Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Bones

I was looking through my photos for a good one for a public service announcement....
I thought this one might do. HaHa!!
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In 2013, my doctor wanted to do a baseline bone density scan.

Ugh! Yes, I'm of age.

When the results came back, she said that I had some thinning....not Osteoporosis, but just a little thinning. Yet, she wanted to start me on Fosamax. She wrote out the prescription and I took it to the pharmacy to be filled. I had already done some research on the drug, so I knew what the side effects were. The more I thought about it, the more I felt like this was not what I should do. The side effect that worried me the most was the chance of a femur fracture. So, I called the pharmacy and cancelled the prescription.

One year passed and it was time for my next doctor's appt. She asked how I was doing on the Fosamax and I sheepishly told her that I had not been taking it...that the side effects worried me. I was afraid that she would be a little angry, but she wasn't. She said that if the side effect was a worry for me, then let's take a different approach. She sent me to an endocrinologist to check Vitamin D levels and anything else he felt necessary to get answers.

The endocrinologist talked to me about the different medicines he prescribes for Osteoporosis and how each worked. I told him I was against taking medication and asked if there wasn't something else I could do. He was willing to help me and I was thankful for that. He wanted to get a blood test to see where my Vitamin D level was and we would go from there. So, I had blood drawn and sure enough, I was extremely low in Vitamin D. He gave me a prescription for a mega-dose of the vitamin. After I had finished the prescribed amount, he retested and I was in the normal range. I was supposed to take over the counter Vitamin D and he would recheck in three months. I tried my best to remember to take the vitamin, but I would forget to take it, all the time. Never the less, three months passed and I had to retest. And, once again I was very low. So he repeated the mega-dose. At the end of that prescribed dose, I retested and I was again back in the normal range. So he urged me to try to remember to take an over the counter Vitamin D. I had already told him that I had began eating vegetarian and I was exercising a lot. He told me to add weights and he would give me one year to try this and then we would retest.

June of this year was the one year mark. I went back to my endocrinologist for a re-check. He made mention something about my tan. I told him that I got it from my bike training and when I told him how I was training, he was very impressed. He said, "I wouldn't doubt that your bones have improved, if you're exercising that much." I sure was glad to hear that and I was very hopeful that it was true. So, he ordered another blood test and another bone density scan. The blood test came back and I was in the low end of the normal range, but in the normal range none-the-less. I had been trying really hard to remember to take my vitamins this year. I wasn't perfect, but better than before. Then I had the bone density scan done and got the results back last week. His note on the bottom of the results.....'Spine and hip/femur scans shows improvement! Good!'

YAY!

I was ecstatic! I knew in my heart that I could improve my health with diet and exercise and I had just proved it. So, I will continue to take Vitamin D and Calcium and I will continue to eat healthy and to exercise. I can only get better. I am really passionate about finding the root of problems, not just treating symptoms. I hope my little success story inspires someone out there to take their health in their hands and be proactive about their diet and exercise.

YOU CAN DO IT!

Laurie

P.S. If you would like to read a post I wrote on the subject, click here. 

14 comments:

  1. Very interesting! Our doctor put our whole family on 2000 mgs of Vit D each day. It's a good immune booster and helps with SAD, which the mister gets during the winter.

    Good for you getting into that normal range! Yay!

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    1. It's a very important vitamin. I never realized how much, until I had that doctor's visit. I'm starting to look into essential oils now to see what they can do for me.

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  2. Side effects are worse than the original problem.

    I am glad you were able to take care of the problem without drugs.

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    1. It's crazy isn't it? I'm glad I didn't have to take the drugs, either.

      Hope you have a great day, Carol!

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  3. Hi Laurie!
    Boyfriend and I both take B12...and I also take C and D...doesn't hep with the old hot flashes though!! :o(
    Glad you are taking care of your self...
    Enjoy your long weekend at the lake!!
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. I really should be taking B12 regularly. I'm sporadic with it. Vegetarians especially need this one. I haven't found them to be helpful with those awful power surges either. Lol!!

      Thanks, Linda. We will have a great weekend at the lake, I hope you do to!!!

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  4. I'm with you when it comes to medication. More people need to take their health into their own hands as far as I am concerned. My doctor told me I was stubborn when she wanted me to take something to make my period continue even though I had gone years and years with it being crazy all over the place. I didn't want to take anything, wanted my body to do what it wanted to do, naturally. She said I was too young. Everyone is different so how can you put a timeframe on menopause? Why are we always trying to interfere with the course of things through pills? So, I didn't take them, and of course, my period stopped and I've been officially in menopause for 2 years now. Or is it 3? Heck, I can't even remember. I just know I feel great and am happy that I chose to do what I felt was right for me. There's much research now on the fact that we don't necessarily need the calcium they say we do and that it might even be detrimental to bone health. You would think with all the bike riding you do that Vitamin D wouldn't be an issue. That's why I like walking. Can't imagine sitting in a gym exercising under artificial light. Any vitamin or supplement you take is counteracting with other vitamins and minerals in your body. My son says that the best exercise anyone can do is squats. But man oh man do they hurt! Ha! Have a great day.

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    1. I totally agree. We should be very proactive, when it comes to our health. I only started biking again this year, so not sure how much that helped with my Vit D levels....I'm sure all that sunshine helped. But I do believe it helped with the re-growth of my bones.

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  5. Good for you! My D was extremely low too, and was my B12. I am taking both every day and I hope that I have an improved result at my check up in the Fall like you.

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    1. I bet you will have some improvements, Janey. Good luck!

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  6. Good job! I'm in the normal low range too. I take vit D and I'm back to walking daily. My Doc is on me about cholesterol levels..working on it since I can't take statins. Pills aren't always the answer!

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  7. Your comment is so reassuring, YaYa!

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