lower back pain and right hip pain especially lying in bed

[camomilegirl]

I had a DEXA scan just over 2 years ago as part of breast cancer treatment. This identified I had osteoporosis in my spine, I'm not sure of the scores or exactly where but I was told my hips are fine. I have had back problems on and off for years but generally with a visit to a chiropractor and exercise it goes away. However for the last year I have had niggling back pain which despite several visits to my chiropractor refuses to go away. Just lately I have been experiencing pain in my right hip and knee especially lying on my right side in bed. I have been taking alendronic acid for 2 years, Adcal, omega 3 and lately just started K2. My breast cancer nurse at my last mammogram when I discussed my back issues suggested I should get it x-rayed. My GP referred me to the local clinic for an x-ray and I am seeing the GP this week to discuss further( at the time of my first visit my hip was not an issue). I have stopped taking AA because my partners GP when asked if she would take AA said she wouldn't !. So what should I be requesting from my GP ? I am 61 and therefore post menopause and as a result of the breast cancer can't have HRT

[trishbindefeld]

Until you know the result of the x Ray it’s difficult to comment. I was on sodium risedronate for 2 years and stopped as a result of skin problems which have since faded! I also stopped adcal at the same time as I understand it’s likely to deposit calcium in your soft tissues rather than your bones but K2 should help that if you take enough.?i now follow a vitamin d regime combined with the co factors magnesium, k2-mk7, and boron. However you will find your gp is unlikely to know anything about vitamins. I have also started taking natural progesterone from the US as that is good for bones.

There’s a great Facebook group called Vitamin D and Co factors - discussion U.K. lots of wonderful info in the files there and lots of helpful people.

I think the message is to avoid all medicines offered by the NHS as the side effects seem to be so wide and varied. But the choice is yours of course.

Good luck with your GP.

[LynneH-19]

I agree with trisbindefeld that until you have had an X-ray, you don’t know what’s actually going on with your spine.

I personally would be cautious going to a chiropractor in case they were putting excessive pressure on a vulnerable part of your spine and making it worse.

I’ve been doing a physio led Pilates class for a number years and find the ‘simple’ exercises we do, combined with the Pilates breathing and abdomen muscle control, which you master after doing it a while, has stabilised / improved my posture since falling and damaging my coccyx and later my pelvis, which resulted in yrs of chronic back pain. My back pain is occasional now and usually resulting from too much gardening.

Make sure you get a vit D test done and monitor your results. My GP refuses to request this test, so I go it alone.

I get mine checked twice a year, using a postal, blood spot collection kit, which I send to a NHS hospital Lab at Birmingham. Cost £29. The results are emailed back to me and I adjust my D3 intake accordingly. I aim for somewhere within the optimal range of 125 to 175 nmol/L.

Hopefully your GP is better than mine!

AA is said to be relatively safe provided you don’t take it for too long and assuming it initially agrees with you. They used to say 5 yrs max, but someone on the NOF forum suggested 3 yrs maximum.

I stopped taking it after 10 weeks due to bone pains and reoccurring ulcer symptoms. I’ve been on Strontium Ranelate since 2011 without problems, but I wouldn’t recommend it, incase it didn’t agree with you.

Make sure you eat a balanced diet containing all the nutrient groups. Quality protein is essential for both bone and muscle health.

See. blogs.creighton.edu/heaney/...

I assume you have already read ‘Vitamin K2 and the Ca Paradox’ by Kate Rheaume Bleue. As a result of reading it, I routinely take Mg bis glycinate ( Holland and Barrett) as this doesn’t upset my guts like other Mg compounds.

As well as K2, D3 and vit A retinol from cod liver oil.

I always take the K2 and D3 apart with fat containing food, to aid adsorption.

I mostly get my Ca from diet, aiming for 1200 mg a day. The Royal OP Society say that 700 mg of Ca is actually sufficient for most folk. The RDA is usually stated as 1000 to 1200 mg. I aim for the upper limit with being on Strontium.

Good luck with your X-ray / GP and let us know how you get on.

Best wishes