Osteopenia

I have just received my first post DS bone scan which indicates I have osteopenia. My DS was 20 months ago. I am about a year post-menopausal.

Any guidance, suggestions, cautionary notes, etc. would be most appreciated. I'd also appreciate knowing how you divide up your calcium and magnesium doses.

I recently read that Dr Keshishian now remembers taking calcium and magnesium separately. Does anyone do that, and has it made a difference?

Here's what I take of the supplements that are known to affect bone density (daily amounts):

Vitamin D3 - dry, 50,000 IU;

Vitamin K2 - dry (MK-7), 150 mcg (I also take K1, 1000 mcg);

Calcium Citrate, 2700 mg;

Magnesium Citrate, 1800 mg;

Magnesium Oxide, 1350 mg (in capsule with calcium).

I've just tapered off Strontium, 680 mg, and Boron Chelate, 3 mg, in the past couple of months. I took them for the first year after 7 cervical/thoracic spinal fusions to optimize my bone building.

The rest of my supplements are all at Vitalady levels or above. I just had major lab work done and all results that I've received so far have been excellent! ...still waiting on the last few

I eat a lot of dairy (mainly cheese) but I'm not able to eat many dark, leafy greens as most of them have very high levels of oxalates, which contribute to kidney stones.

I do an upper body exercise program with weights (currently 5lbs) and a resistance band to strengthen and have just started a stretching program to loosen the muscles.

I've also lost 2 to 2 1/4 inches in height which I was told was largely due to the spinal surgeries.

I was always told I have extremely heavy bones.

One additional note, I've taken supplemental thyroid medications for 29 years and also took Gabapentin, on and off for a year or so in the past 5 years - both are known to affect bone density.

Thank you in advance.

Tricia

ps: I have a follow up appointment next month with PCP's office. They are excellent about nutritional and hormonal balancing but know nothing about the DS.

What was your PTH? If that is high, you need to add in 1 or more doses of calcium. You can't go by the calcium serum test. I take calcium 5-6x/day. Every couple of hours.

I know I requested a PTH test as I combine lab work lists from Dr Keshishian and Vitalady but I don't see test results. I'll follow up on that. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Tricia

Not an expert at all and not yet having these kinds of issues but I have a couple of suggestions that you can compare with what you get from others.

1) yes, lately Dr. K has been recommending to split out your magnesium and calcium. But I think some people can find there aren't enough hours in the day. BTW - don't count mag oxide in that because it doesn't really get absorbed the same way as other forms of magnesium. Do what you can.

2) How are your Vit D levels? You may want to take more even if they are in the normal range. I see a lot about bones being helped by combinations of calcium, D, and magnesium.

3) how many calcium doses are you taking per day and how long between? We always talk about 500-600 mg being the optimum dose but it isn't like an on/off switch. You just get less absorption from the amount you take exceeding those levels but sometimes a little extra may be a game changer. Also, from what I understand of the process you can do as little as 1 hour between calcium doses so if you need to take more you might want to cut the time between doses. What I read was that absorption levels ramp up the first hour and reach their maximum absorption in the second hour. By taking them an hour apart you stay at max absorption.

4) I've seen some people post about a product from Jarrow (bone-up???) Maybe someone else will chime in on that.

There is something in this bit of information that the system doesn't like... this is the 11th (& final) time, I'm writing this...

My Vitamin D levels are: Vitamin D, 1, 25 (OH) 2, total is 60 pg/ml (range: 18-72); Vitamin D3, 1, 25 (OH) 2 is 60; Vitamin D2, 1, 25 (OH) 2 is

Sometimes the site can be a little wacky about responding - try not to let it get to you.

The D3 is the number you need to watch and while there are people that would like to see it higher ( in the 80 to 100 ) range I think 60 is pretty good.

I can't address your suppliments, but if what you are doing isn't enough...there is no way I could choke down that many pills. I lost one and a half inches, just from the WLS surgery and fat loss off the pads of my feet. This has been my stabilization..

Make BONE SOUP,... have at least one cup a day..at least 4-5 x a day....can use in gravy,soups or just as a drink..may need to add a little salt...easily absorbed.

You will need a 4-6 qt.stainless steel pot. No teflon, no aluminum.

1-3 lbs of bones...try to avoid the very small sharp chicken bones that are on chicken drumsticks (they are hard to pick out)

a tablespoon of vinegar,

2 cleaned egg shells,( Use eggs elsewhere). Enough water to cover the bones by at least 2 inches.

To make use leftover bones, a little meat on them ok, and all bone ends good.(Fat/skim is ok, you can cool and skim it) cover the bones with at least 2" of water and start on high heat,.. add egg shells and vinegar...these will leech the minerals out of the bone.. Bring to a boil, reduce to low heat...allow to simmer for about two hours, stirring occassionally, may add more water, if boils too low. at end of cooking time..

.. allow to cool. dip out egg shells , any skin or fat and bones with slotted spoon or spatula. may strain if desired, but I prefer to leave any small pc of meat in.

Let sit in refrig and fully cool. then take a spoon and remove the layer of fat on top. Any small pc of bone will be in the very bottom layer, with the meat.. Bones should be easy to remove from the bottom layer by hand.I put the bottom layer in a small bowl and use it to make gravy or soup.

The broth will have the minerals and compounds to build strong bones, melted throughout.

Thanks for the suggestion of the bone broth. I have made it sporadically before but not since this diagnosis...time for me to get busy again.

Tricia

You are quite welcome,... I tried some of the meds but they hurt my stomach, then I began reading the information on them...I don't need broken bones from sub-par bone, I need to build it the right way... proper nutrition and absorbtion will get you there!

I had osteopenia as a pre-op and back surgery as well. At 1 year post-op DS, I dipped into osteoporosis and went on the heavy duty meds for a year and stopped. For the past several years I'm back into osteopenia and hanging pretty steady but not quite as steady as I'd like. Here are my bone related supplements:

First AM batch:

Vitalady's magnesium citrate in capsule form, 3mg boron, 2 vitamin K2 capsules. I wait about 1/2 an hour and take 2 calcium capsules of calcium citrate only.

4 Calcium batches through the morning, spaced at least an hour apart:

Vitalady's mag citrate, boron, (wait a few minutes) and 2 calcium citrate capsules

PM batch right after dinner:

Vitalady's mag citrate, boron, 2 vitamin K2 capsules, and 50k vitamin D3. Wait a few minutes and then take 2 calcium citrate capsules.

Exercise: walking, leaning push-ups, squats and stretches

--gina