Bone and skeletal demineralization

[Scarter770]

How does prednisone affect bone demineralization? How do you determine normal age related from prednisone and how do you stop it ?

Thanks

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It makes the body lose more calcium through the kidneys - taking supplemental calcium and vit D has been shown to reduce the risk of loss of BMD, probably simply by there being more calcium to be grabbed by the body. An adequate Vit D level is also essential.

You require a dexascan within the first 3 months of taking pred to provide a baseline BMD - if it is low, it wasn't because of pred. Then it should be checked every 2 years - if it falls it was possibly pred-induced. But you can't separate one component from another - not that that really matter, lower BMD is lower BMD.

You can take bisphosphonates to maintain BMD - but whether denser bone is healthier bone is another question. And HeronNS has written about the alternative approach without drugs:

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Daisychain12 in reply to PMRpro]

Lifesaving information.

[piglette]

I understand that our skeleton gets replaced around every ten years. Bisphosphonates can interfere with this if taken for too long. Weight lifting is supposed to help bone density. There was some lady on the radio who had the density of a twenty year old who was around 70 years old, she achieved it through lifting weights.

[Daisychain12 in reply to piglette]

My cousin is very obese. Whilst this has created horrible health problems her bones are strong. Lugging all the fat around. I don’t recommend it.

[piglette in reply to Daisychain12]

Fight osteoporosis, get fat!!

[Daisychain12 in reply to piglette]

I know. It’s crazy. She annoys us all with her distortion of her reality. Xxxx

[Cally55]

How long have you been on pred? If not long press for a dexa scan. I didn't have one and after 2 years on GCA doses developed wedge fractures, so far 3 and 2 broken ribs. I did take the adcal d and the alendronic acid and also a lot of weight bearing exercise totally unaware of what was lurking! Smugly thinking that I was doing all the right things it came as a shock.

As far as I can tell nobody is quite sure why I have been struck this way, but what I know for sure is that the fractures are extremely painful, life changing and limiting.

The National osteoporosis society website is very helpful and has a lot of information about causes, treatments and for those unfortunate to suffer fractures how to live with them.