Have you got osteopenia?

[Scazzoh]

This is the precursor of osteoporosis and I have just been diagnosed with it. It turns out that taking Levothyroxine increases the risk of getting osteoporosis. I have been on NDT since last year, which contains calcitonin, a protective chemical against osteoporosis. Does this mean my osteopenia will not get any worse, or may even reverse? Or am I stuck with it. O, I'm not going to take bisphosphonates as they appear to increase the risk of fractures.

wellnessresources.com/newsr...

[Marz]

Dr Myhill has some good advice on Bones on her website .....

[humanbean]

I think you need to understand what osteopaenia actually means. It means that your bone density has been compared to that of a healthy 30-year-old white woman and has been found to be 1 standard deviation less than the mean bone density for that group.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteo...

Read the whole entry, but the important bit, in my view, is the section on etymology.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteo...

It's a bit like pre-diabetes and pre-hypertension. Somebody, somewhere has decided to medicalise a non-disease in order to sell pharmaceutical products.

I've found these links interesting :

saveourbones.com/

betterbones.com/

Edit : I'm not saying you should ignore it, but personally I would stick with self-help rather than take prescribed drugs if any are offered.

[greygoose in reply to humanbean]

Exactly! Was going to say much the same things.

[bantam12]

I was diagnosed with it pre parathyroid surgery, no idea how it is now. My vitd then was 12 last test 30 and that's good for me.

[humanbean]

I found this article very interesting :

betterbones.com/wp-content/...

If I could afford it I'd have every one of the listed nutrients measured and supplement the deficient ones (after some careful research of course).

[Scazzoh]

Thanks everyone. Really valuable information here. I am generally sceptical of drugs prescribed for 'non-diseases' i.e. statins for high cholesterol, and drugs prescribed for osteoporosis fits that bill. The websites look at diet, supplements and life style. I am on the AIP at the moment and some of what I am already doing will help my bones, including an anti-inflammatory diet, reducing environmental toxicity and supplementing. First thing is to buy some Black Strap Molasses and Bok Choi (Chinese cabbage which has far more calcium than milk!). Dr. Myhill says dairy can increase the risk of osteoporosis.

I can also get actual numbers from the results of my scan, which I didn't know about. Rather than the 'you are normal' or 'you are not normal' which I am fed by doctors.

[blondpalomino]

I had a bone scan last year which was arranged by the endo,as she was concerned with my suppressed TSH (0.01). It had been at this level for the last 16 years and no-one had been worried about it before! Anyway it turns out I also have osteopenia, but as I told the Doctor, my Mum and Sister both have osteoporosis,and neither take thyroxine! So it can be genetic, and nothing to do with the thyroxine. She hasn't given me any medication at the moment apart from recommending taking Vit D and eating calcium rich foods,and I have to have another scan in 2 years time.

[Scazzoh in reply to blondpalomino]

At least she is keeping an eye on it, which is good. I'll have to do the same I guess.