Quote from mommy2girls:
I'm not sure if I'm on the right board, but I need some help. I'll be 24 in a week and I have severe osteoporosis due to a complete hysterectomy last year. I've been trying different HRT's, but none that seem to fit my needs. Last month I tripped over a tree stump and broke my collarbone instantly. That's when I found out how severe my osteoporosis was. I'm clueless as to what to take...if there's anything over the counter. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I don't know of anyone my age going through this, and I'm kinda lost. Thank you for listening.
Humans build the most bone mass before the age of 30 and after 30 it does not replace quite as fast as it's lost in some humans. That of course in average humans and there are people who never have any bone loss problem and others who have bone loss at a much younger age.. though under age 30 is rare. I had a cousin who used to break her collar bone. After the first break she rebroke it in the same place. She was just a clumsy kid but did not have anything wrong with her bones.
Since your collar bone is busted I'm sure you have seen the DR. Did he have the bone Density Scan preformed? What did he say?
There are other bone problems besides osteoporosis so you do need to find out the situation with your bones.
I highly suggest a Bone Density Scan. It's a very simple procedure and will tell your Dr if you have any osteoporsis of not and if so to what degree it is present. Thats removes all doubt. Calcium, vitamen D, Magnesium..these suppliments help every one and are over-the-counter. But they alone will not CURE osteoporosis.
BUT if you have Osteopenia (spelling?) which is a minor degree of bone loss but not enough to be called osteoporosis then Dr usually prescribes
Actonel in hopes of stopping the loss so you do not actually develope osteoporosis.
Once you have developed or are close to developeing Oseoporosis ( a loss with a T-score of at least -2.5) the Dr can prescribe Fosamax and hope to stop the loss.
With either
Actonel or Fosamax you HAVE to take extra Calcium & vitamen D because these meds, thought they help stop loss, actually inhibit natural absorbtion ability of Calcium & D in the body. So you need extra of these suppliments to get enough when you take that med.
My Dr just prescribed Fosamax for me last week. My T-score was -2.4 and he called it Borderline Osteoporosis. I have never broken a bone. I'm 57 I stopped taking perscribed Estrogens Sept 2002 after taking them for 10 years.
You also should avoid lifting with your back doing the work. Lift with your arms. Bend your knee instead of your spine and use your arm muscles to lift the heavy items. Make every attempt to keep your posture good and don't slump. (OK I admit you have a broken collar bone so you are certainly not slumping now)
There are osteoporosis excercises that can help strengthen muscles to help hold your spine in place more correctly. There are excercises to help strengthen the bones too. Ask your Dr for info on these.
Google osteoporosis and you'll find a lot of useful info.