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30 with Osteoporosis

30withosteo
1 Recommendation

I was just diagnosed this past week. Back in September I began having severe pain in my knee and ankle. When I went to the dr. he blew me off because I had not really had a trauma that could have caused a severe injury. After 3 months a new dr. diagnosed me with 2 fractures in my knee and 1 in my ankle. She said that she could tell I had osteo by just looking at my xrays. She has put me on fosamax along with calcium, vit. D and magnesium. As much as I can take of those. I was very surprised and concerned about whether any of the damaged can be reversed and if not what I can do to prevent myself from having one injury after another. If anyone has any advice I would love to hear it.

Explore topics in this discussion:

Exercise Celiac disease Boniva Forteo Fractures Pregnancy Fosamax Synthroid Osteopenia Pain Anorexia Osteoporosis Cortisol Stress

25 replies

VictoriaLynn

My early on set Osteo was caused by Celiac Disease.
It is a disease that causes you not to be able to process food. Which means you don't get calcium , minerals etc.
This disease is found in about 1 in every 150 people.
I broke my hip and back at age 48. The doctors think that I had had osteo for many years by then. I just did not know it.
It would be good to just read up on this disease. Because early osteoporosis is sometimes one of the first signs.
Celiac disease is controlled by diet alone... No gluten.. means no bread etc... It is worth it ...
But having said that I am struggling to find something to help me. I am now 61 and just getting worse.. I did Forteo for 18 months and managed to lose 2% bone mass.
So the search is on for some other magic!!
hugs (careful hugs) to all of you...

Bonie

Thanks - I printed out the 5 lifestyle factors. I think I'm doing OK overall except for the weight bearing part. I DID find a good resistance excercise for my legs last year and my hip joints were a little better this time around. But - my spine is really alot worse this year. I don't have time to go to classes, so I'm hoping to find something that I can do at home.

SequoiaHealth

Hi Bonie:
Please remember the medications work best when your body is assisting them. The only way for your body can assist is to modify the 5 lifestyle factors mentioned above. If the meds are not working then your body is not assisting in the process. Your body works as a whole unit. I would suggest working with a health professional who understands this concept.

Osteoporosis is not a condition you can “Band-Aid” away. If you want the medications to work effectively, make the other lifestyle changes to assit in the process.

Please feel free to contact me directly if you need more information.

Hope this helps.

Woody McMahon
NOVA Osteoporosis Support Group Leader

YoungMum88

after it first happened i lost about 5 cm! of height but as my back has strengthened i have regained a bit and now am only approx 2 cm shorter than i originally was.

Bonie

I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to increase the bone density of my spine. I took fosomax for 2 yrs, then forteo pen for 1 & 1/2 yrs, then boniva for 6mths, now fosomax again for a year. I kept switching meds because the bone density tests were worse each year. Last year, I bought a leg exercise machine - magic leg- or something like that. This year my hip density was slightly improved - maybe it was the leg exercises - I'm not sure. BUT my spine density is quite a bit worse this year than last year. So, I'm trying to figure out some way to increase the density of my spinal column. I asked my doctor if my spine would deteriorate clear to the spinal cord - & she said no, it will just break. Well, I don't want it to break! So - I'm going to have to educate myself more about this disease and try to strengthen my spinal cord somehow...I'm in my mid 50's. I have Primary Biliary Cirhosis -I think that's why I got the Osteo so soon.

SequoiaHealth

Hi Littled:
Why don't you email directly at woody@sequoiahealth.com for more inofrmation.

Woody McMahon
NOVA Osteoporosis Support Group Leader

waters

Hi GG522. I'm 35 with osteo and too decided not to take Forteo due to no data. However, there is a study on Forteo in premenopausal women going on now at Columbia. We have a family friend who is a Forteo nurse and she swears by it. My amazing endo at the Mayo Clinic says that I should take Forteo, its just a matter of when. I'm still holding off for now. You CAN have a baby!! Just like one of the women said, your estrogen is so high when you're pregnant, it protects your bones. Post pregnancy is a different story and is definitely your risk area. You will want a c-section to be safe, and I would consider not nursing. If it is REALLY important to you, nurse for a month. For me, I insisted on nursing, and 3 months in is where it gets scary (they were measuring me since I fracctured 3 mos into breastfeeding with my first -didn't know I had osteo until that happened). Good luck!!

RudyRude2

My daughter is 31 yrs. old and takes Deprovera shots for birth control. She was told to make sure and supplement that with plenty of calcium because it could lead to Osteopenia. Maybe that is one reason so many younger people are showing up with Osteopenia and Osterporosis.

I wish all the best to the young women that have Osteoporosis, hang in there. Here is a book title that i have read. "Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis" by Alan R. Gaby, MD. It is a Natural Approach to Increasing bone mass. It seems kind of complicated , but maybe some of you can wade through it and find it useful.

RocknRoll

There is so much conflicting information out there that I just don't know what to believe anymore! Dairy is bad, dairy is okay. Caffiene is okay, caffiene is bad. I just turned 56 and a doctor told me (after he looked at my x-ray and found 2 old spine fractures) I was too young to have osteo. It's unreal to me that these women in their 20's and 30's are being diagnosed with osteoporosis. Feel so bad for them... reversiblecat, I've read about flouride over the years and I don't think it's doing us any good. Think I remember reading that the containers the powder comes in has the skull and crossbones on it. Guess that tells us something.

serena217

I am also so very frustrated. all the docs are telling me that it is very rare to have osteo at such a young age.my endocrinologist has told me that all test were neg. so he has no idea what has caused my osteo. and he has told me that he can not help me since the meds are very bad for women who want to have a family. he has now referred me to an rheumatologist. now i am trying to get an apt. and have been told no apts tell sept. i am trying to take of myself without hurting my chances of having children.

littled

Does anyone know of a really good Endocrinologist that specializes in bones? After battling osteoporosis for three years (I am 32 now) my MD has told me that she is at the end of her knowledge and that I should be going to Mayo or Cleveland Clinic. My labs don't make sense; the only thing that's been consistently level is the TSH (thank you Synthroid).

I am just so frustrated, angry, and depressed... and I don't know what to do next. As I have already had some major fractures in my arm and spine, I am just terrified to do anything even remotely risky, like being in a large crowd. Any tips or suggestions?

Thanks!

purplbug

Whoops!

I aknowledged "reversiblecat" 2 messages ago. I MEANT "SequoiaHealth" .

-Meghan (purplbug)

purplbug

gg522, Cute Pic!

Your story inspires me a bit. Where do you have osteopenia? Which bones? I'm awaiting a bone density test for my body May 15th. My Doc said the same as yours." Never seen it in one so young"

You'd think the docs would communicate more often.

-Meghan (purplbug)

purplbug

Reversiblecat,

I appreciate your input. My wrist, I think may a different issue from the Osteoporosis. Not sure. Going to Urgent Care tomorrow.

I have consulted my Doc and a trusted personal trainer for proper excersize, and weight training for one with osteoporosis. I want to make sure that I continue a work-out, making my muscles strong, without hurting myself.

-Meghan (purplbug)

reversiblecat

It's disheartening to see so many young people with osteoporosis. I got sucked into a website this morning that mentions the poisonous aspect of flouride in our water supply - flouride being harmful to both bones and the thyroid. Here I am drinking "lots of water"; making teas and juices; and eating soups full of flouride & I have to wonder if it is helping or hurting me. It's in sodas, beer, coffee (which I don't consume). I use a flouride-filter for my drinking water, but I shower in flouride water; water my garden in flouride water, etc.
I can't help but wonder if this toxic stuff isn't in part adding to our osteo problems here. It really angers me. Many countries in Europe have banned it. Why not us??
http://feastandfamine.blogspot.com/2009/04/water-water-everywhere-fluoride- in.html

SequoiaHealth

Hi All:
All of you are very young to be diagnosed with osteoporosis. I work with many women with osteoporosis and/or osteopenia. At your ages, a methodical approach to determining the cause of your osteo is important before rushing off to take medications.

We use the following guidelines in our Be Bone Strong! program. It is what I call the
“Big 5 for Bone Health.” These are:

1. A diet that contains 50% fruits and vegetables. Fruits and veggies contain
greater amounts of water and minerals with generally lesser amounts of
animal protein.
2. Adequate water intake for maximum hydration. Water is very important
in helping the kidneys regulate pH and detoxify the body.
3. Daily stress reduction activities. This helps lower cortisol and homocysteine levels reducing calcium loss.
4. Year round vitamin D3 levels in the 50-80 ng/mL (or 125-200 nM/L).
This should be confirmed by 25-hydroxyvitamin D testing.
5. Sufficient weight bearing exercise to stimulate balance and muscle growth which is essential for bone strengthening determined by regular full body strength testing.

Each one is important and cannot be neglected if you want your bones to return to a healthy state. Here are some additional resources.

The very best website I have found on the subject of vitamin D amounts is Dr. Cannel’s at http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/. It is possible to improve bone density without medication but you will need a well balanced program.

The Myth of Osteoporosis by Gillian Sanson is a worthwhile read. She presents some compelling reasons to take the finger off the panic button and start looking at moving to a healthier lifestyle. She challenges the current thinking on the “diagnosis” of osteoporosis and brings up some interesting epidemiological studies that raise questions on DEXA scores.

Please feel free to contact me if you need more information.

Hope this helps.

Woody McMahon
Reston/Herndon Osteoporosis Support Group Leader

purplbug

Hi all,

I'm new at this. I don't even have a Myspace or a Facebook.

I'm 32. I was told last week that I have Osteoporosis. To quote my Doc I "have the wrist of a 75 year old woman." I went to my Doc with right wrist pain. I hadn't done anything to it. He saw signs of Osteoporosis and had me come in to have my left wrist X-rayed. There is no pain in this wrist, but Osteoporosis was there too. The painful wrist continues to be in pain. My Doc only told me that I need to ice it regularly and wear a wrist brace. There are no signs of a break. Why does it hurt if there's nothing broken?

Also, I can't be seen again until May 15th.

Scared and confused. Thanks for listening.

-Meghan (purplbug)

-Meghan

Wendyday

I am 24 with -2.8 osteo. My tests to find out why all came back negative. The doctor thinks that it is just because I havent been taking enough calcium through pregnancy, nursing. I too have never really liked dairy products.

He also told me that your bones don't stop growing strength until you are 35. He said to walk daily and said that I would be fine getting pregnant. Your body protects your bones while you are pregnant. Just don't nurse!

Good luck! I too am so grateful to have found this site!

pgreene

gq522,
It is possible to have it so young. I was diagnosed at age 33. Fortunately I already had 2 children and was done having children. There are many women on this site that have pregnancy-induced osteoporosis and plan to have more children. Is it possible you could have a successful pregnancy spending the last trimester in bed? I certainly would not give up on the idea.
My scores were -2.5 in my spine and hip when I was diagnosed. I took Fosamax for 13 years and my scores are now -1.2 but who knows what 13 years of Fosamax have done because there are no studies for that length of time. By the way, I am still premenopausal. I have decided to take a drug holiday for a year and started my holiday in October. It's a good thing because I'm having an impacted wisdom tooth pulled next week and would have had to stop Fosamax for 2 months before having it extracted. I am considering taking strontium. I figure it can't hurt me.
But you can have osteoporosis at your age and you can get through it.

Peggy

gq522

I am also a 30 year old with Osteoporosis. Every Doctor I have seen has told me it is not possible. They want me to take Forteo but since studies have not been done on woman our age I personally feel the risk it to high. The medication has only been approved by the FDA for 4 years. I have made a decision to wait to begin treatment. My doctor's feel it is the best idea at least for the next 2 years. I am -2.6 in my hips. They are telling me I cannot have any children because my hips would break in the 3rd trimester. I also have Osteoporosis in my hands arms and legs. It is not in my spine yet but I do have Osteopeana in my spine. I am praying for a miracle and having faith. I encourage all of you to read and educate yourself on this medication before taking it. The side effects and risks can be life changing.

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