Wellness

[Cheriblossom]

I am at the border between ostoperosis and osteopenia.  Instead of taking prolia, which my doctor said I could, I started taking Algaecal.  It's a natural supplement and I've been taking it for 2.5 years now.  I excercise too and eat 5 prunes a day. There are studies that show eating 5-6 prunes daily can help preserve bone density at the hip and potentially reduce fracture risk.  On my last bone density scan, I edged back to osteopenia from osteoporosis.

[amyb]

@Cheriblossom My college roommate told me about the prune thing too! I was doing it for a while...I need to start again...tks for that reminder! I may be way beyond prunes being "the thing" that helps me most, but couldn't hurt.

[SilleeMee]

Osteop drugs are only part of the picture when it comes to 'risk for fracture'. Changes in lifestyle, diet, exercise and supplements all can help. Rx drugs are there but pick your poison wisely.

My 'risk for fracture' was extremely high when my osteop was first discovered. No amount of lifestyle change would have helped at that point. I needed the help of Rx drugs to help me get started. Without the drugs I might have ended up with broken bones before I could start with changing my lifestyle to begin with. 

[PamfromCT]

I won't bore you with my history - did take Fosomax without the desired results - but have been getting Prolia injections twice a year for several years now.  I am doing well with no side effects.  I am being treated at a university Bone Clinic.

I would rely on what a competent specialist in this field recommends for your treatment. Every medication can have potential side effects, but this is a situation I would not fool around this,  My mother took Fosomax with limited success

many years back with limited success, and the results helped spur her rapid decline.  

I will say that while on Prolia, I follow a limit of how much Calcium I take in through my diet.  Had to cut my coffee habit. 
I am happy I made this decision to take this drug.

[dimin]

You still take stuff. I don't know why you had to go there with the filthy, money making useless drek. You don't know everything.

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@willowbark wrote:

One of the richest women in the world with access to concierge medicine at the snap of her fingers and lo and behold, she broke a hip. 

Conversely, my mother of modest means was lassoed and cattle roped by her GP and she went on to break her collar bone and a few years later her femur which ended up killing her before she could get help while waiting in the ER. 

As for  myself, I will never take any of their filthy, money-making useless drek. I take calcium (with D3 and K2) and exercise. 

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[Shelbelle]

Fosamax is very old and outdated drug, I would look into something more current. 

[Shelbelle]

I also take calcium, D3, K2 and magnesium and have managed to stay away from osteoporosis for over 20 years. 

[shy bobcat]

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@amyb wrote:

I'm 68, have had Osteoporosis for several years now (started with Osteopenia in my 30's.) Have had most of my docs, including an endocrinologist, tell me to "just take the Fosimax." But same reasons you state @BarbiHollywood I've held back, trying diet, strength training etc. NONE of the options don't have scary contradicting info on them, with possible crummy side effects. Runs in my family too.

My mom had it. Took Fosimax for about 5 yrs, in her 70's with no problem, lived to be 91, almost 92, in decent shape. Fell a few times at home, never, THANKFULLY, broke anything. Strong woman.

Mom was a bigger boned lady than I am; I'm more petite boned, and she was strong, withstood meds and didn't think anything of just "listening to the docs" (generational) not questioning anything. Worked for her.

As for me, I'm not going to be negligent with this...I'm being careful, I'm an active person, and in good shape for my age. I have Osteo in my spine and one hip. My last Dexa scan it had not gotten worse and slightly better in the hip. 

I don't do extra Calcium, as heart disease runs in my family, my dad had lots of heart issues, and I'm on meds for hereditary type cholesterol (I'm healthy weight, eat a healthy diet), but have "high lipo protein-a" that is the hereditary genetiics for cholesterol being high they can't medicate. Adding calcium can cause plaque in the arteries, though there's all kinds of info on this, back and forth, but I'm not going to take a chance.

My new (and even my former) PCP was ok with my feelings of wanting to hold off on meds for now, be diligent about consistent strength training, and healthy diet, and see what the next scan says. I don't expect to actually have "grown" much new bone, as it's very hard to do, but we'll see, maybe it isn't worse, hopefully!!

Also, some women in my online workout community have posted some good advice of what they've been doing to mitigate things without meds...I need to go back and take down this info for myself and my next doc visit and scan, so when I do I'll post it here. There was another type scan this woman did, she recommended, that gave more than the basic bone numbers that helped her know how she could treat things.

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@amyb  I am impressed with how well you are taking care of yourself, and I believe your doctor feels the same way.

I was wondering why your mother stopped taking the Fosamax. She was fortunate not to have broken any bones. 

Many of us have concerns about bone health, so I hope you decide to keep us informed on your decisions regarding your own bone health. 

[freakygirl]

read about the ONERO PROGRAM and if you’re interested, find out if there’s a doctor or physical therapist in your area that’s certified trained in it. it’s supposed to be very good and has helped so many women with osteoporosis

[amyb]

@shy bobcat You can only take Fosimax for a limited time. I believe 5 years would be the max. I'm estimating how long mom took it by memory, but it felt like 3-5 years she did it. She never did anything else that I know of for osteoporosis.

Her two falls were sliding down her 5 stair stairway one day, not a bad fall per se, and off her bed once at night! 😳 She went into assisted living around age 88, for safety, and living closer to me...so luckily her home with stairs was no longer an issue then. She never had any other falls, thankfully, and really was a vibrant 91 year old...it was "Covid" in the end. Sad as that was, she'd have hated a year and a half of lockdown at her assisted living, and she lived a good life 'til then. ❤️