Belated welcome, Gemma. You've gotten terrific advice already. I'm super proud of you for focusing upon increasing your weight; surely the most critical strategy for you at the moment. I had a few other thoughts regarding your osteoporosis. Osteoporosis strongly runs in my family. The women are especially hit hard at menopause. My grandmother is almost 7 inches shorter than her peak height. She's 99 y/o now. My Mother is following in her footsteps. I'm 4 years post-menopause and still 5'9". (Fingers crossed.)
Since I've begun focusing on calcium cofactors: increasing magnesium, optimizing my Vitamin D, A, K levels, I've improved my T-score from -2.1 (osteopenia) to -0.9. (-1.0+ is considered normal.) My vitamin D level was 60 ng/ml at last check- a combo of sun & supplementation. Additionally, I'm guessing prompt HRT, optimal nutrition, and daily weight bearing exercise have all helped.
You mentioned taking a combined contraceptive pill for osteoporosis. Be sure that the estrogen and progesterone are NOT in synthetic forms which have been correlated with some significant negative health consequences. For some reason, synthetic progestin is often included in the combination pills/patches. I was unwittingly taking it when I first began HRT in a transdermal patch called "CombiPatch." If possible, switch to the natural, bio-identical, forms of both. They're inexpensive and widely available and have many positive health associations, including aiding in osteoporosis. Keep up the great work, my friend. We're all cheering you on. XO
New Here
Re: New Here
Slacker he said 50kg because of the effect of gravity on bone strength. The height is irrelevant. A short bone doesn't need less force of gravity to stay strong.
Julie I would put your HRT as the major factor in your T-score improving. Well done.
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Julie I would put your HRT as the major factor in your T-score improving. Well done.
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Re: New Here
Hello Juliegee,
Congratulations - that is amazing! I'm so impressed with your turnaround in T scores. Funnily enough I finally got an appointment with the rheumatic specialist here who reiterated that osteoporosis is a condition, not a disease and it was within my power to control it. You are proof of this and have provided me with yet more inspiration to change my own situation. Coincidentally, she also told me that I should stop the contraceptive pill anyway.
Apparently I was given bad advice in the first place as my hormonal blood tests from 2 1/2 years didn't actually say I was post menopausal at all - I don't know, wrong information can cause real problems, can't it? Anyway, she told me to stop all the medication with immediate effect as one of the drugs was Conbriza which is specifically for menopausal women apparently! She's asked me to go back in 6 months to have another blood test and review the situation. This is my window for sensible weight gain and hopefully some reversal of the condition.
I will definitely keep all your advice in mind and be thinking about your tips. THANK YOU!
Gemma
Congratulations - that is amazing! I'm so impressed with your turnaround in T scores. Funnily enough I finally got an appointment with the rheumatic specialist here who reiterated that osteoporosis is a condition, not a disease and it was within my power to control it. You are proof of this and have provided me with yet more inspiration to change my own situation. Coincidentally, she also told me that I should stop the contraceptive pill anyway.
Apparently I was given bad advice in the first place as my hormonal blood tests from 2 1/2 years didn't actually say I was post menopausal at all - I don't know, wrong information can cause real problems, can't it? Anyway, she told me to stop all the medication with immediate effect as one of the drugs was Conbriza which is specifically for menopausal women apparently! She's asked me to go back in 6 months to have another blood test and review the situation. This is my window for sensible weight gain and hopefully some reversal of the condition.
I will definitely keep all your advice in mind and be thinking about your tips. THANK YOU!
Gemma
