Lost height does funny things! - Bone Health and O...

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Lost height does funny things!

Posy-White profile image
6 Replies

Six years ago I had 8 spinal fractures, thought to be because the local little hospital had not realised you don’t just stop Prolia without offering relay medication.

Life changed over night and I’ve come to accept giving up the work I loved and the resulting disability.

In all this I lost 12cm (4 3/4”) in height.

A few months ago I found I had a lump in my neck, very near to my cerotic artuary, GP was concerned to have it check out, making sure it wasn’t cancerous. I had five hospital appointment in the next two weeks. The lump wasn’t anything of a cancerous nature, so things slowed right down – I did know the flow of blood to my brain wasn’t flowing as smoothly as it should be by the ultra sound of my carotid artery - I also knew this lump was altering. (Was I about to have a stroke to add to everything else????) - Back to GP and three months latter Specialist Cardiac Surgeon large teaching hospital. The Consultant had access to all my medical records and started to ask about my spinal problems, he rescanned my neck and explained the lump was not on my carotid artery it was the artery that had made a curve /u-bend due to the fact I had lost so much height.

So as well as getting a squished stomach and everything else inside fighting for space I now have an artery finding space in my neck……..Just have to hope I don’t loose any more height! - This wasn’t anything I held about from ‘our bone group’ before have other had anything similar?

Posy White 🙂

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6 Replies
MayGodBlessYou profile image
MayGodBlessYou

your life is devastated and yet you have a great attitude x

Crystalbowl profile image
Crystalbowl

Not as far as I know though I ‘only’ have 3 spinal fractures that I know of but I have lost about 4” in height. I used to be 5’9” now 5’ 5”. I have refused medication for osteoporosis other than Vit D. I was on calcium with the D but that has been stopped because I had too much in a blood test. My fractures are at T12, L1 and L2 and they intersect with PHN pain (post herpetic neuralgia pain) from singles nearly 5 years’ ago in my RH rib cage area front and back.

fraid profile image
fraid

Gosh, sounds dreadful all round. I lost 6" from 6# vertebrae, have problems with my neck too as warned but I just keep moving and whacking it in the hope it doesn't set the wrong way. I'm already bent over like the old lady on the crossing road sign but if my neck sets upside down I'd probably drown with all this rain! 😂

Thank goodness for humour, all I can do. Keep your chin up but not too high.😁 Summer soon after monsoon 🤞

Posy-White profile image
Posy-White in reply to fraid

Hello Fraid

I love your comments, I laughed until it hurt too much as we have that crossing road sign just outside the house - Care Home round the corner.....but it now suits me to!

Take Care Posy White🤗

josephinius1 profile image
josephinius1

I've lost three inches in height (how tall were you to start with? just curious,) and get the squished stuff but so far, aside from rib pain that's now pretty much constant, everything non-skeletal seems to be working okay. Your fractures and height loss happened after quitting Prolia? Sane thing happened to my father-in-law, not going anywhere near that stuff if I can help it. Just, I already have multiple fractures...it's a scary thing, this "no big deal, osteoporosis doesn't cause pain," condition. Thank you for sharing what could be down the pike for me. :-/

Posy-White profile image
Posy-White

Hello josephinious1

I was 5'6" and a bit before, now 5' 1" - 5'2" depending on the day!

The incident of the 8 fractures happened in October 2017, in June 2017 had a dexa scan showing really good results no longer in the Osteoporosis range, but mid osteopenia range. Unfortunately for me the Prolia was stopped “I didn’t need medication anymore as I didn't have Osteoporosis”. I questioned this at the time because I'd understood the taking a medication holiday wasn't recogmended in the USA / Canada I was told I had the wrong information and it wasn't that the hospital would be doing nothing I'd be called for 6 monthly blood test and appointment. In September 2017 Europe including the UK started to take on the idea of offering a relay medication after stopping Prolia!

I understandably didn't think my neck lump had anything to do with the fractures and height lose!

All the best Posy White

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