What about estrogen? I cannot take the Boniva etc. Did no good after two years
Hi Bony Marorni, You certainly can ask your Dr. if estrogen would help you. I didn't mention this option because there seems to be so many of us who can't take it. I wanted to, but couldn't because I have risk factors that would prevent me from using the low dose estrogen. I'm fibro cystic, so I can't take estrogen. That means benign cysts in the breast, so when I tried to take it they just multiplied and the oncologist told me the risk was too great since I could end up with one that might not be non-cancerous.
After the Women's Health Inititive, many Drs stopped prescribing estradiol because of the increased risk of heart disease, blood clots, cancer and strokes. If you don't have any family history of this, I suppose you could consider it, but you'd have to get your Dr. to agree. If you've ever had any problems with any of these things, I don't think it would be recommended, but there are some who take it for a short period after menopause but only in the low dose strength.
If you are interested in this, just ask your Dr. to see what they think. It would also depend on whether or not you still have your ovaries and uterus, so I don't know if that applies. The Dr. would also need to do a hormone level, to see where you stand with the production of estrogen and progesterone.
Good luck finding out about this, maybe it is an option, but only your Dr. would know for sure. Thanks for joining us again and if you have another question just come on back.
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Bony Marorni
Saturday, August 22, 2009 at 05:48 PM
Pam Flores
Saturday, August 22, 2009 at 06:18 PM
Hi again, "I have to do something but what" that's the 23 million dollar question
One other thing you might think about is that our t-scores don't tell us how strong our bones are, they only tell us how dense they are. The point is a person with low scores, such as yours and mine, could have great quality of bone. Then someone who has more bone density could have poor quality bone which would make them fracture easier. Have you had the FRAX assesment? This might give you a little more information on the chances of fracturing given the medical history you input into the World Health Org's algorithm on this, check it out. The plan is to incorporate this algorithm into the DXA's to give a better picture of fracture risk. Here's the link for it so you can try it out and see what you come up with for fracture risk. Once you get to the link click on "calculation tool" then "Country/race" then fill out the information. Be sure to record your height and weight as explained and then click "convert". Use the converted info on those two to put into the calculator, and see what precentage of risk of fracture you come up with. I'd be interested to know your percentage if you'd like to share it with us. You'll end up with two scores one for major osteoporotic and clinical fractures. It's real easy to fill out and do.
The above doesn't answer your question, but I hope that it gives a bit more info on t-scores and how they aren't the *whole* story on bone quality just quantity. Some people don't increase their scores on these drugs, but if they remain fracture free they really are working. The end point to all these drugs is to prevent fracture, so if it doesn't raise your score, it doesn't automatically mean they aren't working. Until we can find a way to determine bone quality we are stuck with just measuring quantity which is only one aspect of all this.
Good luck finding out about the estrogen, and if you had a total hysterectomy, then you wouldn't have to worry about uterine or ovarian cancer, but still you'd have the other risks-maybe. Thanks for coming back and join us anytime!!
Pam Flores
Saturday, August 22, 2009 at 06:48 PM
Hi Bony (love your full screen name) I'm sure you already know this, but to get to the WHO risk fracture assesment tool just click on the blue words. Also, I wanted to mention, that if you haven't been checked for a secondary cause of osteoporosis, it's a good idea to have that done. You can get a partial list of medical conditions and medications that cause bone loss from the first link I gave you in blue. Whenever someone doesn't respond to osteo meds they usually look for another reason for bone loss besides the normal age-related type, so have it checked if you have any of those things that are listed at the NOF (National Osteo Foundation).
I had many of the tests done because I didn't respond to Actonel, and found out I had other problems that contributed to bone loss and had to have them treated seperately. Once I did that and switched medications, I made fantastic improvements. I took Actonel (didn't improve) and then Forteo (improved greatly) and am now on Evista. My scores were a bit worse than yours and I had 6 fractures, but have been fracture free for 6 years or more; no one really knew exactly when my last fracture occured so that's why I say 6 or more years.
If you have any trouble with the FRAX tool, don't worry just post any problem you have and I'll help. However, like I mentioned it is easy to do and I'll *bet* your fracture risk isn't comparable to your t-scores, which only tell us a small portion of the story on bone loss.
Talk to you later...
Bony Marorni
Monday, August 24, 2009 at 11:13 AM
My BMI score was 21.5 and it looked like withour treatment Major osteo and hip fracture ws 36,. Then at the top it looked like % for these fractures, didnt really get it all should make copy so what now. Am going back to Dr next week . maybe evista or maybe I have to tough it out on Boniva like meds.
I am 73 and have had hysterectomy 30 years ago. Had an estrogen patch until about 55 when all that came out about issues etc. and was taken off and since then my bones have gotten weaker. After taking Boniva for two years, I had a Dexascan two days ago and numbers had not moved and had gotten worse in my left hip. Like 2.7 and hip 3.3. Have to do something but what?