My latest DXA and TBS report is in. As a reminder, I was diagnosed with osteopenia in 2005 and given a script for Fosamax. I declined. I was in my 50's. Now I'm in my 70's. My intention was to implement my 7 pillars for bone health for a better outcome:
At that time, Fosamax was a long term drug. I would have been a prolonged user. I'm grateful to the work of Dr. Schneider and who revealed her terrible story below. Due to her work Fosamax users now take a drug holiday.
Dr. Jennifer Schneider was standing on a New York City subway train when the train jolted, and Schneider felt a snap in her right leg. It was her femur bone - the strongest bone in the body.
"I shifted to the right to keep my balance and felt a big crack. I could feel it in my thigh. There was no question in my mind I'd broken my femur," said Schneider, a semi-retired Tucson internist, whose break was in the top third section of her thigh.
"It's extremely unusual to fracture that part of the femur," she said. "It just doesn't happen like that."
Schneider's femur break occurred in October 2001, but it wasn't until 2005 that she began to suspect the cause of the strange injury: prolonged use of the drug Fosamax, which ironically is prescribed to treat and prevent the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis.
Schneider had been taking the drug since 1995, when she was diagnosed with osteopenia, a condition that many doctors consider a precursor to osteoporosis.
"The drug suppresses bone breakdown and in some people, who knows, it does a job that's too good. It oversuppresses," Schneider said.
Fosamax drugmakers from New Jersey-based Merck say there's no proof of a connection between the drug and femur fractures. But in the interest of patient safety, Merck says it voluntarily modified the Fosamax label in July 2009 to include "low energy femoral shaft and subtrochanteric fractures" in the adverse-reactions section of the label. [1]
In January 2024 I'll be opening my:
Strong Bones - Healthy You Program
A Comprehensive Bone Health Program - The Whole Body Approach.
Click HERE to schedule a complimentary 30-minute session.
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My ninety minute pilgrimage to Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania yielded an excellent DXA.
Below are my results
Great outcome for my hips and spine - all going in the right direction over time.
Not so much my forearm.
Note the colors in the report. We're looking for green.
GREEN
The color chart below will help you understand the ranges.
T-score less than -1 = Normal | COLOR GREEN
T-score between -1 to -2.5 = Osteopenia | COLOR YELLOW
T-score greater than -2.5 = Osteoporosis | COLOR RED
Below is the Trabecular Bone Score or TBS report of my spine. Simply put, the TBS measures the inner bones, while DXA measures the outer bone. Color falls into the green normal area. My inner bones look good.
Below is my DXA for my spine. It also falls into the green (normal) section.
YELLOW - Osteopenia
Also measures in the normal yellow range. Note the DOT in the yellow section.
Radius 33% is the measure used for the forearm.
Click the image for a better view.
For my readers who like to keep track of their DXA, below is my tracking chart. The chart shows the type of machine used. Each machine has a serial number. When looking at a DXA comparison, it’s essential to know the DXA machine and the serial number. That serial number can usually be found in the lower right corner of your DXA report. All my tests were on GE Lunar Prodigy with the same serial number.
Legs are rotated inward, allowing for a proper DXA reading.
The box positions my back flat on the table
Tracking my yearly CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel) blood test next year. This test measures calcium levels which I track.
Dr. McCormick uses blood work for a deeper dive into bone health.
Also, my friend, Dr. Lani Simpson, DC, CCD, who has been in the osteoporosis trenches for many decades, suggested I get and track bone markers:
Dr. Lani Simpson suggested an x-ray of my spine as arthritis makes a DXA look better than it is. My x-ray was performed by Dr. Kim Zambito, who reported slight arthritis in my spine and wrist.
It takes a community.
Why is the non-dominant forearm added to the DXA/ TBS report?
The spine and hip may have arthritis yet the DXA shows up with stronger results. The forearm may be a possible indication of parathyroid issues.
Your forearm is 80 to a 100% cortical bone. When a person has hyperparathyroidism, they have too much parathyroid hormone being pumped out. What does that degrade?
That degrades cortical bone more than trabecular bone. And that's why when you look at a person with hyperparathyroidism, oftentimes, their forearms will have low bone density.
Tests prove negative for hyperparathyroidism. Bones are complicated.
Several members of my Bones Tribe are on medication as it was deemed necessary based on a full and comprehensive intake and blood work reviewed by their bone doctor. My Bones Tribe members seek other opinions before they make a decision regarding medication based on knowledge vs being scared into a decision.
My DXA / TBS score was performed at:
The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
3400 Civic Center Blvd. – Ground Floor
Philadelphia, PA
phone: 215-662-3000 to book a DXA (ask for radiology to book your DXA).
I requested a full colored copy of my reports BEFORE I left.
I’m feeling good about the results.
In January 2024, I'm opening my:
Stronger Bones - Healthy You Program
My 8-week Comprehensive Bone Health Program - The Whole Body Approach promises to educate you on every aspect of bone health. From DXA/ TBS, bone markers, blood work, calcium-rich foods, exercise. You'll gail knowledge, a deep understanding of the terminology and move forward with empowerment.
Click HERE for a complimentary 30-minute consultation to confirm my program is right for you.
I hope my shared experience is helpful to you and your beautiful bones.
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