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Osteopenia
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Hi girls! I had a bone scan last month and was surprised to find that I have Osteopenia (pre cursor to Osteoporosis) and was wondering if anyone else here had the same diagnosis? I was kind of surprised but my Ortho had recommended it due to a stress fracture last year and a recent MRI showing some osteo arthritis and a bone bruise in my knee. I have some of the risk factors- Osteoporosis in my family, northern european with red hair and freckles, grew up in an area with very little sun (low Vit D), I was lactose intolerant as a kid and didn't drink any milk/dairy products (my parents didn't substitute for calcium rich foods).
At the same time, I am only 37 years old, my diet is very good now, I have never been underweight and I now live in one of the sunniest places (AZ, for the past 12 years).

I was just wondering if anyone had been told they have low bone density and what you did about it? I met with a nutritionist who analyzed my diet and said I was getting enough calcium but was low on Vit D, so I now take a supplement (like Viactiv). I want to do all I can to try to stall/reverse the bone loss so I don't end up with recurring stress fractures. I want to be active for many more years!
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Re: Osteopenia [runninginaz] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
I was just wondering if anyone had been told they have low bone density and what you did about it?


Yes, mine's the result of an eating disorder.

Follow up tests:
- Ask for an NTX study. This is a urine sample, has to be the first time you pee in the AM, measures Ca+ excretement.
- Your dietician may have found your diet low in vit d. Have your bloodwork checked for vit D levels. I think they can check calcium levels with blood too.

Other advice
-calcium supplements can be constipating, no fun, better to get it from food if you can get enough (1500 mg/day, no more than 500 mg at one time) that way. And get a vitamin d supplement that's just vit. d.
- calcium and iron bind; be wary of high Ca and high Fe foods at the same time

- look into meds. Bisphosphonates are typically used to treat low bone density in postmenopausal women. There are some side effects so it's not a decision to take lightly (duh). Also, if you go that route, get the one that you only have to take once a month because taking something once a week every morning and then having to wait 2h before you have anything but water to eat/drink is kind of sucky if you're an athlete and like to train in the AM.

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: Osteopenia [runninginaz] [ In reply to ]
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oh - DUH - lift weights. This is the best thing you can do for your bone density.

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: Osteopenia [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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Yeah, Calcium and vit D in diet, as well as weight bearing exercise. But since you're 37 - I'm hoping you still have regular periods. If you do, Estrogen is your best friend. You really will have to pay attention when you go through the big 'pause (or if for any reason you do not have regular menstruation). Once you stop producing Estrogen, your bone density can decline quickly. So when that happens have a conversation w/ your doctor about possibly getting on a bone density med - there's a lot on the market: Evista, Fosamax, Boniva, etc. Not without their problems, but worth a conversation w/ the doc.

good luck.
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Re: Osteopenia [nad] [ In reply to ]
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I will add not to be too scared by the commercials from legal companies "if you've been on Boniva and suffered a hip fracture..." etc. I surveyed most of the literature about bisphosphonates this summer and the chance of a long term hip fx is way lower than those commercials make it out to be. It's a risk but - I forget the exact #s - it was pretty low per 10,000 patient years (the metric they use).

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: Osteopenia [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks guys. I will follow up with the docs in the next few weeks. I just wanted to do some research myself so that I know the options. I was a little freaked out at first but also very thankful to find this out now so I can do something about it.
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Re: Osteopenia [runninginaz] [ In reply to ]
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Hi There,

I'm in Australia so not sure if the same medical tests and information is as easily accessible to you as me but Osteopaenia can be due to a number of things in atheltic women. Primarily there is a link between vitaminD and Calcium so getting on top of that is important. However there is a very important consideration in women and that is hormonal. In particularly athletic women, the menstrual cycle can be thrown off - either less frequent than normal, or it can cease all together. This happens with very low body mass index and low body fat content. It's not healthy for women to be ultra-lean even though it's athletically advantageous.
With the oestrogen/progesterone getting messed up with high level athletes and lots of training and very low calorie diets, the normal systems for maintaining bone calcium is also out of whack and the calcium is leeched out of the bones faster than it's put back. Hence osteopaenia. So lifting weights won't entirely help but it's important to get on top of it medically... get your calcium and vitamin D blood tests and also get some analysis on your BMI and body fat content, look at your training schedule and diet (great that you have seen a nutritionist) and female hormones. There are some medications that can help if the situation is serious like bisphosphonates and other things you'd need to talk to your doctors about. Good luck.
Cheers,
Noodlecat77 :)
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Re: Osteopenia [runninginaz] [ In reply to ]
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you live in one of the sunniest places in the US, but how much sunscreen do you use? a lot of people negate any vitamin D from the sun by covering up with sunscreen all the time. Especially if it's always sunny.
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Re: Osteopenia [SpicedRum] [ In reply to ]
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SpicedRum wrote:
you live in one of the sunniest places in the US, but how much sunscreen do you use? a lot of people negate any vitamin D from the sun by covering up with sunscreen all the time. Especially if it's always sunny.

Exactly! I had Melanoma so I am the sunscreen queen. I switched to swimming laps in an indoor pool to avoid the sun. I have never liked milk but am now drinking it daily, seems a good way to get calcium and vit D. I am very thankful that my kids have always been big milk drinkers :-)
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