creatine

[Radars]

is there anyone who uses creatine to help them to put some weight on,I have severe osteoporosis and prostate cancer which is ok 0.04 dx2014 finished treatment 2016 ht/rt but my testosterone has never recovered and now I have severe osteoporosis, I am only 8st and was wandering if creatine monohydrate would help me, any help please.

[MyStar86]

I know you like to do things naturally but if you speak to your GP they can prescribe nutritional shakes to help you put weight on and they are full of all the vitamins and minerals that you need. I’m only around 40kg so I have to have 3 shakes a day due to my bowel issues I have the vital 1.5kcal shakes but there are so many the gp usually offer fortisip which comes in lots of flavours and gives you 300 calories for just 200ml of liquid so they are very helpful if you need to put on weight they also do a compact version which has the same calories in just 125ml of liquid if you don’t want to be drinking lots of shakes but they are full of so much goodness. There is also ensure shakes you can buy shakes yourself but they are expensive especially having a few a day so it’s much better on prescription or ask to be referred to a dietitian they could also help you but I find the shakes the most helpful however I know you like the natural route but I thought I would let you know given I live off these since my surgery and some are actually really nice x

[Radars in reply to MyStar86]

thanks, I take whey protein shakes, don't seem to be doing anygood because the problem with me is I have got no testosterone because of my prostate cancer which is under control at the moment, the Ezekiel burger buns are good and help to reduce phytates and oxalates that block calcium, are you still going to have your next zoledronic acid infusion.

[MyStar86 in reply to Radars]

The shakes I mentioned are good at helping you put weight on and the are specifically used for this protein shakes are not really for that and can have a lot of additives etc so I would look into the prescription ones if you want to put weight on.

Can you speak to your gp about getting testosterone supplements I don’t know much about it but after my hysterectomy they said some women need testosterone and it’s a gel that’s applied so many times a week so there is such a thing out there but I don’t know if it would work for you but your gp should know.

I won’t be having my infusion this month I have to sort out the. Bowel stuff first as I’m too weak and unwell to be going through that at the moment so I’ll just have it later in the year depending on what happens with my bowels because if I have the next surgery I might have to delay the infusion to next year as I cannot risk the side effects. Will you be having yours?x

[Radars in reply to MyStar86]

it's hard for me to gain weight it all goes to my stomach, I tried sure weight gain but no good, I can't do weight training that strengthen the bones because of severe osteoporosis, those who have got osteoporosis but not severe can do weight training, I will probably have my second infusion in April, I have asked for some testosterone but they said no too risky, it's hard work, hope you get your bowels sorted.

[MyStar86 in reply to Radars]

That’s a shame but it would be worth asking your gp about the shakes like the fortisip as it’s worth a try they help me at least maintain my weight as I have always been small but lost a lot with the nearly 10 years of bowel stuff so at 5ft 6in and 40kg plus osteoporosis the doctors are all over it making sure I have the supplements as I can’t risk losing anymore. You can buy them online to try and see if you like them but I’m sure your gp would do you a prescription plus it gives you all the vitamins and minerals in a digestible form.

I would love to be able to do exercise I miss it so much I used to be a real fitness freak and did lots of weight training doing CrossFit every day when I had osteopenia but still ended up with osteoporosis and also still managed to break my hip during that time and I was very strong and healthy doing Olympic lifting etc but it clearly did nothing for my bones so it doesn’t help everyone I know they recommend it but it certainly never helped me.

I’m glad you will keep up the infusions I think it’s worth a try especially if they won’t hive you testosterone. Once I have the bowel stuff sorted I will have the infusion again just can’t risk it with big surgeries on the cards and I have one big procedure on the 1st feb with my infusion due at the end of Jan there is no way I could risk it so I just have to hope and pray they can sort my bowels this year as I am running out of fight and clearly so is my body x

[Radars in reply to MyStar86]

Mystar good luck you are going through a lot like me hope you get sorted, regarding shakes they have a lot of sugar not good for prostate cancer, but I will ask the gp at my next appointment.

[MyStar86 in reply to Radars]

Thank you so much that means a lot and I’m always here but I’ll be thinking of you hoping all goes well and 2024 is a good year for us both!!

These are the shakes I have and it says only 3.5g of sugar so not that much:

proconnect.abbott/content/d...

Hopefully that will work but the one the gp will prescribe is probably fortisip have slightly more at 6.8g but there is also calogen extra shots which are only 40ml they contain 160 calories and only 1.4g of sugar so they might be a better option and they are so tiny I had them before……yes I have tried a lot of things over the years so always here if you want to chat.

Have a lovely evening xx

[Mgtd]

Back to the original question. I do resistance training and walking to help with prostate cancer. I realize you are not able to do the former but between shoveling lifts of snow yesterday I was doing some research on supplements and Creatine in regards to building muscle.

Bottom line from the research was that without training it had no effect. So that may not help.

[Radars in reply to Mgtd]

yeah thanks it's hard work, I have got a mild superior end-plate fracture in my thoracic spine at l1 according to x-ray, it's hard because how do you know when the fracture is healed,I have had 1 zoledronic acid infusion next 1 this April don't know if it's doing any good, I feel a bit dodgy about the second 1 after all the not good stories.

[josephinius1]

Hah! Gaining weight has never been a problem for me but I have been taking creatine...I think just to help me maintain or gain muscle.

I have fractures too, as I've noted in this space before. Just started at a gym called Starting Strength, do you have those where you are? It's super spendy and I can't afford to keep going, but I wanted to try it to see if my back/body could handle it. They definitely move me into positions that seem counter-intuitive, but, after only three sessions, I'm surprised at how much better I feel. Obviously, it's "starting strength" so I haven't had much weight yet, but as I say, it's the pinching and arching and holding and going super deep into that squat that have been testing me, so far, abd sometimes I come out of the position wondering if things are going to resettle. So far, they have, and I do feel like I might feel more movable as I go about my day.

If I keep up with this style of strength training (which I CAN do because we have a cage at home, and my son is a newly minted personal trainer who is familiar with the starting strength concepts, plus, there's a book that's evidently super helpful,) I think I will ultimately gain weight, which I'm not thrilled about, but if I can change my body composition, the number on the scale isn't that important.

All to say, muscle is dense, and building it is supposed to help the bones, so for you it could be a win-win. Is there a reason you can't lift actual weights? Again, I'm playing it by ear, but it seems like what I can tolerate now, I'll be able to tolerate when the weight is heavier because I will be stronger. Look into the Starting Strength book? One thing I think is helpful is they keep reps low; I've never done that--it's always been at least two sets of 12 reps. Here they do 5 reps. It will help--I think--minimize fatigue-based problems. And as they use a bar rather than free weights, it does help prevent twisting, getting one side off course. It's just been interesting/surprising. I was super skeptical, but a friend's doctor recommended it to her for her low back pain. She's 75 and had never lifted a weight in her life, but--she now has no low back pain. Hmm. Maybe we go too easy on ourselves?

[Radars in reply to josephinius1]

thanks, if you can do all that you haven't got severe osteoporosis ,I get back pain after doing everyday things.

[josephinius1 in reply to Radars]

Me, too. My t-scores are -4.6 in my spine, -3.3, -3.5 in hip. That's pretty severe. I have struggled to do even 5 minutes of repetitive things (chopping onions, playing piano,) pain in upper back gets so bad after just that much that I have to take a rest. My 3 inches of lost height has resulted in a whole different physiology. Everything feels weird, and I'm sore 24/7. But I'm pushing back. I have started wearing a weighted backpack when I walk (it's a flat plate meant for a vest, but the gest is too big for me.) I think it actually helps me maintain better posture, pulls me back a bit. I use trekking poles whenever I can, which also helps work my upper back. I started doing wall pushups maybe a month ago, got down to coffee table height over Christmas. Have been using resistance bands too. I've had three physical therapy sessions, which was where I first understood I can and must push my back where it seems like it can't go. Since she had me do it and I bore it (it felt dreadful at first,) I'm now not afraid of pinching my shoulder blades or using my abs to straighten out my lower back (I'm excessively curved in both areas, and I had just let my abs go. Amazing how just pulling them in and holding helps correct that low back sway.) I am a bit younger than you, and obviously I don't know your full situation; you don't want to do anything you've been advised not to do. All I know is, for myself, I MUST get stronger if I don't want to be a 100 year old in a 65-year old's flesh. (I'll be 63 in February; supposedly my bones equate to those of a severely osteoporitic 85-year old.) Doing it safely IS the issue, and I've struggled to find "safe" but--as I say, starting strength assumes you are a beginner with little strength. I worked out witha personal trainer last spring (18 sessions) and I did get injured, but everything was free weights or resistance bands, and they paid no attention to my posture at all. The starting strength coaches are nit-picking my form. I don't get to do the move in my comfort zone, but I think that's what I need.

Not say it's what YOU need; I don't know. But it's not because my situation is relatively mild that I've been able to do it, so far. I don't know of anyone--at least, my age, and age does factor in--in a more advanced/severe situation than me, osteoporosis-wise.

[Radars in reply to josephinius1]

well done for what you are doing, I can do a few normal push ups,and body weight squats, my scores are-2.5 4.1 lumbar spine, bmd at femoral neck 0.593, vfa superior end-plate deformity at t12, just had spinal x-ray, there is a mild superior end-plate fracture at l1, otherwise normal vertebral alignment, vertebral body height and disc height is maintained, the posterior elements appear intact as far as can be assessed on plain film, so I am a bit dodgy.

[josephinius1]

What's "dodgy" in your context? Keep doing those pushups!

[Radars in reply to josephinius1]

I mean a not very good dx,also these personal trainers walk away when you fracture. if I start lifting things I suffer, have you had any medication, I have had one zoledronic acid infusion up to now

[MyStar86 in reply to Radars]

I know josephinius1 said keep doing the push ups but please do not keep doing those with your back as bad as it is and the fracture I don’t want you doing anymore damage and people don’t know what pain you are feeling so please be careful which I know you are but they seemed pretty adamant that you should be doing exercises however no one can advise you to do that only a doctor and right now it’s better not to, just do what feels safe and does not hurt. I’m 37 but with the pain I am in there is no way I could do that so it’s not just about age it’s about how you feel and what each personal bone state is like!! I had a personal trainer tell me to do squats when I had broken my hip so it’s a very risky area to get into unless someone is specifically qualified in osteoporosis and fractures most reputable ones would not train someone who has unhealed fractures. Sorry you can obviously do what you please however after Josephinius1 told you to keep doing push ups I felt I had to say something x

[Radars in reply to MyStar86]

yeah that's what I thought that she is doing too much, I can get away with just doing bodyweight exercises, and like 10 repetitions with 2lb weights and 10 push-ups,I think I will give the royal osteoporosis society a ring see what they say.

[MyStar86 in reply to Radars]

That’s the best thing to do as they will be the most helpful and it’s always a personal thing I always just do what my body lets me do. I try just to have my walks nothing like i used to but I walk and when i know I need to turn back I do I don’t push it or on the treadmill at home that’s even safer as I don’t have to worry about getting home however I am only walking down the road to the little woods by where I live so nothing too much as I’m just too scared of making my pain any worse as I’m at my limit.

I hope they can help you and advise on the weight gain things as well. Let me know how you get on x