have to avoid coffee (the actual coffee, it's not just the caffeine) and now largely avoid caffeine too. I seem to be able to eat most things in moderation, but whereas a small amount wouldn't cause any problems, too much would: that includes fat, sugar, raw salad and vegetables, citrus fruits and possibly avocadoes. I haven't worked out if all salad is a problem, at the moment am wondering if it's just lettuce, as I've been eating tomatoes, cucumber and red pepper without any problems, but adding in lettuce seemed to set things off again. But it may not have been the lettuce itself, but the combined quantity of salad eaten over several days during last week's heatwave!
I've been getting my Vit D and calcium levels checked every 4 months, but I think I've now worked out more or less how much Vit D supplement I need to take to maintain a decent level so will wait 6 months till the next test - probably get it done in January and July - mid-winter and mid-summer should give a fair indication of how it's going. I hope your GP is supportive when you raise this with her.
I take a lot of supplements and the gastroenterologist remarked on the level of vitamins in my blood test result. I said because of my gut problems I did take a lot of supplements and he didn't disagree with what I was doing.
I have avocado occasionally but avoid any fruit with a stone, onions and garlic. I am going to ask the gp about the tests and ask if he/she could tell me where I can have them done privately and see if they say I can have them done on the NHS.
Have you considered getting your magnesium through your skin? It can be as simple as an Epsom salts bath or footbath if you are a shower person. I think there is some concern that magnesium is not absorbed as well through the skin as when taken orally, but if your body doesn't want to absorb it through the gut, then I think what they call "transdermal" is a reasonable option.
Yes, I've tried Epsom salt baths and a good quality magnesium skin spray, but both dried my skin badly (I have dry skin at the best of times). I'm tolerating a small amount of magnesium bisglycinate: 125mg is OK, when I've tried 200 it's been OK for a day or two then upset my stomach again, so I've just started alternating, 125mg one day, 200mg the next. If that works, I'll try increasing a bit more on the alternate days, but I'm not that optimistic! I do get a reasonable amount through diet - I eat very dark chocolate, nuts and seeds (including pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews), plus plain yoghourt and a banana daily. So I'm not unduly concerned as I'm probably getting plenty. It may be I get so much from diet that my body is telling me not to take too much supplement!
yes I believe this to be true if you have say thyroid problems which can cause bone loss in some cases the osteoporosis is not going to go away unless you cure the underlying cause which is the thyroid.
HeronNS• in reply to
The parathyroid glands are often mentioned, and they are not the same as the thyroid - have that name because of where they are situated. So even if your thyroid is normal the parathyroid is another animal altogether.
• in reply toHeronNS
the point they tried to make is that if something that directly affects the bone is out of wack so no amount of calcium or drug is going to help the bone you have to get to the Root of the problem -common sense
HeronNS• in reply to
Exactly.
• in reply toHeronNS
HeronNS - I haven't read or heard the rationale for drug treatment for those who have a secondary cause, e.g PBC, have you? Reasons for lifestyle improvements are evident.
HeronNS• in reply to
The issue is the medications to improve bone density, or, for that matter, natural means, won't work if you have a condition which is actively thinning the bones. That issue has to be dealt with first. Personally I decided I would never take bone medications. I think they are very dangerous for us and should be reserved only for a dire situation. They are prescribed far too readily to people who could manage perfectly well another way. And I think a lot of the fear doctors seem to raise is unwarranted. I don't blame them, but their education is skewed in favour of medicines.
• in reply toHeronNS
HeronNS- Is the cause of secondary op is always treatable? Autoimmune conditions for which there is no known cure, continue to break down bone. Bone meds don't stop it and they can harm. Healthy lifestyle changes won't stop it, but they will improve the quality of life. Like you, doctors don't seem blameworthy to me for prescribing bone meds. But won't it be a great day when diversity is widely seen as the way forward in medicine and healthcare, as almost everywhere else in life? It shouldn't be such a difficult choice for some to make, to take a different path in looking after their health, from the one that a doctor prescribes. And it is difficult. We're almost hardwired to accept what is prescribed because from birth we have been taken by our parents to doctors if we are unwell. If doctors could see theirs as one way, not THE way, it would help, as you do through your voice on HU. Thank you for this.
Hallelujah!! This idea would appear to be common sense but my last 3 PCPs (2 left the practice) and an endocrinologist at the University of Chicago apparently didn't know what to test....they just threw prescriptions at me... bisphosphonates, Tmylos, Reclast. Secondary MD opinions and functional med MDs and my chiropractor and Osteostrong have helped me educate myself to be able to better advocate for sensinle effective osteoporosis treatment.
Thank you, HeronNS! For those interested in further reading about secondary osteoporosis - that is, osteoporosis caused by reasons besides normal age-related loss of estrogen -- here are a couple links from American Bone Health:
Just reading this now. Just found out over a year ago that there is a possible secondary cause of my osteoporosis, an inherited condition called haemochromatosis. Also known as iron overload or the Celtic Curse as it affects people of Celtic descent around the world. It can affect many organs and joints but too much iron in the body prevents proper absorbsion of nutrients. Nice to finally know.
Thank you for the information.
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