I’ve been reading and reading. Some conclusions have been drawn and there is one consistent theme; fear. We have relied on doctors to tell us what to do to fix osteoporosis but they do not have a clue. No two doctors will give the same answer regarding osteoporosis. Some of the remedies aren’t even comparable.
Pharmaceutical companies are not in the health business. Let’s use Pfizer as an example; Centrum Silver for Women 50+ contains vitamin k but doesn’t specify which vitamin k. Does anyone know the manufacturer source of origin for the chemicals used in these drugs? Has anyone certified or validated the content in them? So many questions and so few answers.
I don’t mean to rant but fear is a powerful motivator and decision-making made out of fear is more frightening than another compression fracture.
This is where I am. I’m not certain what I will decide but I do know I cannot let fear make the decision for me.
Thank you for letting me vent.
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Bella-2022
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You are so right! Fear is what I battle more now than anything else! When seeing the rheumatologist, the first thing I said to him was…don’t scare me about my bones! He then went on to say there is nothing I, myself, can do and I need to take the bone meds. I have read numerous books and articles over the years about this. So I’m very informed, yet the fear persists. So thank you to all who post your stories of success here and give others hope and help. I’m not going to risk taking the meds and I’m not going to have anymore dexa scans!
Thank you. We learn early in life to ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’ … this is a struggle for people who have heeded this advice. We instinctively know this is not a moment for ‘do it anyway’ advice. How frightening it has been to understand medical professionals are ignorant about the advice they give. These drugs are not to be taken without serious consideration and this site allows everyone to do just that.
Yes! My inner voice is what walked me through many fearful things in my life and allowed me to be fierce. Why would I not listen now?
I have just had a meeting with my doctor, who is also a professor at a local medical school. I asked one final question before leaving and sadly enough I will not be asking anymore questions of her. My question had to do with exercise restrictions. She said the only restriction was not to lift anything over 20lbs. I asked what about running and jumping? She said there wouldn’t be any restrictions for either. Have I mentioned that I’ve had 7 vertebral fractures? She added that walking was the best exercise for osteoporosis and we all know that is far from reality.
Has anyone wondered about how poor our healthcare and nutrition is when fragile bones are becoming the norm? Our bones didn’t get in this condition overnight. It has taken a lifetime and now the alarm is sounding in teenagers! The military is reporting a critical increase in fractures of young recruits. Maybe there will be better research now?
When my mother had her last DEXA scan, the technician commented that the modern American diet is ruining ppls bones, and I believe it. Also, I never took the pill, but I've done a little research and I don't think it is good for bones and many woman start taking the pill in their 20s and are pretty much on it permanently except for when they are trying to get pregnant.
Additionally, one person on this website posted about the shoes that we wear not being good for our bones. High heals are ridiculous for a myriad of reasons and no one in their right mind would think they are a healthy option, but also the sneakers we wear today have at least an inch of cushy sole, if not more, which means our bones don't get the "pounding" that they are supposed to get when we walk.
And it does sound like your doctor is not keeping up. How can anyone who is treating osteoporosis these days not be familiar with the LiftMor study done in Australia. Lifting heavier weights is what helps build bones.
A few things that you might want to look into are
osteostrong.me/ There isn't one in my city or I would have already signed up. I did visit a location in a larger city and I think it looks every promising. Note, if there is one in your city and you decide to check it out, skip the WBV (whole body vibration) machine that is not a good idea but the 4 pieces of osteogenic loading equipment are fine to use.
and
Marodyne LiV (low intensity vibration) it's a bit pricey but I am considering it as an option.
You are on point with your comments. I would add the lack of physical education in school is criminal. The future of skeletal health is frightening, we are the future.
Checking on OsteoStrong. Nearest one is 2 hours away but if it works it would be worth it. I’m trying to determine what exactly the machine DO.
Marodyne is a bit pricey. Have you found any independent data to support it?
The closest OsteoStrong to me is a four hour drive but if there were one w/i 2 hours of my home, I would sign up because I would be able to make it a weekly day trip.
The 4 pieces of equipment that Osteostrong uses do something called Osteogenic loading. I’m not sure if you have ever seen this anywhere but, although light weights can help you stay fit, in order to actually stimulate bone growth you really need to place heavy loads on your bones. This is a bit of a double edge sword for ppl with bone loss because you definitely don’t want to over for it.
and it basically says you need to apply 4.2 times your body weight to stimulate new bone growth.
When I asked my endocrinologist about Osteostrong.me he had never heard of it but when I explained that it’s osteogenic loading, he immediately said that he had looked into purchasing osteogenic loading equipment and that it’s really expensive. My interpretation of this is he thinks osteogenic loading can work otherwise he wouldn’t have considered purchasing the equipment for his practice.
The 4 pieces of osteogenic loading equipment that OsteoStrong uses are similar, but definitely not the same, as gym equipment. An Osteostrong tech works with you and you spend a few minutes (1-2 minutes) on each piece of equipment. To use the equipment you just apply pressure or force but there is little to no movement in the machines.
One of the pieces of equipment is similar to lifting a wheelbarrow. You stand between to bars and hold on to the bars and pull up. There is a small amount of movement in the bars as you pull up but not much. On the other 3 pieces of equipment, you press or push with you legs, you push forward with your arms, and I can’t fully remember what the 4th piece of equipment was like, but I think it was either pulling down or pushing up.
Now going back to that 4.2 times your body weight number, I think 2 pieces of the OsteoStrong equipment shoot for that number but at least 2 of the machines require much less force. Think they said that the upper body requires less than that 4.2 multiple to stimulate bone growth.
The founder of Osteostrong pretty much says they expect to see increases in BMD w/i 1 year of following the program and if there is no increase it’s usually a sign that there is another undiagnosed condition causing the bone loss, such as untreated parathyroid or thyroid issues. On their website go to the videos and look for the video on thyroid conditions, that’s where he states this.
Also Dr. Brown of betterbones.com and the Caltons recommend Osteostrong.
Good for you! I'm a walker, a swimmer and hatha yoga practitioner and have been for a very, very long time. After a first cracked bone in foot a few years ago I've also added some strength stuff and added more balance poses to morning yoga practice. I've been vegetarian for about 20 years and about 90% vegan for 3 1/2. I just keep adding and/or subtracting to my life to ward off the natural changes to our bodies that we must cope with as we age. Nothing new there. Meds are great sometimes but certainly not in all situations. I'm saying "No" and my GP didn't like it either.
I’v been working on TaiChi but not yoga; anything standing is fine (spine issues) but sitting and forward bending really stress me. I try to use balance poses from various practices. Anything balance related is helpful. My diet is mostly vegetables, I do eat eggs , dairy and fish so I can’t call myself vegetarian. I’m not a ‘medicine’ fan and fortunately have not had to take them. My refusal to take meds for this problem is there is no scientific data to back them up. The data appears to be more anecdotal than hard science. Than you for your support.
I don't rely on what doctors tell me, they have numerous diseases/maladies to contend with and an equally numerous patient base. The body can heal itself if given the correct diet and/or supplements and enough time to implement them. The key is time. Most people don't have the patience or discipline it takes to carry out a treatment plan for their diagnosis. Most doctors realize this and they whip out their prescription pad before you can sit down in their office.
Be NOT afraid. Instead replace that fear with research and education. When you think you have exhausted your research DO MORE. Don't stop researching and learning.
I had a horrible case of palpitations 3 1/2 years ago. Internist sent me to cardiologist. ALL tests were performed. They found nothing wrong so I started my own regimen without meds. It took several months but they finally stopped and I remain palpitation free for 18 months.
I refuse to take meds, not now or in the future, for my osteoporosis or anything else - EVER. I too won't be returning for another dexa scan. Bone thinning is a normal part of aging. The best we can do is to fortify with diet, supplements and keep moving with different forms of exercise that strengthen bone - walking, jogging, weight lifting, yoga, dance, gardening etc.
BTW - my lumbar is/was -3.9 and hips -3.2. Doctor freaked out and insisted I take Prolia, Forteo or Evenity. I have never broken or fractured so I refused and he nearly threw me out of his office. I fell last month, very hard on cement on a downhill run. Scraped my knee, elbow and hand. Most of the impact was on my wrist. Broke NOTHING, no bruise and no swelling. I was walking and jogging next day. Scab healed in less than 2 weeks. I am still careful but feel more optimistic about my decision on the meds 😉
Note: I don't think any less of those who DO opt for meds. Its their choice and if they feel it will help them and is the best course for them to take, then more power to them. I know I don't respond well to meds of any kind and won't tolerate the side effects.
Thank you for your support. I too am not a fan of the ‘medicine man’. I’ve lived my life taking care of my body through healthy eating and recreational exercise. Unfortunately I do have multiple fractures of the spine and still do not think medicine first prescribed for cancer patients is the way to go. I met with an orthopedic proponent of vertebroplasty but decided that wasn’t a good option either. Short of devising a mechanical option for myself I’m not sure what I will do. My doctor insists on drugs but will not give me a prescription for TLOS. If it weren’t so maddening it would be funny.
Thank you so much Bella. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in my spine in 2014 and told the doctor I would not be taking the drugs. My mother who had osteoporosis always refused the drugs, fell all the time sadly but never broke a thing and lived till 89. I had my first dexa scan 8 years later and and now have a spine score of - 3.2 which really upset me. My hips are actually still in the normal range but I had a back injury at age 30 and so I have not been able to lift like other people so I think that might be the reason. Now at 67 I suddenly find myself going through the fear factor mainly because my back has always been a challenge anyway and this diagnosis just makes me feel more fragile. Yet all my research shows that now only do all the drugs have potential side affects but even if one doesn't have them, what it is doing to the body functions just feels wrong to me. So I am doing lots of research, have improved supplementation, diet and will work for life with a physical therapist to keep my body as strong as I am able to make it and make sure I do lots of balancing exercises. I do plan on getting an echolight scan in NJ next year when we visit. I am stunned by some of the different scores this scan gives vs. the dexa scan. How do we trust any of these technologies to even give us an accurate picture. Meanwhile my sister in Holland where they often don't give any scans is happily gardening and living her life. I am more interested in bone strength scores vs. bone density scores. Good luck to all of us to live a good life.
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