Worried about T scores, too...

[Mojo's Mom]

My surgery is six months away and I got my DEXA scan done now because I know I have risk factors for osteoporosis. My T scores are -0.1 in the lumbar region, -1.7 in the hip and -2.5 at the femoral neck. So I have osteopenia in the hip and borderline osteoporosis at the femoral neck.

My report is with the surgeon and I haven't heard anything yet...just worrying now. Can anyone speculate whether or not this will be a problem for me with my surgery?

[Doreen1]

Hi Stephanie,

I have lumbar -2.4 score which is an average score of several disks. If you look at these disks individually, there are some that are -2.7. My hip scores are normal. I had GREAT concern yesterday when I met with Dr. Lenke. He said as long as I am on Forteo, he has no concern operating on me. While this was not an issue for Lenke, it was an issue with Atlanta surgeon which is why she canceled my surgery. You'll find out soon enough if your surgeon is conservative or not with bone density issues.

Warmly,
Doreen

[Mojo's Mom]

Thanks, Doreen, and I am so happy to hear that you are back on track with a more experienced surgeon. I'm not really too worried because my surgeon is another top guy. I had asked him at my initial consult if osteoporosis would be a factor, and he indicated he could work with it if necessary. Honestly my biggest worry is that someone will want me to take something like Forteo or Fosamax and I want NO part of any of that. They scare me more than this surgery does. I hope you can tolerate the Forteo okay.

[loves to skate]

Stephanie, The vast majority of people do just fine on Fosamax or Forteo. You only hear about the few who don't. Please don't be afraid of them. So long as you are being monitored by your Doctor and report any side effects immediately, you will be just fine.
Sally

[mabeckoff]

Thanks, Doreen, and I am so happy to hear that you are back on track with a more experienced surgeon. I'm not really too worried because my surgeon is another top guy. I had asked him at my initial consult if osteoporosis would be a factor, and he indicated he could work with it if necessary. Honestly my biggest worry is that someone will want me to take something like Forteo or Fosamax and I want NO part of any of that. They scare me more than this surgery does. I hope you can tolerate the Forteo okay.

What are the side efforts that are so bad?

[Mojo's Mom]

For me, not so much the side effects as the adverse reactions. Like osteonecrosis of the jaw bone, and broken femurs, associated with Fosamax and its family of drugs. How can a drug that's supposed to build your bones actually result in bone death or fractures? And none of them have any long term studies beyond five years. I think it's scary to be messing with the body's normal breakdown and rebuilding of bone.

Forteo is parathyroid hormone and I read that it began giving mice osteosarcoma in the early testing. I understand it's not been studied beyond two years of use, and that human studies were abandoned after two years because of the fears of osteosarcoma in the mice proving out for the humans, too. I believe that's why it's recommended for no more than 18 months of use.

No one knows what this stuff will do to you long term. I would like to resolve my issues with Calcium, Vitamin D supplementation and maybe the bio-identical replacement hormones I wanted to avoid. I am post-menopausal.

I just don't trust the pharmaceutical industry very far. We have to trust, to a large extent, because we have no choice. But when we DO have choices, I go for the natural alternatives if available and effective.

But my bones are clearly thinning, and it worries me. I feel as if I'm in a Catch-22 situation with my whole body since I turned 40. All these tough choices. Mammograms, or not? Colonoscopies, or not? Hormones, or not? It's never ending.

[Doreen1]

Forteo is parathyroid hormone and I read that it began giving mice osteosarcoma in the early testing. I understand it's not been studied beyond two years of use, and that human studies were abandoned after two years because of the fears of osteosarcoma in the mice proving out for the humans, too. I believe that's why it's recommended for no more than 18 months of use.
.

My endo explained Forteo hit the market 10 years ago and that a 10 year study results will be finished soon. The amount of Forteo given to mice were mega doses and amounts that would not be prescribed to humans. Obviously rat bones differ from human bones. While I strive to do a natural route too, I'm really under a time crunch with how quickly my scoliosis has deteriorated in the past several months and is now impacting my lungs. I realize everything has its pros and cons, and for my situation, Forteo has given me hope and a surgery date. I bumped up my intake of calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K too.

Warmly,
Doreen