I'm sorry for posting YET AGAIN but I dont know where else to turn for help.
I went for my bone scan yesterday and the women who carried it out wasnt meant to tell me the result's as they would be sent to the doctor but because of the mail being slow with the weather she told me I had osteopenia in my back.
I was just wondering if anyone else is effected by this, how's it treated and will I have it forever? I'm only 20... I think I'm screwed! I would really appriciate anyones elses experiences with it.
xo
Each tear drop falls with sorrow, hoping and praying for another tomorrow!
First of all, I know that the fact that you are only 20 worries you, but in another way it's quite good because your bone density continues to increase in your early twenties. Sensible weight-bearing exercise (such as walking) and ensuring you get enough calcium and vitamin D will help increase your bone strength.
I'm surprised she told you you have this without giving you any information or advice. Are you going back to see the GP? They should be able to give you much more information which is also more specific to your particular situation.
Please try not to worry yourself too much love. Talk to your GP about your options. This is also potentially a good motivator to improve your nutrition as, if you don't, problems like this will only get worse. Building up bone strength when you are young is really important.
Sorry this is a bit rambley, I hope it helps nevertheless. Take care of yourself.
There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who, when presented with a glass that is exactly half full, say: 'This glass is half full'. And then there are those who say: 'This glass is half empty'.
The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: 'What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!
Yea I forgot to mention I'm an inpatient for my anorexia and I'm confinded to a bed and wheelchair and not alot to exercise at all.... barely to clean my room if I'm lucky! I'm on a special matress which is meant to help sores from lying in it all the time but my back is always worse in the morning for some reason.
I was told diet, exercise and the sun would help and right now it's 1 outta 3 so far. =/
They have been making me drink full fat milk and I'm in 3 months which I woulda thought would have increased my bone density.
The results will be sent to my consultant but because she wasnt meant to say anything she just handed me a leaflet so I'm pretty much left in the dark as of yet till I see the doc next week. I'm not sure if they'll put me on medication or extra suplments for it either.
Happy Christmas.
Each tear drop falls with sorrow, hoping and praying for another tomorrow!
iv come across varying responses from different doctors and dietitians.
i have osteoporosis, diagnosed about 10yrs ago (so when i was 22 or 23).
iwas put on HRT for a few years; i didnt have periods, so they told me i need it to replace the hormones.
i also took a high vitD + Ca supplement.... generally something like calichew.
quite randomly, i started seeing a new dr, and he flatly said that HRT is pointless, and causes more bad side effects than any good it might do.
some older people are treated with bisphosphates, but i was told these wouldnt be given to people of child-bearing age as (i think!) it causes foetal abnomalities.
not much useful advice really, im sorry!
diet can only help, and, unfortnately, weight restoration. skim milk surely has as much calcium as full-fat.... but maybe they're using the full-fat for you in hosp as a therapeutic diet.
weight-bearing exercise is recommended only at an healthy weight: such exercise at a lower weight can cause more harm than good.... stressing the joints etc.
It can be slowed down and even stopped from developing into osteporosis.
You'll need some calcium and vitd supplements, it will take more than a few months of full fat milk to help. Your looking at years to make a differance.
But there is treatment and no reason to fret and worry. Just the knowledge that getting healthy is the best goal in this case.
I want to kiss the bottom of the ocean before I burst through its surface into the sunlight, otherwise I will always be wondering about what was left unseen at the bottom
i'm tired of chasing my dreams. i'm just gonna ask where they're going, and hook up with them later.
There is actually more calcium per ml in skimmed milk compared to full fat, just to clarify. The reason you are on full fat milk though is because you need the nutrients within it to gain weight healthily.
Its going to take many months/ a couple of years to increase your bone density via treatment [diet & sunlight/supplements/medication/exercise] by enough to show on a further bone scan.
Being 20 though means you have a good 5-10 years to build on your calcium stores as your bone mass peaks in your late 20s. Osteopenia means low bone mass and you still have an opportunity, being the age you are, to prevent osteoporosis and increase your bone mass.
The more bone mass you can add the better, the more calcium and vitamin D you can give yourself in the next few years the better your chances of preventing Osteoporosis later in life. There are many treatments available, this condition isn't something that cant be improved, you can make you bones much stronger, try not to write your bone health off.
Did they let you know your T scores? As sometimes they start treatment then do another bone scan, say, 12 months later with the hope to see a figure closer to 0 on the next scan.
