I am living osteoporosis

Peggy,

Osteoporosis runs in families, yes, and having a parent or sibling with osteoporosis puts you at greater risk, especially if you also have a family history of fractures. See:

Understanding Osteoporosis

http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/understanding-osteoporosis.html?ic=4025

I hope this information is helpful to you.

Best,

Maria

I too am living with Osteoporosis....my problem with it is that I have a ruptured disc in my neck C4-5 (which ruptered only 3 months after haveing a C6-7 disc repaired), 8 months ago I ruptured T8, (while doing Adopt-A-Road clean up) and I have ruptured discs at L4-5-6-7 & S1-2.   I have been to 2 nerosurgerons and they will not repair them....not yet at any rate....I'm not completely bed ridden from the pain...only when I do become flat in bed..will they do the surgery...maybe 2-3 years....for now I'm riding my by around a Lake near our home at 5 AM, between 7-9 I'm at the YMCA doing warm water arobics, and walking 1/2 mile on a track....I hurt so badly, from head to toe....by 2 pm everyday, I am read for bed and the pain pills and muscle relaxors that put me in a coma sleep for hours...usually until the next morning...I HATE LIVING LIKE THIS....but I must becaue the good Lord says I must for now...can't argue with him you know....

lj

I have a different twist to the osteoporosis dilema.......I was diagnosed in December 2007 with hyperparathyroidism which my surgeon says contributed to my having an extremely severe case of osteoporosis, 4.5,,,,,,extremely bad for someone my age, 60 at the time.  They found that 2 of my parathyroid glands had  large tumors and were removed in January.  I was taken off my Actonel and only have to take 1500 mg of calcium plus vitamin d daily for the rest of my life.  Because the parathyroid was not working properly (it's only function is to regulate calcium levels in the body),  the calcium was being leached out of my bones causing the osteoporosis.  Also, I had brain fog and was extremely tired all the time.  I couldn't make it through the day at all.  Went to sleep exhausted and woke up feeling the same way.  Life stunk in general.  Gave up almost all of my dancing which I loved.    So, now, I'm waiting to see improvements in my next DEXA  scan and calcium and vitamin D levels.    Theresa

Hi, Peggy.  I can only share my family's experience in answer to your question.

Both my maternal grandmother and my mother died of the effects of the disease.  My grandmother, through a broken hip that deteriorated into gangrene and my mother, whose broken vertebrae allowed an infection into her spinal column and took her.

Now, I have full blown osteoporosis in, of all things, my forearms.  The rest of me has osteopenia.

Now, did I get it from genetic traits or because I am very, very fair, have a delicate bone structure and live in the northern part of the USA?  Perhaps, from both?

My grandmother and mother did not get any medication or supplements, although they were available for my mother.  I tried a calcitonin formula called Fortical.  It made me bilious and constantly nauseous, caused an odd weight gain, and eventually caused my muscles to seize.  The muscle seizure made me fall and I called my doctor to see if the medication was doing more harm than good.  After testing my urine, it was decided that the medication was not doing any good and I discontinued it.

Presently, I am working with a complementary MD as well as my regular MD.  My regimine includes exercise at the gym every day where I do cardio, pilates and yoga.  I love it!

My bone health 'cocktail' is a mix of liquid calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, boron (a small miracle!), vitamin C and strontium.  I also take other supplements not necessarily related to bones.  I worked the regimine out with my complementary doctor and I am being monitored by both MD's.

If I could take a mainstream medication, I would.  Given my GI history, I have opted not to try any bisphosphonates although I have friends who have done excellently well on it.  If a nasal spray made me vomit and live with constant, nagging nausea can you imagine what a pill that you take orally would do to me?

As I remember my mother, who in her younger days was a  Pro- Am athlete, started to 'melt' away when she turned 70 and decided that she was tired of physical training and just sat down.  In about five years she was unable to exercise because her bones and muscles were too weak.  It was downhill from then on.

I have just turned 70.  I am doing every 'natural' thing I can to keep what muscle power and bone density that I presently have.  Read this site, work with your doctor.  Let us know how you are doing.