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Have taken osteoprosis medications and they DO NOT work. I am now MINUS some teeth and a healthy right upper jawbone. Also, I have pain in my lower back 24/7. My bones easily break--I have
Can anyone suggest what vitamins and supplements to help my bone density?
SharBernie
Exercise Arthritis Chronic pain Boniva Back pain Forteo Fractures Physical therapy Fosamax Hyperparathyroidism Actonel Pain Heartburn Osteoporosis Progesterone Osteonecrosis
Ask your doctor or physical therapist about exercises that can help you strengthen your lower spine. I used to have chronic pain in my lower vertibrae, but was given a series of exercises to do everyday. The pain is gone. I know if I discontinue them, the pain will eventually start coming back. These exercises not only build up the muscles to align the backbone, but they also increase bone density.
Since the osteoporosis meds don't work for you, has your doctor explored whether there might be another cause for your weak bones, like hyperparathyroidism? With hpth, your serum calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) will be elevated, and osteoporosis meds are not very effective.
Shar-Bernie -- Vitamin D (including D3) is a must. To get enough, you really need a prescription. I started with 50,000 U once a week for eight weeks, then 50,000U every other week. My D level went to normal almost immediately (over 50% of American women have levels too low) and it also seems to help with pain.
Cindi-Bindi -- can you steer us toward a site that would describe exercises such as you do to relieve the pain? If you'd prefer to email an answer, my address is psimon45@bellsouth.net.
And Shar-Bernie -- the bisphosphanates don't work for me either, and they double my pain! I refuse to take them. (I almost lost a bunch of lower teeth, also.)
Husseysignoret -- I too have osteoporosis and back pain and just started a series of exercises from the "Egoscue Method." Pete Egoscue has books and DVD work outs on this method. I am convinced that in my case, I have muscles that I have got to "retrain" in order to straighten out my back issues. I need to strengthed my core muscles.
Also, I started Actonel about two months ago and so far I want to believe I am tolerating it okay but I do feel that my joints are hurting more than normal and my back seems to be worse. I see my doctor next week and I really don't know what to do. My T-score in my hip is -2.5 (I was just diagnosed in Oct.). I hate being on these drugs, but I am so scared to not take them. I wanted to give the meds a chance.
I also take Ezorb Calcium, but have not started on any Vitamin D as of yet. I am going to talk to my doctor about the Vit D next week.
Cindi-Bindi--I would also be interested in the exercises you did to relieve your back pain so I can compare them to the ones I am doing.
Thanks so much!
Andrea
Hello,
I havenever replied to anyone so this is a new experience for me. Please tell me how you lost your teeth and how you know that your jaw is unhealthy. Were you diagnosed with ONJ? I was and have not had the opportunity to talk to anyone that has also had it. I do not know what to expect. I have gone to numerous oral surgeons and they have not given me an answer. They did not diagnosis it until I went to Dr, Marx who seems to be the expert on this but he has not given me any support group to talk to. Looking forward to your reply.
Dear Cindi-Bindi -- I don't have hpth -- other causes have been explored. Unfortunately, I'm the one in 10 women for whom the osteoporosis drugs don't work, plus the side effects (severe pain -- on top of pain that has already forced me into early retirement -- and bone loss in my jaw, with loosened teeth; now fixed) are unacceptable.
I exercise about an hour a day -- on the treadmill, a Pilates reformer, a Nordic Track AbWerks, stretch bands, stretching -- and it feels SO good. I definitely notice if I have to miss a workout. And as I mentioned, I believe the mega-doses of Vitamin D have also reduced my pain level, although I hadn't been promised and wasn't expecting that. I also work with a Bosu (sp?), a partially inflated half dome that's excellent for balance. I stand on it with both legs, one leg, sit with both legs raised straight, one and then the other bent toward my chin, both toward my chin. At first, I couldn't last more than a few seconds without having to catch my balance, but the longer I use it, the better my balance becomes, and the less likely (I hope) it becomes that I'll fall. Although I have a lot of pain and arthritis, I'm so flexible and strong that it's hard for me to believe that I'm likely to fracture a bone. Still, I'm very careful.
I'm scared not to take the drugs, but more scared TO take them. Although tests show that for most women they maintain or even build bone mass, the tests haven't yet been successful in showing a significant reduction in initial fractures among women who take these drugs -- and fractures are what we fear.
So, I'll keep exercising, taking Vitamin D, multi-vitamin/mineral supplements, steer clear of caffeine and alcohol (and, of course, tobacco), and use very low-dose (.025) estrogen patches and natural progesterone cream, hold my head high and my shoulders back and not let myself be intimidated.
The support of the Inspire team helps a lot!
Hi CindyBindi:
Thanks for your reply. I have osteoporsis because I received very little calicum from my mother when she was pregnant with me.
Could you please give me information about the exercises you do? It's been two years that I cannot sleep at night because of the pain and now I am falling a lot.
Thanks,
SharBernie
Hi sac:
So glad you responded.
I lost my teeth because I was taking a medication to increase my bone dentity. Instead it did the opposite with my upper right jawbone and I lost some healthy teeth too.
Have a Happy Year and thanks for being there.
SharBernie
Dear huessysignoret:
Thanks for your comments. I am very interested in knowing more about the vitamin D and the exercises you do.
Hope to hear from you again. Thanks for being there to help.
SharBernie
Dear wilsonaa:
Thanks for your reply. I am grateful for your comments about exercise. I am willing to try any thing to stop this pain, stiff joint and falling.
SharBernie
If you will please help us........what medicine did you take to cause you to loose your teeth? What drug was it? Thank you.
Lower Spine Exercises
My physical therapist told me that wherever tendons pull on bones (through repeated movement, as in exercise), that will increase the bone density in that area. We've got tendons all over the place, and the spine is no exception.
Here's my disclaimer: Please DO NOT try these exercises without consulting with your doctor first!! What helps one person could cause a debilitating vertabrael fracture in another!!
Exercise 1:
Lie on back
Knees bent, in a comfortable position
Feet together
Slowly move knees to the left (at the 10:00 position, and no further)
Then to the right (at the 2:00 position, and no further).
Repeat 3 sets of 20, twice a day.
Exercise 2:
Lie on back with knees bent.
Feet apart
Lift hips up, keeping stomach and buttocks tight
Lower to floor all the way
Repeat 3 sets of 20, once a day.
Hi again,
I still do not know if you were diagnosed with ONJ, (osteonecrosis of the jaw). This comes from taking the drug that stops the break done of your bones. (suppose to, at least). I took Fosomax for over 5 years and developed a hole in my mouth with a bone protrusion. Did anything like this happen to you? What caused the loss of teeth? Did an oral surgeon pull them out? What is your prognosis? Are you still seeing an oral surgeon? What kind of dr. do you go to? Do you have any pain in your jaw? How did it get healed? Please let me know what all you went through and what you are now experiencing. How long ago did your problem develope? I have been off Fosomax for 2 years and still have some problems.
Regarding exercise: although we know that healthy bone, when we are young, responds to exercise and forces placed upon them when we move, the research on exercise increasing bone density in specific areas of the body is not exactly strong. We know that when people don't or can't exercise (think spinal cord injury, illnesses which keep people bedbound etc) they lose bone and develop osteoporosis. Astronauts develop osteoporosis due to lack of weightbearing and gravity forces. Therefore, we assume that, if we do exercise, bone density will increase. This is not always the case.
Doesn't mean we shouldn't exercise because there are many, many effects of exercise that are good for us. As for the bones, there is also the issue of bone quality and we don't know much about that. People with normal bone density sometimes sustain fractures and people with osteoporosis sometimes don't so it is not just low bone density that makes us susceptible to fracture.
For a good exercise program, include safe weightbearing activities (treadmill does not replace walking outside) and an exercise program prescribed by a health professional who is knowledgeable about good exercise for osteoporosis.
If anyone is interested and wants to send me an email privately at sara@sarameekspt.com I will send a Word document called The Re-Alignment Routine, a series of 5 exercises that look puny but have a profound effect on body alignment and will help back pain. I'm not saying they will increase bone density but they are a safe place to start.
I was on 50,000 units of Vit D3 and it gave me the worst heartburn, it was an overdose. I now take 1000 units a day and I still get heartburn. My level was good last blood test and I don't take any of the meds. Too scary for me. I would rather do it through food and getting stronger. Going to start soon with a trainer to make sure I'm doing the weights the right way.
I do have awful pain in my lower back and have some Fibro. It would be great to feel good for 24 hours!!
Robyn
Dear southernlady:
I first started taking Fosamax which give me an ucler (my sister just recently got bleeding ucler from Fosamax). Then my doctor put me on Boniva. Shortly after taking the Boniva my jaw started to make a cracking sound sporadically when I chewed. But because it was not consistent I didn't think about it. After approximately six months I noticed my teeth getting a little loose; after a year I got an infection which was caused from the loss of jawbone (upper right jawbone) and the loose teeth. So I stopped taking the Boniva.
At first I did not connect it to the Boniva until I started to hear other people having the same problem. Now I have stopped taking any medication and will used supplements.
Shar,
Thank you for posting. I knew it had to be that drug or one of the drugs in that class. I am so sorry. I believe when I see a doctor they are going to want to put me on those drugs but I am refusing and I will not take Forteo either........as for staying on Evista.......I may until I see my May vaginal ultrasound and if my lining has increased then I will get off the drug forever.....Happy New Year!
Dear Sac:
I first started on Fosamax for 2 years. But stopped taking it because I developed an ucler. I then went onto Boniva. After one year I developed a bad infection in my teeth. When I went to the oral surgeon I found out that my teeth were infected because I lost jawbone which caused food to be caught under my teeth.
I still have troubles with my jaw. It cracks all the time now and once in a while it difficult to move it. It actually feels like it will never move again, plus it's painful.
SharBernie
SharBernie
Dear Sara,
I will send you now an email to get the Word document Re-alignment you are writing about.
Thanks
Hello Sara,
Your word document Re-alignment your talking about, is that in your Book?
If so, where?
As I have said before here, I took a one month pill of Boniva and was sick for almost two weeks. I'll will not take anything like that again. But this is the weird thing that happened to me after I just took Boniva a few weeks ago.
I have a Trigemenial (sp?) nerve in my face. When I would touch my chin, side of my face, ear very slightly, I would get a electricial pain/shock on my face, up to my eye and on the left side of my head.
Ever since I have taken the Bovnia, it has gone away!
I have had this pain for a few years...
My Dr. cannot figure out why the Bonvia took the pain away.
Has anyone had this type of experiance?
Physical Therapy did help me with that nerve problem, but after boniva it seems to be gone!!
Thank You,
April
Hi Shar,
I am astounded that you have that much jaw damage from bone loss. Have you had it x-rayed to be sure it is not broken? Can you see a specialist about it? Even an orthopedic dr might be helpful. I wonder if taking Forteo for two years might rebuild your jaw bone (as well as others)? I hate to see this progress any further, when you must be finding it almost impossible to eat. Were you able to get a partial plate or denture? Good luck to you,
Tom
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