Has anyone had a Dexa that showed an improvement in the lumbar bone, total right femoral had a slight change, but the total left femoral worsen. The following are my results.
Last year’s Dexa results
Lumber Bone -2.8
Total Right Femoral -1.7
Femur neck right -1.6
Total Left Femoral -1.7
Femur neck left -2.2
This year’s Dexa results
Lumber Bone -2.5
Total Right Femoral -1.8
Femur neck right -1.6
Total Left Femoral -2.1
Femur neck left -2.4
I chose to not take prescription medication for Osteoporosis because of the side effects and try to manage it with exercise and diet. When I received my results last year, I changed my exercise routine by doing more hip and spine exercises and weight resistance. I also started walking and running on the treadmill. I also have been taking vitamin 100 MCG K2 M-7.
I am trying to figure out why the Left femoral got worse while the spine and right femoral didn’t get worse. Has this happened to anyone else or know why this might have happened?
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I had my FN drop around 3% over 2 years to -2.3 while my total hip and spine increased 4%. My spine is now out of osteopenia while my FN gets worse! 🤷
They could only measure 1 side as I had hardware in my other hip at the time. Was spending 4-5 hours per week resistance training at the time so was really disappointed. Will be building more impact exercises into my routine.
Just be careful with impact exercise so you don't develop stress fracture. You should recover fully from exercise and do not overdo it. I don't know your age but do it according your age.
Be careful with calcium and vitamin D. Take them only if you are deficient. They could be very toxic to your heart.
The official guidance is that it's safe to take up to 4000iu Vitamin D. Vitamin D groups say you can safely take significantly more than that so long as you also take co-factors Vitamin K2 and magnesium. I wouldn't risk more than 4000iu long-term, but do need over 2000iu daily. In fact, at one point my GP prescribed 2400iu daily.
It depends on the individual. It's recommended to have a blood level of at least 75nmol/litre (30ng/ml - in the US you're considered deficient if your level is lower than this), and many experts say 100nmol/litre (40ng/ml). Some will make enough from the sun, but many of us don't, particularly as we age.
Interesting article thanks. I wonder how much is due to the creatine and how much due to resistance training? You still need a good blood level of Vitamin D to ensure optimum calcium absorption.
I am not a doctor, but I was told by the patient advocate that if you are not deficient in calcium or vitamin D than better if you don't take supplements if you don't need them.
Lot of people do take supplements and they actually harm themselves. Sorry I can't help you more. You should talk to your doctor. I am testing monthly my Ca and magnesium levels and they are fine. I only drink milk and exposing myself to the Australian sunshine. If you are in England than you should contact NHS and talk to them.
I've researched this thoroughly and also been advised by 2 NHS doctors to keep my blood level over 75. Blood calcium levels unfortunately don't give any indication of what's reaching the bones, as the body prioritises blood levels and will Keach from the bones if intake is inadequate. I agree though that calcium supplements are only for those who don't get enough in their diet or have absorbency issues.
The proportion of Ca and Mg should be 2 to 1. I am not sure in that but I was told that. I am a little bit negligent. I also have sleep as apnoea which further complicate the blood Ca levels as the bones really can release Ca in order to neutralize the blood acidity if the CO2 goes up in the blood as a result of not breathing. I hope that you don't have that condition (sleep apnea). It can mess up the blood calcium levels and the bones are used as a reservoir of calcium.
I know my digestive Specialist highly recommends I get all my nutrients from food. I agree but I think I have problems absorbing nutrients as all my labs are a little low. I take 600 mgs of calcium a day with vitamin D and K. I am now taking iron but if must be taken alone on an empty stomach. I need vitamin B12 shots too. I really wish we could get all we need with food. I am trying to be more proactive in choosing wht I eat for a better outcome. My Dexa scan about 4 years ago showed -3.5 in my spine. When I had shoulder surgery 2 years ago the doctor said the inside of my shoulder looked healthy and no signs of deterioration. My height has not decreased and so far I feel strong. I am a retired occupational therapist assistant and I feel strongly that we need to stay informed and be proactive when making decisions on our best options. Keep active and exercise as well as getting good nutrition. Take supplements if you need them. Taking medication is a personal decision as well. Best wishes.
I agree that all of this is a bit complicated, if you need you can take a little bit of supplements but don't overdo it. Only just enough not to be deficient. Thanks God our body is protecting us. When we take too much iron and we are not deficient anymore than the absorption of the iron will fall dramatically. Still be careful with calcium supplements etc.
One more thing. It is interesting that I was told by a British nurse that I could increase my blood protein levels if I take a same amount of protein distributed all over the day rather than eating it at once as the protein would be absorbed better if you take it in multiple doses. I think it is a good idea and I will try.
My vitamin D leveles are in a normal range. Same with my Ca and Mg levels. I am not a nutritionist but still managed to push myself into a normal range. I just know that I am lucky as it is not always straight forward as it is a science. Could you contact professional nutritionist for help? Adsorption can be tricky.
My recent scan showed a 4,7% increase in my spine, but only a 1.2% increase in my hip. I wish I knew more about this, but thankful for the positive results. Over the past two years. I tried so many different things. I guess that’s the path I will continue down. My doctor did not acknowledge this at all and sent me a letter saying I needed treatment; the same one as when I had a 7.8% decrease in my spine just two years ago. Go figure. Ugh.
Did you have the DEXA on the same machine? It's my understanding that, due to the margin of error in DEXA scanning, scans only a year apart won't give any reliable indication of change. You would expect any changes to be consistent at different sites, as osteoporosis in systemic, meaning it affects the whole body. I would hazard a guess that if you had another DEXA scan anytime soon, your results would be different again! The only significant change is in your total left femur, but as all the other scores are broadly similar to a year ago, it's far more likely that an error was made with that measurement on one or both occasions. I wouldn't worry about it, and would wait a couple of years minimum before having another scan, which you can then compare with the first - but make sure it's on the same machine, otherwise the results aren't comparable!
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