osteoporosis options

January 7, 2010 8:35 AM

I have been diagnosed with osteoporosis in my spine -2.5 and osteopenia in my hips.....

........-2.1--2.4 am small frame, menopausal with a family history. Midwife recommended to be treated with medications...Fosamax or Boniva. Looking for advice. Herbal options? tinctures etc? I am being checked for a Vit. D deficiency as well.

posted by haikuku to Health & Fitness (7 answers total)

As far as I know (and I did some research on this just recently), the meds are the only way to restore bone density. There are a number of things you can do, however, to slow the loss of bone density: weight-bearing exercise (including strength training and impact-style cardio training, such as a treadmill) and taking calcium with vitamin D to aid in absorption being the two that come to mind.

And, of course, IANAMD.
posted by DrGail at 8:43 AM on January 7, 2010

I recently heard what must have been a 45-minute story on NPR about how osteopenia is overdiagnosed, thanks to heavy marketing from the drug companies.
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 8:50 AM on January 7, 2010

I'm a male, 49, and was recently diagnosed with mild osteopenia in my hips.
My doctor put me on Boniva and after taking the first dose, I swear I thought I was going to die.
I've never felt such deep pain and discomfort in my life.
Here are some more horror stories.

I also swore that I would never take it again and would punch Sally Field in the nose for shilling that crap.

Right now, I'm doing exactly what DrGail recommended above.
I'd rather keep what I got than have to go through such excruciating pain to get a little bit back.

I also like what Dr Joel Fuhrman has to say about osteoporosis and its prevention.
posted by willmize at 9:01 AM on January 7, 2010 [1 favorite]

I'm confused. Did the midwife diagnose you? Because I don't see how she or he could diagnose something like that, let alone recommend a course of treatment--midwives are specialists in obstetrics.
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:04 AM on January 7, 2010 [1 favorite]

Have you actually had a bone scan? I'm guessing you have because of the numbers, but if your midwife was just quoting them to you than something's really wrong.
posted by restless_nomad at 11:51 AM on January 7, 2010

Response by poster: The midwife works w/ a family practice, she told me to get screened, which is where to diagnosis took place.
posted by haikuku at 11:52 AM on January 7, 2010

You might be vitamin k2 deficient as well, see here and here.

Nephropal has a couple interesting reads on bone metabolism, vitamin K2, minerals and vitamin D.
Vitamin K2 - a summary
Celiac Disease and Osteoporosis
Bone Disease and Lipids
Mineral Metabolism
Vitamin K2
Vitamin K2 and Bone
posted by zentrification at 11:25 PM on January 7, 2010 [1 favorite]