Osteoporosis

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:50 am

Hi All,
Since I have recently been diagnosed with osteoporosis, I am freaking out
about the prescribed medications for it and I DO NOT want to take any of them.
In the past, I think there was discussion about Strontium Citrate on the board.
Soooo, I am looking for input from the ladies who have osteo on what you are taking
and any information that you can provide.
Also, do any of you take the Strontium Citrate?
Thanks A Bunch
Dee~~~~

JLH · Post by **JLH** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 10:12 am

I think you are absolutely right to refuse Fosamax and the rest of those kinds of drugs (bisphosphonates). I know I did even though my oncologist wants me to take one. His nurse seemed to agree with me.

Sorry, I can't answer your other question.

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 10:23 am

Do an internet search for Bess Dawson-Hughes from Tufts University in Boston. She's an osteoporosis researcher who was able to stop and reverse bone loss by administering bicarbonate to make the body more alkaline. This can also be done by having less grains and carbs in the diet, and more vegetables. Here's a brief article about her research, but there is more elsewhere. There is a reason the US has the highest levels of osteoporosis despite lots of milk and calcium consumption. It's the rest of our SAD diet.

http://articlesofhealth.blogspot.com/20 ... -with.html

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 9:08 pm

Hi Dee,

I've been taking Drs. Best Bone Builder, which is strontium citrate, for a couple of months. I buy it at The Vitamin Shoppe and ask for the web price. I've read nothing but good things about it. You won't find many studies in the U.S. because it is an OTC medication and the pharmaceutical industry has no vested interest in paying for studies. However, Strontium ranelate is available by prescription in Europe, and there are quite a few studies on its effectiveness. Here is one:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699648/

I asked my osteoporosis doctor about it and he told me he wasn't as familiar with it because there weren't any studies done in the U.S., but he didn't discourage me from trying it. I suspect that doctors won't recommend any treatment without published studies to back them (can we say Enterolab?). I think they are probably worried about lawsuits, and a published study would support them in court.

I tried strontium a few years ago and was discouraged because I initially got headaches from it. My DEXA scan last year showed serious deterioration and I tried again to use the strontium. This time, I began with one pill a day and gradually increased to my present dosage of 2 pills per day. I don't have any headaches with it now. I can't tell you if it's helped because I won't be getting a DEXA scan again until the fall (if Medicare will pay for it.) The studies show that it increases bone density, unlike Fosamax, which only reduces bone loss, leaving us with old, brittle bone.

Gloria

nancyl · Post by **nancyl** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:43 am

Dee,
I don't know if this will help. A few years back I was dx with osteopenia and went to my trusty health food store owner who is a pharmacologist. He recommended calcium put out by Lane Labs called AdvaCal Ultra. He said his mom took it and her next test was better. I took it for a few years and mine also got better. I then switched to Bone-up by Jarrow (more cost effective) and started taking Vit D and Vit K and have been doing this for a couple of years. Things seem to have stabilized. Of course I do a lot of exercising, not just walking, but weights too, which helps.

I also refused to take the meds. My PCP always wanted me to take it, but my GYN never wanted me to, so I didn't.

Nancy

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:09 am

Gloria,
I have been doing some research on the strontium and I think I'm going to give it a try!
Some questions:
When do you take it? With or without food?
Do you also supplement with calcium & D3???? I take Caltrate brand calcium in the pink bottle. I really don't know which calcium has the best absorption rate. I also take 5,000 IU's of D3 a day.

Nancy,
Wow! You are right about the AdvaCal being expenisve!
It sounds like a great product, though...

Thank You to the 3 of you for your input...
Dee~~~~

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 5:02 pm

Hi Dee,

I'm unable to comment on your question but just wanted to give you a huge thanks for the work you've done in the recipe section. I'm looking forward to trying your french bread, artisinal bread and also the "cheese." The recipe section gave me huge inspiration when I was a newbie! Brandy

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 9:58 pm

Hi Dee,

I'm sorry I didn't respond sooner. I'm having problems with my Internet connection.

Dee wrote:When do you take it? With or without food?
Do you also supplement with calcium & D3????

I take the strontium at bedtime. I started taking it at that time initially because I used to get headaches and I thought the headache might be gone when I woke up. I probably should research the best time to take it now that I'm adjusted to it.

I've been taking calcium supplements for years, even before I was Dx'd with MC. I was always concientious about getting enough calcium. When I would go out to eat, I'd order milk with my meal. I also used to eat yogurt every day at lunch.

I take 500 mg. calcium carbonate at breakfast, 500 mg. calcium citrate at lunch, and 250 calcium citrate at dinner. These supplements have 500 IUs vitamin D. In addition, I take 5,000 IUs vitamin D3 at breakfast, plus my multivitamin has another 400 IUs of vitamin D, giving me a total of 5,900 IUs a day in the winter. In the summer, I reduce the amount by 2,000 IUs a day. All of my supplements except Culturelle are from Freeda Vitamins.

If you haven't had your vitamin D level checked, I'd recommend it. Mine has always been an acceptable level, likely because of my supplements, but many people have low levels and need to supplement in larger amounts.

Gloria

harvest_table · Post by **harvest_table** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 10:03 pm

Hey all.

This is a link to a post here by Angy not long ago. Worth a read.

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=15491

Ditto Brandy- Dee, the kitchen here is wonderful.

Thank you and Love, from Fergus.

Joanna

Lesley · Post by **Lesley** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:00 pm

Dee, When I was diagnosed with osteopenia I was told to take boron. I think it helped.

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:46 pm

Hi Gloria,

I have a question on the calcium citrate /calcium carbonate options. I've been taking the calcium citrate plus D but I also have the calcium carbonate in my cupboard just sitting there.

I'm curious on how you came up with your program....i.e. your break out between the two? Thanks, Brandy

(I'm getting the 5000 total of D that you all recommend.)

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Mon Mar 12, 2012 9:25 pm

Hi Brandy,

I don't recall what prompted me to replace two of my calcium citrate supplements with calcium carbonate. I think I read here that calcium carbonate helps bind the stool, but I'm not sure. I might have begun using some calcium carbonate as an experiment after reading about it here. It seems that the majority is against using calcium carbonate and in favor of using calcium citrate. I'll have to do some more research and decide if I should discontinue the calcium carbonate. If anyone else can remember the discussion on it, feel free to post it here.

Here are some threads which discuss calcium supplements:

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=14576

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13428

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=10946

I hope that helps.

Gloria

brandy · Post by **brandy** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:56 am

Hi Gloria,

Good threads! You are right about the calcium carbonate binding the stools. I tried that b/f diagnosis and while not miraculous it did help so might be an option for some readers. I kind of liked your protocol of using both. Brandy