Osteopenia

[kaveh62]

I have been diagnosed with osteopenia lately

Got some general advices from my gp but not sure what is my prognosis, can you help?

[HeronNS]

I well remember how shocked I was when my doctor told me I had osteoporosis. You feel like the bottom has dropped out of the world.

What kind of advice has your gp given you?

If you could share more information, for example your t-score and if relevant if you are on medications which might be contributing to bone thinning, that sort of thing, we could offer better advice. In the meantime you could read my story because you may get some ideas about how to care for yourself.

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

And, by the way, I suppose nearly everyone as they age eventually develops osteopenia, aka low bone mass, which in itself is nothing to be alarmed about. It's simply a heads up to make sure you eat right and get the right kind of exercise.

[sweetsusie]

Just don't let the doctors talk you into taking any of the dreaded bone meds. They should all be taken off the market in my opinion. Please research them and see for yourself...they are ruining peoples' lives...

[MarthaRose321123 in reply to sweetsusie]

I agree...stay away fro. The meds that supposedly build bone. They have devastating side effects. Exercise and eat right.

[waveylines in reply to MarthaRose321123]

Whilst I hate taking meds there is a place for them. Am on an estrogen blocker for bc and it strips the bones......so Alendronic acid is what I was presribed to stop/slow that process. Necessary evil in my case.....lol.

[Hidden in reply to waveylines]

Do you take Letrozole, or Anastrazole? I was on Anastrazole for 5 years, I was tod I could stop taking it this year.

[waveylines in reply to Hidden]

Am on examastane poemsgalore.....variation on Letrozole. Congrats getting off the stuff! Yay!! 🤗🤗. It strips you off your energy!!

Sadly Onc wants me to do the 10yrs lol... but am not do sure....

[Hidden in reply to waveylines]

Thank you. XX

[Posy-White]

Hello Kaveh62

There's lots of helpful information about especially on diet and exercise. Osteopenia is the stage before osteoporosis so you have every chance of slowing down / improving on your t-score. If you are in the UK you might like to look up ROS theros.org.uk/

If you have been advised to take medication (other than vitamins etc) there are lots of pros and cons. A number of people on this site have done really very well purely on the exercise and diet route and others have chosen to use drugs. Some of us have turned to the site to seek support as we have been unlucky enough to have a bad side effects having gone down the drug (and exercise and diet) route. Each of us at the end of the day has got to choose what is right for us. Whilst I had Osteopenia in my early 40s and 50s I stuck to exercise, vitamins and as best diet I could manage given my other medical issues. After 2-3 years into the osteoporosis range when in my mid 50s I took the consultants advice and added drugs and things went really well for the next 5 years I improved back to the osteopenia range. I then had a very bad side effect when stopping the drug.

You are being so practical when I first knew I had osteopenia I joined ROS and then found I wasn't brave enough to read much about it as it seemed all I found was gloom, how to live with fractures and very easy exercises which I already did in yoga etc. I had my head in the sand a little but as I always very active did lots of extra exercise.

I hope you are able to find the right information and support to help you make your choses.

Good luck

Posy White

[kaveh62]

Thanks all for useful tips , as Posy White mentioned I have Osteopenia , GP did say no need for medication at this stage , I am trying my best with lifestyle and diet changes , but is not this disease progressive despite my efforts? Do I finally get the real Osteoporosis as I get older?

[Met00 in reply to kaveh62]

No, osteopenia doesn't necessarily progress to osteoporosis. Many people have reversed it by eating healthily, supplementing and doing lots of weight-bearing exercise, including with weights and resistance bands.

[HeronNS in reply to kaveh62]

If you read my story which I linked in my reply above, you will see that I improved my t-score from -2 to -1.6 in one year, despite being on a medication (prednisone) which can sometimes cause bone thinning. I did not then, nor have I ever, taken any osteoporosis drugs. I am now 72, which is, in my opinion, "getting older". So, no, osteoporosis is not inevitable.

It's wise to have a regular DXA scan and if you notice despite your best efforts that things are worsening make sure your doctor runs the tests for secondary causes of bone loss.

americanbonehealth.org/bone...

[Bonnieboots]

I would stay away from medication. I was on AA for several years and both dexa scans showed a decline in my bones. I take k2 and after 8 months and a dexa scan my bones improved considerably