It is with great pleasure that I can tell this story! I had my 3yr dexa scan 2 weeks ago. Dreaded results as I’ve not taken drugs as when I initially tried them I was unwell (to say the least!) I improved my diet … cut way down on sugar, lowered carb intake, upped green veg, red meat, milk, yoghurt, cheese intake and upped my exercise regimes… used a vibration platform, yoga, Pilates, strength and balance class each week. And continued my walking. I also took vitamin D as prescribed by my doctor. As a result I also lost weight! My AP spine has gone from -3.3 to -2.9 and my Femur has gone from -2.8 to -2.6. (Not enormous drops but going in the right direction). My GP said he’d heard you could improve scores with diet and exercise but he’s never actually seen it done! He was as pleased as I was! (He was quite young!) I have recently started a low acid diet so that I can 🤞 come off PPIs and will continue with the diet and exercise regime I have already started. To say I am pleased is an understatement! Finally I feel that there is hope out there that we can do this without the awful drugs. Long may it last.
lowered my dexa scores! : It is with... - Bone Health and O...
lowered my dexa scores!
Well done you🤗 I’m really pleased for you. It’s also good that your doctor had actually heard that you could improve score with diet and exercise alone - well with lots of effort and planning and research on your part - and has now seen it for himself.
Thankyou .
Great news.
Congratulations. I too am in the process of improving my bone density through a regime of diet and exercise. So I would say - do not doubt your improvement. I follow an alkaline diet with low GI carbs, loadsaveg and almost no caffeine, alcohol, sugar, meat or wheat. It is all in there but at low volumes. I do weight-bearing exercise daily, mostly yoga and speedy walking. I started in June 2021 and my scores have gradually improved at each test since. In Dec 2023 my spine showed a Z-score of 1.1, i.e. NORMAL!! My femur is still showing a Z-score of -1.2 but it is a bigger, denser bone. I will continue with my programme and hope for further improvement next year. Your doctor sounds nice! Mine shrug and show zero interest in a regime that does not involve prescribed pharmaceuticals. Good luck with it all. If you have any further questions you can drop me a line.
wow that’s fabulous. Love to hear the positive stories … drug free!
Sorry - forgot to say - I do take daily Calcium.
What kind of calcium and how many milligrams? Does calcium make you constipated? Thanks.
Hi- I’m new to this site! It’s great that you’ve been able to improve your health without the drugs! Good for you!
Are You under 59? I’m over 50 and I wonder if you have more chance of improving if you’re younger or haven’t long been reached menopause?
Drs should be warning women who’ve reached menopause ( prematurely) or naturally that they should think about calcium and vitamin D supplements or HRT.
If I had known this 10years ago, I would have been much more careful with my diet and exercise routine!
I’m in the process of researching different types of treatment and which supplements to take etc. I’ve just found out that I have severe osteoporosis! I’m unable to do any weight bearing exercises at the moment as I have fractured foot.
Do you know what else I can do to help improve my bone density? I’m taking calcium and vitamin D supplements and have started eating more consciously, including more greens, dairy( lactose free) but I wonder if you have a diet sheet or type of menu that you use? I live in a Spanish speaking country and find it difficult to understand all the terms.
I’ve been advised to take these dreaded Bisphosponates, but so far have had enough proof that these work or are really the only way to have healthier bones.
Hi, I'm 60. My OP was discovered when I was 56. After the covid lockdown etc when I went back for a check-up at age 57 it was worse. I had an awful reaction to the bisphosphonates with the first pill and decided to try and reverse things naturally. I use mainly an alkaline diet with lots of fresh/minimally processed veg. I keep dairy to a minimum too - substituting mainly with avocado (or sometimes I just have cheese!). The best information I found on the alkaline diet was via the website of Ross Bridgeford. He has some delicious recipes. I try to get my Calcium mainly from plant sources or my Calcium tablets rather than dairy.
I agree with you about health warnings for women entering menopause but it really does seem to be a neglected area of medicine.
I would recommend reading around on bisphosohonates - on how they "increase" bone density. As I understand it, they prevent the old bone cells from sloughing off rather than encouraging growth of new bone cells. That means of course that whilst the bones may well have greater density - it is of old, brittle cells. This in turn makes the bones more fragile.
Interestingly, when astronauts are treated for OP after time spent in zero-gravity situations, as I understand it, they are not given bisphosphonates. They are given a special diet and weight-bearing exercise regime to boost their bone density. One wonders why the medics feel this drug is still somehow suitable for us!
Sorry to hear about your foot! Can you work on weight-bearing exercise with arm weights and perhaps some abs and spine strengthening exercises whilst your foot is healing.
Good luck with it all. Feel free to get back in touch if you have further questions.
Mine was discovered just over 3 years years ago after a fracture.
I Will. Thank you so much.
I’m 67.
I’m 67. Op discovered just over 3 years ago. Early menopause around 42.
Thank you for your reply.
Hi Cheerleader 123,
I am 74, have Osteoporosis and have also fractured my foot. I was non-weight bearing for 3 months (now doing PT to regain strength). I did some weight bearing exercises while my foot was in a boot. Straight leg raises, side leg raises, upper extremity resistance exercises with light weights. Do an internet search or ask your doctor for a PT referral. It is possible and beneficial to continue to exercise all of your muscles despite being off your feet. This will also speed your recovery time when you are back on your feet. Good luck with your recovery.
Hello Maxkat22,
Thank you for your reply and useful suggestions. Can you please tell me what PT is ? I'm not in the UK so not sure what to ask for.
How long have you been on the treatment? Are you using the bisphosphonates? Is it helping?
Best wishes.
PT is physical therapy. The therapist has been using manual exercises, massage, stretches, and giving me exercises to strengthen my muscles and activate my joints. I’ve had about 8 weeks of PT so far.
I am on the biphosphonate Alendronate. I’m due for a DEXA next month but so far the drug and my diet/ exercise plan seems to be holding my bone density steady.
I improved my bone density at the age of 68. Haven't had another DXA scan since, now 76, touch wood all is well!
healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...
Hello HeronNS,
Thank you for your reply and feedback. I'm so glad for you that you've had such good results! Can I ask what kind of treatment you had or are having and how long you've been having it?
Good luck to you and I hope you continue to do well!
Yes, I remember this well. Yesterday, I had a REMS echo light test and found I don’t have osteoporosis so we can’t trust the Dexa scans anyway. You likely never had osteoporosis to begin with. I’ve resisted the meds all these years thankfully because they’re awful and you can’t just come off them.
I think I said in my story that the doctor had misled me. She didn't understand that "low bone mass" wasn't the same as osteoporosis. It is our medical people's preferred term for osteopenia. The report she received didn't give the t-score (which I found out some months later was -2), so it really wasn't her fault, and they did recommend alendronic acid. I had several risk factors, including age and taking prednisone longterm, and a previous fracture although I've always questioned that it was a "fragility" fracture. Thankfully by then I'd done some reading and I basically put out to the universe my question about what I should do (I wasn't on any bone forums at the time so I posted on Facebook). The answer I got was Vitamin K2 and exercise, from a friend about my age who had gone from an osteoporosis diagnosis to osteopenia. Another friend said she had done the same thing, but then slacked off and her bones had deteriorated again. So I knew from the very beginning that whether I had OP or not I was definitely at risk, and also that whatever I started to do, if it worked I was committed to continue doing it for life.
Yes, you did very well using intelligence and research. Arthritis is what causes pain and old age means there is decline. I’ve heard big pharma paid for the early Dexa machines. My husband has pain with arthritis and now some issues from that and according to Dexa scans has the bones of a 30 year old. From the arthritis in the neck he has a nerves going down into his hands so doubt he has the bones of a 30 year old. His knees have arthritis in them too. It’s the osteoarthritis type. We’ve decided to get an echo light test for him too. My bones are fragile but nothing to do with osteoporosis. Thank goodness we avoided the drugs because you can’t get off them easily.
Delighted for you! So good to hear some good news on here for a change, most of us seem to feel it's all downhill now. Nice to have a good doc too, younger ones do seem more interested before they get old and jaded. Keep going! 🤗👍
Congratulations! I did the same a few years ago, but still waiting for my next dexa. 2 year wait in my area. BTW the ROS had told me I couldn't do it without drugs, so when I did I called them to tell my scores. My spine went from -3.7 to -3 in 2 years and neck of femur from -3 to -2.4.I've also had 2 different cancers.
Positive results!
congratulations!!!! I upped my score a tiny bit when I started adult TAP dancing!!!
Congratulations! Can I ask which vibration platform you use? I am newly diagnosed with osteopenia and osteoporosis. I am 55 and exercise quite a bit (strength and cardio). I want to avoid the meds if possible. Just upped my calcium and added K2. I have also added yoga to my workouts and upped my strength routine. Thanks!
Hi I was investigating these on Amazon and one of the reviews said they emit LF radiation and she had returned her item Does anyone know anything about this, whether it is actually true and if LF energy is harmful. Thank you
Lifepro have a Facebook page. You could ask about it on there. facebook.com/lifeprousa
Excellent news! Well done, I'm beginning to change my habits to improve my scores as well. May I ask which vibration platform are you using? What do you mean with started a low acid diet? And what does PPIs stand for? Many thanks and so sorry for my multiple questions.
I use the Lifepro Waver vibration platform. They have a Facebook page. PPIs are proton pump inhibitors for acid reflux. Use of them is known to be a contributing factor to developing osteoporosis(wish I’d known that when I started taking them. I wudnt have done it). I am trying to get off PPIs by changing my diet to low acid intake. Good luck.
Brilliant! Welcome to the club!
Do you take Vitamin K2? If not, please consider it. It sends calcium to the bones.
I have taken them intermittently in the past but just been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation so I dont think that’s an option now. I’m going to speak to cardiologist about taking K2 with the meds I’m now on.
Great news. Glad to hear that your GP listens to you.
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