Should I have a Dexa Scan?

[Purplenightrose]

In January 2018 I chipped my ankle bone and I was off work for 3 to 4 months. I went to physio and everything was fine. I was back to normal. In December 2018 I slipped and fractured my right lower leg resulting in me having surgery and a plate and pins fitted. After 6 weeks I ended up with a blood clot which has set me back. I'm not 100% yet. I can walk but I still have a limp due to my right foot still being swollen. In between this I went to the doctors to ask if I needed a scan. He did this online test and said I didn't need one. Should I ask for a second opinion? I'm 52 and in the peri menopausal stage and my mum has osteoporosis. What should I do for the best?

[Hidden]

May I suggest that tomorrow (or any weekday ) you ring the Osteoporosis Society's helpline.

"How to contact the Helpline

You can contact our specialist nurses in one of three ways:

Call 0808 800 0035 - free from all UK landlines, mobiles and call boxes

Email [e-mail] for a reply within 5 working days

Write to the nurses for a reply within 7 working days: Helpline, Royal Osteoporosis Society, Camerton, Bath, BA2 0PJ

Our nurses are here to take your call between 09:00 and 17:00, Monday to Friday, with the exception of Bank Holidays and Christmas closure. Occasionally, the Helpline is closed for training.

Callers who are hard of hearing can use Typetalk. A translation service is provided for calls via Languageline. "

They are extremely knowledgeable, and if you explain your situation, they will be able to advise you. Tell them that your mum has Osteoporosis, as it can be hereditary. XXX

[Purplenightrose in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much for your information. I will definitely look into that.

[HeronNS]

Further to Poemsgalore's post, as you are over 50 there are many who would say you are of the age where a baseline DXA is advised anyway, although most of us aren't offered one.

[Sunseaandsand]

Hi, Sorry to hear of the problems you have been having, but hopefully with the help of physio you will now go on to make a full recovery.

The test you mention that your Doctor did is called a Frax test, you can go online and do it but I did think you needed your T scores, which of course if you have not had a Dexa then you don't have them.

I would not worry too much about the fact of your Mum having Osteoporosis as I my self was diagnosed 15 years ago and both my mother and sister did not have it.

To get a dexa scan you would have to go through your GP.

I would go back and explain your concerns and ask for him to explain why he does not think a scan necessary.

If you are still not happy and it is possible for you to pay privately to see an Orthapedic surgeon then that would be your only other option.

The specialist bone doctors use this test themselves to determine our risks of having a fracture.

[veriterc]

Purplenightrose is absolutely right - if you can afford it, a private appointment is an excellent idea. You will have a full 30 minutes to go through options, discuss fears and get good advice. This thread just shows how we must ALL keep on fighting for the care the NHS should provide, but often doesn't because of glitches in admin, etc. etc. Most private consultants also have NHS work, and are quite used to their patients asking to be transferred to the NHS. And I couldn't possibly comment it this gets faster appointments!

[MiaLee]

My take on it: Do you really want to get on that wagon train? The dexa scanners were developed by the pharmaceutical companies who push the drugs. They have done a great job lobbying governments and creating and funding ‘health advocacy’ groups to aid in creating a widespread market for their product, and in making ‘customers for life’. This of course enlists the public unknowingly in the campaign to broaden their customer base. There’s even a name for this now widespread disreputable practise, and there are groups who try to fight against this. It is known the drug company Merck arbitrarily decided on the scan numbers that would indicate ‘disease’, AND developed the new disease of osteopenia. Click on my user name to read a number of articles regarding this. I too was in your position, without a fragility fracture, but a regular break from a fall. There is a lot of controversy about the scans and the drugs. But all your doctor will know or tell you will be Big Pharma’s take on it. Informed consent, especially before being given dangerous drugs, should also include being informed about such controversies. Guaranteed; your scores will result in you being offered drugs. Do your research. Me; I said no. Do be aware that many ‘osteoporosis societies’ that look like a public service are also funded greatly by the pharmaceutical companies. I posted an article about that too; so even ‘who’ is giving you ‘advice’ needs to be checked out.

Click on my name and take a look at some of the research and articles I sourced when I too was facing this question. These days, it seems everything is compromised by corporate interests in profit before anything else. So yes, caution is advisable. Your doctor may even be aware of these controversies and does not jump to use these scans and the always resulting drug recommendations that the scans inevitably produce. Take care of yourself.