I need some help. I am 31 years old and 34 weeks pregnant. I was diagnosed a few weeks ago with transient osteoporosis of pregnancy and I feel a bit lost. Right now it is in both of my hips and I am getting another mri tomorrow to see if it has moved to my knees. At first they told me I needed to have a c-section because of fear of fracture but now they think I might be able to have a vaginal birth. I am scared and not sure which i should push. Does anyone have any advice and labor and delivery with this disease? They also told me that I cannot breastfeed and that they wanted to put me on osteo drugs, I cannot remember which one. After reading many of the posts on this site, I am afraid to take anything. No one has told me to take vit d or calcium supplements...should I be and how much? Currently I have been taking only prenatal and omaga 3. aaah, so much to think about. This is my first pregnancy and I feel like I am having everything stripped away from me. I am trying to stay positive but it is hard. Any help?
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I'm Pregnant and have Osteo...what do I do now?
- By mcgee334
- Posted September 3, 2009 at 5:51 pm · 13 replies
- In Premenopausal women (ages 25-50) with osteoporosis
- Shared with the public
Explore topics in this discussion:
Exercise Ibuprofen Fractures Pregnancy Physical therapy Breast feeding Pain Osteoporosis
13 replies
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- By petplant
- Posted September 4, 2009 at 9:51 am
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You have a lot to think about. The final decision is yours & no one can tell you what to do - they can just give advice (friends & even the doctor). I did not go thru what you are going thru, but you might want to get a 2nd opinion.
I favor Integrative Medicine because it gives you both options - meds. and/or natural means of healing/treatment. If you just go to a Medical Dr., he/she usually only knows Medicine - which pills to prescribe & sometimes, Physical Therapy.
You might also want to find out just how bad or not-so-bad you bone loss is, so that you can make a better decision.
If your baby needs calcium, your body can take it from your bones to give the baby - so that could be a problem.
I suggest trying to find a good calcium diet - leafy greens, milk (I've heard that cheese is not so good), sardines, etc. Maybe ask the Dr. about a Nutritionist or Dietitian.
You might also want to consult an herbalist - some know Chinese herbs, some know Ayurvedic herbs, etc. There are different approaches that can yield the same results. One caution - you do have to be careful with herbs because some can affect the baby as much as meds. can. Most herbalists know this.
Good luck!
- By bethanyb
- Posted September 4, 2009 at 12:26 pm
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I had my son a year ago when I was 31. I wasn't diagnosed with osteoporosis until he was 10 months old. I did breastfeed, so I don't know if I had osteoporosis at the time my son was born or if it developed later. Either way, I'm sure my bone density was pretty low when he was born and I had a vaginal delivery with no problems. Of course, your situation could be entirely different, so I'm not sure my one story can help that much. Have you broken any bones? I have never broken a bone, so I'm not even sure if my low bone density is a problem or just part of the way I am made.
There are several good discussions on here about breastfeeding and osteo, if you haven't already come across them.
I have decided not to do any medications for now and am working on my diet and exercise. Are you on good prenatal vitamins? I'm surprised doctors haven't suggested calcium and vitamin D. I took both when I was pregnant and I certainly don't think it could hurt.
I hope this info helps a little. I wish I knew more to help you make a good decision.
- By mcgee334
- Posted September 4, 2009 at 12:36 pm
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Thanks for the info. I think I will be looking into herbs once I deliver. Beth - how many mg of calcium and vit d did you take? I am taking prenatal and omega 3 and I thought that was enough. I think I need to start on others. Thanks again.
- By tam512
- Posted September 4, 2009 at 2:02 pm
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I also made it through two vaginal deliveries without fracturing, but i did fracture when both of my babies were around 4 months old (I was breastfeeding, had no idea that i had pregnancy-induced osteo)
The first thing i would do is find a good endocrinologist- where do you live? I am familiar with a few on the east coast if that helps. Tell them the situation, and see if they can get you in ASAP.
As far as calcium and vitamin D, I am also suprised that noone told you to start supplementing... speak to your dr. about it for sure. In the meantime, drink lots of milk!
As far as breastfeeding goes, I know it is definitely not recommended with this condition, and I myself will never breastfeed again if I decide to have more children. But with that said, it is a VERY personal decision, so i would never tell anyone what to do on that front.
And the last thing you can do is be as careful as you can with movements, lifting etc... Knowing that you have this problem is half the battle, so make sure to be self-conscious about your lifting.
Feel free to email me if you want info about endocrinologists. traceydengler@gmail.com
tracey
- By Lee29
- Posted September 4, 2009 at 3:56 pm
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I was also diagnosed with transient regional osteoporosis, however, it was discovered when I was 1 month post partum. I began feeling hip pain at 37 weeks although doctors thought it was symphysis pubic separation and it was misdiagnosed until the pain got much worse post partum. I had it in both hips and was in significant pain (my back and knees hurt too). It was finally diagnosed with an MRI. Unfortunately, the pain got worse and I had great difficulty walking for a few months until gradually things got better. You must be very careful as your bones are at risk of fracture. I did deliver vaginally and I'm not sure if that made things better or worse (my daughter was small at birth 5.5 pounds so the delivery was probably easier than a heavier baby). I think I was lucky as I did not fracture compared to some other women's experiences on this site. I was healthy and in good shape pre-pregnancy. I immediately started taking 1600 of calcium and 2000 of Vitamin D once diagnosed. I also took a homeopathic remedy for bone strength. I took high doses of ibuprofen for pain for about 3 months (safe during breastfeeding) until the pain became more manageable. I continued to breastfeed against my endocrinologist's advice (my choice to continue) but I did reduce so I was doing both formula and breastmilk. My orthopedist on the other hand told me to continue breastfeeding as he thought I was getting better and it was good for our baby. I had a DEXA at 4 months post partum with hip scores of 2.1 and spine scores of 3.5 - not the greatest obviously. I've been more conscious of my diet (to eat calcium rich foods - I am a vegetarian too) and I am slowly improving. My daughter is now 7 months and I am physically so much better with minor pain in my back and hips. I have been given the green light to do light weights and I have been walking as much as I can tolerate since my daughter was 3 months. It is a terrible diagnosis especially for moms (this was also my first pregnancy too although I am 40). Doctors did not recommend osteoporosis medication because it has not been tested on pre-menopausal women. I've also been told not to take meds during childbearing years (in case we have another child). It is VERY hard to find anyone who knows something about transient regional osteoporosis and I researched like CRAZY. I found a leading bone expert at Yale who provided some info. I also looked for many breastfeeding experts and found someone who helped me determine the risks in continuing to breastfeed. The good news with TRO is that apparently you make a complete recovery (if you were not osteoporotic before pregnancy which of course is hard to determine if you were never tested) but the bad news is that it takes time to recover (3 months - 1 year on average). I started feeling MUCH better at the 6 month point. Some things that were helpful to me were to take one day at a time, set up things at home to avoid lifting as much as possible (if you lift your baby which of course is unavoidable do it close to your body and with a straight back). If you have friends, family or neighbors that can help, let them. It's so hard to experience this as a first time mom but remember that it gets better over time. I thought I would never recover at some point and the pain was unbearable at times but I am finally on the other side. My bones are still a mess but I am functioning normally now. Many women have stopped breastfeeding which I think is a smart choice too so I'm only sharing my own personal experience. I hope this is helpful.
Lee
P.S. Prenatals contain very little calcium and I wish I supplemented with more calcium and vitamin D but at the time I had no idea I had TRO
P.P.S. I did not have any of the risk factors for TRO so my doctors think I had an "exuberant" response to pregnancy unless I had osteoporosis and didn't know it.
- By Lee29
- Posted September 4, 2009 at 3:56 pm
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I was also diagnosed with transient regional osteoporosis, however, it was discovered when I was 1 month post partum. I began feeling hip pain at 37 weeks although doctors thought it was symphysis pubic separation and it was misdiagnosed until the pain got much worse post partum. I had it in both hips and was in significant pain (my back and knees hurt too). It was finally diagnosed with an MRI. Unfortunately, the pain got worse and I had great difficulty walking for a few months until gradually things got better. You must be very careful as your bones are at risk of fracture. I did deliver vaginally and I'm not sure if that made things better or worse (my daughter was small at birth 5.5 pounds so the delivery was probably easier than a heavier baby). I think I was lucky as I did not fracture compared to some other women's experiences on this site. I was healthy and in good shape pre-pregnancy. I immediately started taking 1600 of calcium and 2000 of Vitamin D once diagnosed. I also took a homeopathic remedy for bone strength. I took high doses of ibuprofen for pain for about 3 months (safe during breastfeeding) until the pain became more manageable. I continued to breastfeed against my endocrinologist's advice (my choice to continue) but I did reduce so I was doing both formula and breastmilk. My orthopedist on the other hand told me to continue breastfeeding as he thought I was getting better and it was good for our baby. I had a DEXA at 4 months post partum with hip scores of 2.1 and spine scores of 3.5 - not the greatest obviously. I've been more conscious of my diet (to eat calcium rich foods - I am a vegetarian too) and I am slowly improving. My daughter is now 7 months and I am physically so much better with minor pain in my back and hips. I have been given the green light to do light weights and I have been walking as much as I can tolerate since my daughter was 3 months. It is a terrible diagnosis especially for moms (this was also my first pregnancy too although I am 40). Doctors did not recommend osteoporosis medication because it has not been tested on pre-menopausal women. I've also been told not to take meds during childbearing years (in case we have another child). It is VERY hard to find anyone who knows something about transient regional osteoporosis and I researched like CRAZY. I found a leading bone expert at Yale who provided some info. I also looked for many breastfeeding experts and found someone who helped me determine the risks in continuing to breastfeed. The good news with TRO is that apparently you make a complete recovery (if you were not osteoporotic before pregnancy which of course is hard to determine if you were never tested) but the bad news is that it takes time to recover (3 months - 1 year on average). I started feeling MUCH better at the 6 month point. Some things that were helpful to me were to take one day at a time, set up things at home to avoid lifting as much as possible (if you lift your baby which of course is unavoidable do it close to your body and with a straight back). If you have friends, family or neighbors that can help, let them. It's so hard to experience this as a first time mom but remember that it gets better over time. I thought I would never recover at some point and the pain was unbearable at times but I am finally on the other side. My bones are still a mess but I am functioning normally now. Many women have stopped breastfeeding which I think is a smart choice too so I'm only sharing my own personal experience. I hope this is helpful.
Lee
P.S. Prenatals contain very little calcium and I wish I supplemented with more calcium and vitamin D but at the time I had no idea I had TRO
P.P.S. I did not have any of the risk factors for TRO so my doctors think I had an "exuberant" response to pregnancy unless I had osteoporosis and didn't know it.
- By Lee29
- Posted September 4, 2009 at 3:59 pm
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oops - sorry for the double post - I'm a little technologically challenged.
Lee
- By YoungMum88
- Posted September 5, 2009 at 3:18 am
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Hi Mcgee, i would like to tell you a bit about my story and i hope it helps.
Like many other women here it was approx 2 months after i gave birth that i suffered 6 fractures in my spine and i was diagnosed with osteoporosis which was put down to my pregnancy. I was also breastfeeding which obviously caused my bone density to rapidly decrease. During pregnancy your bones are protected as only a small amount (5%) of calcium is taken from your spine for the baby but during breastfeeding 95% is from your spine hence the rapid decline. As you will read from other women we all have had a similar experience with time frame and where we fractured.
I did not suffer any injury from have a natural birth but i then believe my bone density was higher then. Doctors have suggested for me to have a c-section for any future pregnancies and to only breastfeed for a VERY short time (1 week).
At first i thought a c-section would be a good idea but now i believe that it isnt. Your stomach muscles will be already non existant after birth but to have the cut basically right through would give you absolutely no support for your spine which i think would lead to possible fractures.
So i too am also faced with a tough decision and dont have the answer. Because now i have a much lower bone density and am not sure if having a natural birth will be a risk also.
I would strongly reccomend a lower back brace this will also help to prevent fractures and give your spine the support that your stomach cant. I wore one for months after my fractures healed.
Thinking of you & good luck
Julie
(but please listen to my story, for months i could carry or barely hold my beautiful baby and i wouldnt wish it on anyone, so do all you can to stop this awful disease)
- By mcgee334
- Posted September 5, 2009 at 10:29 am
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Thank you all for your posts. It is nice to hear that I am not totally alone in this. This is my first pregnancy and everything was going perfect until 28 weeks. I feel like I am getting all the motherly experiences taken away from me, but at least my baby is healthy. I have found an endocrinologist and hope they can check my bone density before I deliver to see if breastfeeding is an option. I am devastated that they do not want me to breastfeed, but I am also scared of a fracture. I have yet to fracture and I really don't want to risk one. I haven't been able to walk for about 5 weeks and it has been so hard. I find myself getting so depressed and then mad at myself for not being excited for this baby. Of course I am excited, but this disease is so debilitating and sucks the life right out of you. I am going to look into the diets, vitamins and herbs that have been recommended and hope a natural recovery will work best. Thanks again. It has been so hard and I don't think the doctors or anyone else know what we are going through. SO, thanks for your imput.
- By LindaS
- Posted September 5, 2009 at 11:45 am
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I got osteoporosis during my 5th month of pregnancy. I also had avascular neurcrosis of both hips. I was 31 years old at the time. I got 2 compresssion fractures during this pregnancy which was my second. I didn't have any problem delivering my child vaginally and she was 9.5 lbs. I had only weighed 104 lbs before pregnancy. I would like to warn you to be careful of compression fractures with the extra weight of the baby. Also, I did not breast feed and have heard since that breast feeding can take a lot of calcium from your bones. I wish you the best of luck and hope all goes well for you.
- By nobonesaboutit
- Posted September 6, 2009 at 4:41 pm
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Please don't megadose on vitamin A,D,E,&K. They are oil soluable vitamins that take longer to be excreted and some have been proven to cause birth defects in excess. You need an endocriniologist who has experience with pregnancy wiith odteo. Good luck.
- By sflickst
- Posted September 8, 2009 at 9:03 pm
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I am so sorry to hear your story. I just posted my reply to the 44 year old with osteoporosis. Please review my reply.
Transient osteoporosis is pregnancy is an unfortunate name for such a debilitating disease. My recommendations would be to seek the advice of a physical therapist with knowledge of this disease, and especially the disease in pregnancy.
A physical therapist will perform a baseline evaluation which will include a complete history, risk assessment and physical examination.
While your condition is self-limiting, since it frequently resolves following pregnancy, the goal at this time is prevention. You need to halt the progression, learn correct movement strategies to prevent you from developing a fracture, and learn safe and effective exercise to help build bone and improve muscle strength.
As for not breast feeding, I would consult with another physician knowledgeable in the disease, as well as a nutritionist. You need an appropriate screening and instructions on diet and supplements which will be safe for you during your pregnancy and upon the birth of your child.
Depending upon your location, you need to find a PT who has been trained to safely treat osteoporosis. While I am in NY, there are many others around the nation. Sara Meeks at www.sarameekspt.com and Sherri Betz at http://therapilates.com are two therapists who teach and work with osteoporosis. I am also available at allaboutalignment@yahoo.com.
Regarding delivery, I would check my profession's website at www.APTA.org and look for a therapist who has certification in Women's Health issues. Guidelines for pregnancy and birthing are very specific, and that is not my area of expertise.
I wish you well, and hope you reach out for a physical therapist to help guide you at this stage as soon as possible.
- By bethanyb
- Posted September 10, 2009 at 1:50 pm
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mcgee334,
My doctor told me to take 2000 IU vitamin D and 2000 mg calcium. I have read quite a few things lately about vitamin D being important during pregnancy. Here is an article from mayo clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-d-pregnancy/MY00511. It says 2000 IU is the current tolerable upper limit, but I've read good arguments in several places that vitamin D recommendations and limits are really too low. You can get a blood test to see if your vitamin D levels are low, perhaps you could ask your doctor about that.
Since I found out I have osteoporosis, I've learned about body ph level. I started testing myself with ph test strips and my body was very acidic. I've increased the amount of fresh produce I eat and my ph tests are starting to come up. I found out that breastmilk is alkaline, so I suspect that breastfeeding caused my body to be more acidic. I'm not sure if pregnancy could do the same thing, but it might be worth checking out or at least adding more fresh vegis and fruit to your diet.
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