Went to the dr yesterday to discuss my osteoporosis and osteopenia diagnosis in right and left hip. He told me since my numbers are under 3 not to worry (2.8 currently). He told me to just exercise and eat healthy. Which for the last 15 years I have been doing. I weight lift 6x a week and eat extremely healthy and log everything. Plus no one in my family has this disease. My gyn put me on 10,000 units of Vitamin d every other day in December in addition I have added vitamin k and magnesium thanks to this site. I asked him why no one was checking my hormone levels or parathyroid. He ordered a blood test for the parathyroid only and told me to come back in August. He also said since my vitamin d level was 50 and calcium level was fine not worry and redo the bone scan in 2 years. He thinks I am making too much of the diagnosis and not to worry. Seriously?
Failed visit to Rheumatologist - Bone Health and O...
Failed visit to Rheumatologist
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Hi,
It sounds like you are doing all the right things so for now the rheumatologist is probably right. How come you go to a rheumatologist for osteopenia and not your GP? Have you thought to increase protein in your diet, it’s helpful when building new bone.
I think you are right to want to consult a Rheumatologist. After all, a GP is a GENERAL practitioner, NOT a specialist.
Why not ask around, Google local specialists, ask the Royal Osteoporosis Society etc. for name of good local specialist, and go to GP to ask for a referral? Good luck
Hi veriterc,
Interesting, I have actually been going to a rheumatologist for three years and she has never mentioned either of my 2 dexa scans. She sticks with my particular disease which she is nationally recognized and lets my GP do all the support work. They are working well together that’s why I asked the question, before becoming ill I never dealt with doctors much. Thanks, fm
I have osteoporosis of spine, -3.1, of which i was unaware until several fractures of vertebra and ribs. This is thought to be because of the steroids I take for GCA PMR, nobody organised a dexa until too late. Like you no family history of osteoporosis. It seems that fracture risk is not related to T scores directly anyway. All the doctors I have consulted, about 10, were in favour of bisphonates. So if possible try to find a few more doctors for their opinion.
Do you have a score for spine? It is usually lower, worse, than hip.
If it is I would avoid lifting anything too heavy!
Hi Sabre
See my reply to you in your thread of 2 months ago.
You could recheck the protein link blogs.creighton.edu/heaney/...
I think your GP is probably correct. You are doing everything you can already. Would you rather be on OP medication?
Make sure your D level is tested twice a year.
50 nmol/L is adequate, but NOToptimal. I try to keep my D level more like 150 nmol/L for all over general health. I buy Drs Best brand of D3 from a UK internet supplier and arrange my own Vit D tests, as my GP won’t request them.
Depending on my blood level, I take 5000 IU daily in winter and 2000 IU the rest of the year. I’m aware this varies from person to person, because our ability to convert sunshine to D3 varies as we get older. Mine is poor as I’m almost 70.
Best wishes
Hi Lynne,
Great article, thanks! Do you have any hints on how to increase protein in the diet? Are vegetable protein powders as good as meat? Fish? Any thoughts??
Thanks
Hi forwardmotion
Sorry for delay in replying, but I’m still on holiday with very limited WiFi signal. I now include tinned Wild Red Alaskan Salmon, free range organic chicken and eggs, increased my dairy intake including plain yogurt and out door reared lamb.
I personally wouldn’t think that veg protein powers could be as good unless the essential ( animal) amino acids have been added.
Best wishes
He sounds like a sensible doctor who is not buying into this manufactured by Big Pharma ‘epidemic’ . An epidemic that is based on scans that were made by the same drug companies along with their arbitrarily set ‘ readings’ for bone density. Do some of the reading on this; I say good for your doctor for not rushing to prescribe dangerous drugs.
Hi MiaLee I have read lots of new research just completed on these medications (2019) and with reference to hip especially, there is unequivocal evidence that it didn't work and those on the medication actually had weaker bones compared to those that had not take it!! The plot thickens
Unfortunately my Dr is a strong advocate for all the prescribed meds that everyone in this group have been on. He said not to listen to the negative comments and there will come a time I will want those meds.
Yes. Ask where he gets his information on these drugs. The ‘studies’ and ‘information’ for doctors are only what are provided by Big Pharma, and the data from them are not even open to independent evaluation. In B.C. Canada, the head of drug policy at the university of B.C., presented a paper called” On Not Using Drug Company’s Scans to sell Drugs”, which resulted on a ban on such dexa scanning and diagnosis of those who received them in BC for a number of years. After he retired, the lobbying by Big Pharma resumed, and now they too have dexa scans. Many Doctors there still remember that paper. You can google his paper. I footnoted it on a different previous post. We are all on our own on this one.
What was your PTH reading from the parathyroid test? You might have a bad parathyroid..we have 4 and if 1 goes bad, the other 3 shut down. Simple operation once they locate the bad parathyroid and then the other 3 start working again, which keeps your bones healthy or stops the osteoporosis getting worse and helps with maintaining normal calcium level. Operation only takes 30 min..quick recovery..tired for a couple of days, but no side effects.
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