Hi all,
I am 37 and been perimenopausal for well over a year. My mother has arthritic hips and knees which resulted in a double hip replacement a decade ago.
Is it worth getting a dexa scan now? If it is; is there anywhere in the South West I can get one done privately?
How do you know you a peri menopausal?
I was/am symptomatic and bloods show my oestrogen below range and FSH above range.
I got testing done in may and no idea how to interpret the results my fsh is 7 and my e2 is 427, any idea could use some help please
This is what my results look like at the moment , if it helps?
Do you have the ranges?
Yours is easier to read mines so confusing
What day of your cycle was the most recent test done on? We need to know that to work out which range you should be looking at. 
Week before period
I went to a Nuffield at a cost of £160ish... certainly doesn't hurt to know where you are with this... I'm 55 and dairy intolerant the NHS wouldn't test me as I don't drink, smoke am the right weight, on HRT and exercise... come back in 5 years... turns out I'm already in the osteopenia range for my hips 😕
If you can afford to do it then do 🤗 I've added in a few things to help my bone health now I know
I just can't find a local hospital that offers the scans! Closest appears to be London.
I don't eat a lot of dairy, mostly just cheddar. Don't drink milk or eat yoghurts so I'm not convinced my calcium intake is high enough tbh.
I've had very-low-in-range, or below range oestrogen for at least 18months (but suspect estrogen has been very low for years) and aware of the impact on bone health. GP would laugh me out of town if I requested! 😂
Where in the South West are you? I went to Cheltenham
Cheltenham is about 30 miles, so quite doable! Thanks. Just had a look and it requires a referral. 🙄
Will ask my consultant for a referral letter... which I'll no doubt have to pay for. 🙃
I self referred no problem, fitted me in next day! They ask you all the questions direct before scanning if you self refer so at least you know they have been given the correct details...nice place and just off the motorway... I came up with Global Diagnostics in Exeter any better?
privatehealth.co.uk/clinics...
Just tried to fire off an enquiry....
Strange they came up under a DEXA search... Cheltenham it is then!
They must have changed the rules since then. 😩
I only went last month... I'll go have a rummage 🤗
How did you get the results?
They posted them to me and my GP to put on file
I did an online request and they called me back within an hour... they even answer the phone if you ring them too!😱
Nuffield clearly doesn't know what it's doing. 😂
Have emailed. Will wait to see if anyone calls!
So the website isnt kept up to date, obviously. 😂
EDIT: self referral is possible but only if you're post menopausal.
Worth a small fib 😉
I don't understand why they would turn away paying customers?
Interesting Eeyore. In May I asked my GP to refer me for a Dexa scan due to being post menopausal, showing signs of arthritis and bones fracturing more easily (I was a hockey player this time last year 😢). The referral was refused by the hospital, no reason given, but the list for your’s being declined would fit my ‘profile’.
I too am fairly sure that I have a dairy intolerance, I’ve recently annexed it from my life, and am of course concerned about calcium. Would you mind sharing the various ways in which you’re trying to maximise calcium intake? As an aside, I recently bought a BetterYou body moisturiser with added calcium (& magnesium), can’t vouch for its efficacy just yet,
Thanks 🙏
This is the issue with the NHS if you try to look after yourself they aren't inclined to help until you are in crisis 😕I'm glad I got it done and can at least feel like I'm doing what I can
I now fortify my milk substitute with calcium citrate and take bone balance... (Radd suggestion) bonebalance.co.uk/
This along with fortified flour at least gives me a baseline intake... yes I should eat more greens 🙄 I've some of that moisturiser but am hopeless at remembering to use it, not so keen on slimy stuff 🙃... must dig it out
Ha, it certainly seems that way sometimes doesn’t it? A reflection of how under strain it is…. Thanks so much for the calcium citrate & bone balance recommendations. I’ll look them up. 🙌🏼
Sorry Eeyore,
Just to clarify, how exactly do you add calcium citrate to your milk substitute? Do you empty the capsules into a serving?
And would you mind sharing the brand of calcium citrate you use 🤙🏼
I actually spoke to an NHS dietician and they recommend Special K or any fortified (sugary) cereal 🙄😳
I'm surprised they didn't suggest eating chalk, its a good source of calcium lol. I wisely ignore the NHS advice on diet, far too many carbs and they're still banging the low fat drum.
I was pleased to see an article in today's Telegraph (online version) headed 'The hidden everyday ingredient that threatens your heart health'. It's saying that high consumption of emulsifiers has been associated with an increased risk of heart and cardiovascular disease. It suggests replacing foods containing emulsifiers with others which contain much less.
Among other suggestions it includes replacing low-fat dairy with normal full-fat dairy.
Here's the full article.
telegraph.co.uk/health-fitn...
So hurrah! someone is beginning to realise that all that low-fat stuff is nonsense.
Hurrah. Three cheers for full fat
When I started to seize up / arthritic etc I got myself tested for food sensitivities as I felt that a change of diet was better than being on medication long term.
My results gave oats and wheat as the worst ones for me. After about 2 months on my new diet I noticed much improved swelling in my joints, and as an additional benefit, my lifelong indigestion had cleared up.
That was over 20 years ago and it still works for me. I stick to omitting wheat and oats. I'm not sensitive to gluten, so I don't need gluten free. For the oats I avoid things which say they have gluten free oats - it's the oats that affect me.
So what I'm suggesting is that you and your mother might benefit from checking for food sensitivities.
I know it doesn't answer your query, but it is relevant.
That's really interesting; I've often felt food can make or break us! I'll look into testing.
I had a Vega test, but there may be better alternatives these days.
I wouldn’t worry about not being able to eat dairy. There are various studies which indicate that dairy does not help prevent fractures, and actually may do the opposite.
One problem is finding research on the affects of dairy on health which isn’t funded by the dairy industry.
This is an interesting link on how to maximise your body’s calcium - vitamin D helps, alcohol and caffeine hinder. Exercise is obviously a biggie too. I can’t remember where but I saw some excellent images of the leg bones of people in their later years, and the images of those who ran or did similar impact exercise has lost hardly any bone whereas those who didn’t their bones were super skinny. ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/doc...
I wouldn’t worry about not being able to eat dairy. There are various studies which indicate that dairy does not help prevent fractures, and actually may do the opposite.
One problem is finding research on the affects of dairy on health which isn’t funded by the dairy industry.
This is an interesting link on how to maximise your body’s calcium - vitamin D helps, alcohol and caffeine hinder. Exercise is obviously a biggie too. I can’t remember where but I saw some excellent images of the leg bones of people in their later years, and the images of those who ran or did similar impact exercise has lost hardly any bone whereas those who didn’t their bones were super skinny. ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/doc...
A DEXA scan is to determine bone density and possible dx of osteopenia or Osteoporosis.
No connection with Osteoarthritis - but a mistake often made
Suppressed TSH and Dexa bone scan
Dexa scan and low vitamin D 
Private Thyroid scan
Dexa scan and VIT D
Endo has suggested DEXA scan due to suppressed TSH 
