Hello all, I hope everyone is getting through these difficult weeks. Just wanted to share my dexa scan results; Spine normal, Total hip normal, Femoral neck Osteopenia with a T score -1.6, and Z score -0.9. Wondering if anyone has had similar scores and if they were prescribed calcium / vit D. Trying to ward of the AA if poss.
Otherwise all good, might be having a slight flare up with upper neck pain and some stiffness early hours but sticking to 11mg pred for now. Stay safe everyone.
No matter what your scores you should have been prescribed VitD/Calcium as a matter of course.
Thanks DL, I haven’t been prescribed anything as yet but have been taking a calcium / bit D supplement ad hoc just to be on the safe side. I had a vitamin D blood test and came back normal. Really don’t want AA, seems like another drug with potential side effects...
My scores were all positive but I still am prescribed vitamin D with calcium.
Mine were very similar 11 years ago and have changed little in the meantime. The last dexascan was in September. I took calcium and vit D religiously until a couple of years ago when I started to have too many bladder problems and since then have taken more vit D and upped the dairy in my diet for calcium. Seems to have worked OK and the local osteoporosis expert was amazed at my readings for a patient on pred! Even she said just carry on as you are.
As DL says, calcium and vit D are standard and although I know people with no problems who didn't for various reasons take calcium/vit D over a period of about 5 years I'm not sure I would want to risk it long term.
We’re the calcium supplements causing bladder problems? Hadn’t heard of that!
Can ask what dose Vit D you take, and do you take any calcium supplements now? Thanks
4000 IU per day, and eat a fair bit of cheese and yoghurt (not massive amounts though). Calcium carbonate supplements caused bladder problems and I was fed up.
Thanks!
I guess as females and of certain ages too, then our risk of osteoporosis increases, and then there is the pred. Another trade off.... Noticed on my gp record the scan will be repeated in 3 years, so will be interesting to see if any changes. In the meantime I will watch my step as I’m notorious for tripping over my own feet, particularly when walking the dog. Came down hard and landed on my poor shoulder around a year ago. That didn’t help the bursitis one bit!!!
While I had mild osteopenia I had yearly bone density scans, since my mild osteopenia has changed to normal it is now every 2 years. I would say 3 years is a long time to wait for the next scan
Osteopenia is kind of borderline and can be improved with calcium vit D vit K2 and light exercise. In your neck, I wonder if it’s computer use over the years at work, like my cervical spondylosis. I have avoided AA with amazingly good Dexa results. Surprised as my mum had osteoporosis.
I'm also thinking of taking Vit K2. I'm currently taking 600mg calcium, 1200 IU Vit D. What dose do you think I should aim for with Vit K2? Like you, I'm surprised that I only have mild osteopenia as my mother also had osteoporosis.
Nothing scientific with me. I simply sent for K2 from a trusted healthfood store and followed their recommendations. ( Holland and Barret).
Thank you
Hi Sheffield Jane, Yes, years of computer work has not helped me either, with pain across neck and shoulders. Even more so since we have been confined to barracks so to speak during lockdown, and not likely change anytime soon. That’s good news that you and others have warded off the AA with the supps and with good dexa results. I must look into the vit k2 aspect... thanks 😊
I was exactly like you and didn’t want to go anywhere near AA from what I’d heard of the side effects. I persuaded my GP to let me have a bone density scan and it turned out that I had osteopenia. (No family history that I know of). So it was recommended. Reluctantly, I agreed to take the AA. Almost 3 months in, I have had no problems whatsoever with it. Hopefully, that will continue! Good luck with your decision.
Can I say yet again that osteopenia is a VERY broad designation and runs from barely different from normal for a 30 year old to where the borderline is to osteoporosis. It is essential to know your t-score to know where on that range you are sitting. If your t-scores are -1.5 or better there are a lot of young women with similar readings. On the other hand, if the t-scores are getting closer to -2.5 then you probably need to consider your approach carefully.
Thank you PMRpro, that is very good to know .
Since 2017, I had significant bone loss in my hip and lumbar spine on my recent scan and I am only 56. I started on prednisone in 2017 and after a roller coaster year on high doses, off, then back on a year ago, I didn’t really take much calcium. I went off all dairy during that time. Now I am much more diligent about calcium, vit k2, and vit D, orange juice with calcium, broccoli and try to do my weight bearing exercises regularly. My mom has osteoporosis as well.
Thanks for sharing Kath567.
Forgive my being so new to all this, but what's AA?
Hi Winfong, it is Alendronic Acid, a medicine used to prevent / treat Osteoporosis. The GP’s tend to rate it, some people complain of nasty side effects. A DEXA bone scan will report on bone density and risk of Osteoporosis. The results will help the GP prescribe either AA or calcium/vit d.
Take the Calcium, D, Vit K 2 7 but those are TERRIFIC scores! I envy you. do weigh bearing exercise and take the vitamins and definitely do not take AA! How old are you? those are fine scores! sorry to be so strident re AA but one can only take it for 3 years.. max.. and then what? save it for when you are 90. that is my plan. In the meantime. my score was -2.7 which is NOT good. but I do heel drops and take adult tap and my last scan (during my prednisone years) was .001 BETTER! Still not in a good place..but stopped. And a lot depends on whether you have ever broken bones as an adult. read the book YOUR BONES by Lisa Piazzorno
Hi Yogabonnie, thanks so much for your reply. I was 50 last month. I saw a rheumatologist this week and he has told me to start AA and although I am against it, I am confused as I have heard so many conflicting reports. So weighing everything up, I’ll have to give it a go and take until I get to 5mg pred (May 21 all being well). I have never had a broken bone in my life, and unfortunately I am not the exercising type, only daily walks with the dog, and so wouldn’t know what a weight bearing exercise is!! I am also lazy!!! 😂 I will have a look at the book though thanks 😊.
"weight bearing exercise" - any exercise where the body weight is borne by the feet or you work against gravity"Weight-bearing and resistance exercises are the best for your bones. Weight-bearing exercises force you to work against gravity. They include walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, playing tennis, and dancing. Resistance exercises – such as lifting weights – can also strengthen bones."
So walking - but not swimming or cycling although evidence suggest they do have a small effect.
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