Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Postmenopause => Topic started by: sprush1 on February 13, 2023, 07:19:54 PM
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In October I fell and badly broke my left wrist. Consequently was sent for a DEXA scan 3 weeks ago. Telephone call with my GP today to be told I’ve got Osteoporosis with the following scores.
Neck -2.7
Lumbar L1 -3.7
L2 -3.3
L3 -2.7
L4 -2.5
Average -3 I think but can’t read my handwriting!
GP strongly advises I take calcium, VitaminD, A Acid, and Bisphosphonates.
I’m happy to take calcium and vitamin D but am very very hesitant to take the other medication. I’m not over weight but had an early menopause aged 42 and I’m now 65. I eat healthily and am reasonably active.
I’ve been on Evorel Conti patches since July but I only take half a patch as couldn’t tolerate the side effects of the full patch. Still having side effects or maybe even hormonal deficiency symptoms. I asked the GP again if I could have a hormone blood test but she said no.
I have read previous threads about Osteoporosis but I’m asking for any recent thoughts or observations.
To be honest I’m in bits at the moment and feeling so overwhelmed with it all.
Living alone doesn’t help as fairly recently widowed. I can talk to others but not that candidly. Don’t want to burden my adult children either.
Any thoughts gratefully received.
Thank you.
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Without your partner you haven't the possible support for a good old moan or discussion about serious issues. So sorry, what support have you had: CRUSE : recommended when you feel ready to access them.
Osteoporosis: your GP has given good advice to get the condition under control. MayB have a lookC at the osteoporosis society website?
Brisk exercise. Lots of protein and dairy. I think a lot of young people currently avoiding basic foodstuffs will find themlseves diagnosed with this condition sooner rather than later. Lots of fresh air. Do U have hobbies?
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the Royal Osteoporosis Society – the UK’s largest national charity dedicated to improving bone health and beating osteoporosis. And we’re here for everyone. We equip people with practical information and support to take action on their bone health.
Working with healthcare professionals and policy-makers, we’re influencing and shaping policy and practice at every level. We’re driving the research and development of new treatments, to beat osteoporosis together.
Our vision
Strong and healthy bones for life
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Thank you so much CLKD.
I have been looking at the Royal Osteoporosis Society web page.
When I had my fall I also damaged my adductor muscles in my leg so was housebound for almost 3 months and couldn’t walk much.
Thankfully I’m better now. My hobbies are varied and I do try and keep focused. The rich tapestry of life throws us curved balls and floors us.
I belong to a bereavement support group through the Rare Dementia Support Group in London. I will reach out to them.
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I'm so sorry for your loss. I think you need 50 to help with osteoporosis which would be the full patch. What were the side effects? Usually it's the progesterone that causes the problems so it might be worth trying a different type.
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Thank you Sheila 99
The side effects were nausea dizziness headaches and feeling so anxious and spaced out. I still have some of the dizziness but not so many of the other symptoms. It’s all a minefield to be honest but I will chat with my GP again next week and see what she says.
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Hi Sprush. My mum had osteoporosis so my G P recommended HRT as soon as menopause symptoms started. You do need to take a certain level of oestrogen for it to be deemed a 'bone sparing' dose.
I also take a high level vitamin D supplement which contains Vitamin K2 and a supermarket brand multivitamin which contains calcium.
My mum took bisphosphonates. All I can say is that despite several very nasty falls that landed her in hospital she never sustained a serious fracture which always seemed pretty surprising to both ourselves and the doctors.
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Hello Jellyboo
Thank you for that information.
Your Mum was indeed fortunate.
I fell from a height down three stone steps onto a stone patio so it was a pretty bad fall. I’ve got 4 metal plates and a bone graft.
Never broken a bone before so it’s all pretty alien.
I have just started to take Vitamin D but I will ask the GP about Accrete that has Vitamin D and Calcium in and see if I can get it on prescription.
I’m very paranoid about side effects. My late husband was so sensitive to pretty much all of his medication and I’m afraid that has made me so nervous.
I won’t bore you with the details but if you’d seen him you would have understood.
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Hello, sprush 1. I am so sorry for the loss of your husband. I know how you feel about your osteoporosis diagnosis.I had a Dexa scan done last year, just as routine, and was diagnosed with osteopaenia and osteoporosis. I am 56 and apparently my bone density is very low for my age. I still feel overwhelmed and depressed by this. I am now scared of falling all the time.
Like you, I am very reluctant to take the medications. I saw a bone specialist who said I could probably defer them if I stay on hrt. Otherwise I would probably consider stopping hrt as since starting it,I have had massive hair loss, but of course it may not be connected. I take vitamin d and am looking for a good k2 supplement. The consultant said it is better to get calcium from dietary sources so am doing my best. Have always done lots of weight-bearing exercise. All in all, between the osteoporosis diagnosis and the hair loss, I feel I have become old overnight. So I understand how overwhelmed you feel and am sending you my thoughts and good wishes.
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Jinty - what types of 'weight bearing' exercise, as interestingly we are told to walk briskly several times a week to stave off osteoporosis. :-\
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Hi CLKD, for the past 25 years, I have walked for 1 to 3 hours every day and hillwalking at weekends. So obviously this wasn't enough. I do think myself, though, that I never got enough vitamin d. Even though I am outdoors a lot, I always wear sunscreen and legs are covered. Only started taking supplements recently.
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That's confused me completely :-\. The year that I felt very tired after 20 mins work, even though I had been in the sunshine my VitD levels were low.
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I take 4000 ius Vit D3 daily with 100mg of K2 Mk4 becsuse i use regular sunblock due to skin sensitivity. I don't supplement calcium other than a small amount in a daily multivitamin because I regularly eat cheese and yogurt.
I've always understood weight bearing exercise to be anything that involves carrying your body weight around - ie walking or running. My mum's doctor mentioned that's why slightly built people tend to be more susceptible to osteoporosis than chubbier ones!
I'm convinced personally that taking HRT is really effective if you can and particularly if you have an early menopause.
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Hi CLKD, for the past 25 years, I have walked for 1 to 3 hours every day and hillwalking at weekends. So obviously this wasn't enough. I do think myself, though, that I never got enough vitamin d. Even though I am outdoors a lot, I always wear sunscreen and legs are covered. Only started taking supplements recently.
It isn’t your fault - we are not well instructed. I’ve looked at this quite a lot as I have low bone mass. Walking does nothing from all the data I’ve read. It’s good for overall health but our bones need work that is above our natural body weight. Powerlifting, weighted vests. I’m in a weightlifting program now, as heavy as I can do. High loads, short reps. Ask your doctor before any exercise as some are not safe for osteoporosis. Don’t give up or blame yourself. I’m annoyed with my doctors for not giving me the information I needed.
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Thank you Jinty 14.
We are on the same wave length. Like you I’m now paranoid about falling.
Following my recent fracture the surgeon told me to start taking 1000mg of Vitamin C each day. I take the gentle C tablets from Healthspan.
Also vitamin D3. I do eat a lot of calcium rich foods so not going to take supplements. Having said that I had a brief chat with a pharmacist yesterday and she suggested I take Accrete D3 one a day chewable, 1000mg/880iu.
I bought a box at £5.13 for 30 tablets. I’m probably not going to take them though.
I’ve been watching some programmes on You Tube about osteoporosis.
One was from The Stanford institute in America. An endocrinologist specialising in bone health said that the line of thinking in the USA now is that HRT is no longer recommended as a treatment for osteoporosis and is no longer promoted as such. I wonder if and when that will be the case here?
For the time being I’m still going to persevere with my half patches of Evorel Conti.
I still see a physio about my wrist so I’m going to ask her about an exercise regime for my bones. I’ll let you know what she says.
A friend who has it says that she was told skipping, jumping and country and line dancing were all great for the bones!
It’s all a mine field but all we can do is stay positive.
Happy weekend everyone.
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With regard to HRT I don't think it's usually recommended as a treatment for osteoporosis but rather as a preventative if started soon enough.
After my last DEXA scan my GP said I had enough bone density 'in the bank' now that I should be fine even if I chose to stop taking HRT.
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That’s great Jillyboo
What do you think has contributed to your increased bone density?
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Mostly HRT - though I may have been lucky enough not to have inherited the family tendency. My sister has been diagnosed with osteopaenia. She had an earlier menopause than me and hasn't taken HRT but is probably more physically active. She is definitely of slighter build. Im sure oestrogen loss plays a major role since its mainly post menopausal women who develop it.
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Thanks Jillyboo
How long have you been on HRT?
I only started Evorel in July last year at half a patch twice a week. Probably not a high enough dose to be of benefit.
Can’t tolerate the full patch.
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I've been on it for over a decade - started as soon as I started having regular hot flushes.
The beauty of the system then was that my GP also knew my mum and had seen me accompanying her on appointments so he knew both my sister and I could be at risk.
Face to face appointments like that with a doctor who knew the whole family really worked but seem such a luxury now!!
Have you considered using oestrogel? You are more in control of the dosage and could start low and work your way up to the 'bone sparing' dose gradually according to tolerance.
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Hello Sprush1
I really relate to how you feel. I have osteopenia, diagnosed last year and am really worried as I was in an accident as a passenger and hurt my neck and then was hit by a car whilst parked up 6 months later and that shunt has caused no end of problems with my spine. I am currently on crutches with another episode with my back. I feel vulnerable and fragile too. I am 60. My son who is 30 is scared to move out and leave me living alone because he sees this but I feel so guilty about it. My daughter doesn't live here now but she worries a lot too. I didn't expect to be a burden at this age.
I am always reading up to find answers and to stay positive, trying to feel grateful that we have options and access to information, we can get through this. Sharing information and speaking to others is so helpful.
I am sure I read somewhere that estrogen is a treatment for improving bone density, I read a lot of clinical papers as I trust them more than articles. Will see if I can find it.
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I meant to say, your GP isn't very helpful refusing a hormone blood test. I have had three done in the last year to check if I am absorbing hrt and then to monitor. I wasn't absorbing on the patches and this is common. How are you to assess the efficacy otherwise. The side effects do settle after a few months. I recommend a great book called Oestrogen Matters, which brings is home how much we need that hormone and how it can protect everthing. Heart, bones and so much more. If I were you I would insist or ask to see another GP.
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Buffy26 and Jillyboo
Thank you so much for your responses.
Buffy26 I’m so sorry to hear what happened to you. Bless you I fully understand how you are feeling. When I broke my wrist I also badly damaged my adductor muscles and hobbled with a stick and was confined to downstairs for 6 weeks. Try not to feel guilty about your son. He will feel better helping you at home and if he moved out just now he would feel worse. I hope you will gradually get better and be back to how you were. I too, think my GP isn’t being very helpful about the blood test. She is calling me again on Monday and I will ask her again if I can have one.
Jillyboo how lovely that you have the bonus of seeing a GP who knows you and your family,
I’ve got a long way to go to be on HRT for 10 years. I’m 65. I hadn’t heard about Oestrogel, I might ask about it.
Also thanks for the book recommendation I’ll see if I can order it.
I’ve just ordered a Tai Chi for Osteoporosis DVD on eBay. Bought Soy Milk, prunes and flax seeds today too. All from Lidl to keep the cost down.
At least I’m being proactive!
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I meant to say, your GP isn't very helpful refusing a hormone blood test. I have had three done in the last year to check if I am absorbing hrt and then to monitor. I wasn't absorbing on the patches and this is common. How are you to assess the efficacy otherwise. The side effects do settle after a few months. I recommend a great book called Oestrogen Matters, which brings is home how much we need that hormone and how it can protect everthing. Heart, bones and so much more. If I were you I would insist or ask to see another GP.
I'm taking hrt mainly for bone density. Last few blood test I took, I hadn't used gel for almost 24 hours and levels were between 160 and 170. I'd read that need higher levels for bone but wondering if the low level is because the oestrogel had all been metabolised . If I had taken bloods 12 hours after applying gel, levels could be 300 so I'm ok and dont need to increase? What were your levels and were you wearing patch when bloods were taken?
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That’s interesting Bungo.
Jillyboo is Oestrogel for people who have had a surgically induced menopause, because I haven’t?
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No Oestrogel is for any woman who needs it as part of HRT. If you still have a womb you will also need to take a separate progesterone.
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Buffy26 and Jillyboo
Thank you so much for your responses.
Buffy26 I’m so sorry to hear what happened to you. Bless you I fully understand how you are feeling. When I broke my wrist I also badly damaged my adductor muscles and hobbled with a stick and was confined to downstairs for 6 weeks. Try not to feel guilty about your son. He will feel better helping you at home and if he moved out just now he would feel worse. I hope you will gradually get better and be back to how you were. I too, think my GP isn’t being very helpful about the blood test. She is calling me again on Monday and I will ask her again if I can have one.
Thank you for your kind response. Yes everyday I feel stronger so fingers crossed! How did you get on with your doc requesting the bloods?