#osteopenia

[chaos-shall-reign]

I did a thing today… and right now, it’s a “secret” from the world…

[hypogonadism-culture-is]

hypogonadism culture is low bone density(with in the osteopenia range, once broke my foot because I twisted my ankle on carpet) but the doctors said they won't do anything for it, other telling me to take vitamin D, which and have been doing already. Because they only know how to treat osteopenia in older people going through menopause and andropause, and not early 20 somethings congenital causes

Hypogonadism culture is...

Honestly anon, treatment for osteopenia isn't exactly extensive. The guideline seems to be judging an individual's risk for fracture, and treating based on that. So a lot of folks are probably gonna get told the same thing you are. Doesn't mean it's impossible your doctors aren't judging correctly, nor that it can't kinda just suck being or feeling dismissed.

Genuine advice, jump more for exercise, even if it's short hops off the ground; I've heard jumping is a really good and simple exercise for bone density. Overall, obviously within your limits, weight-bearing exercises are what you wanna do along with vitamin D and calcium supplementation. Which... unfortunately those are kinda the only treatments that exist? Unless (or until?) a doctor believes your fracture risk is bad enough to warrant medication. Which includes their side effects and any potential cross interactions with other meds, I.E. biphosphonates increase the risk for upper GI issues and don't interact well with NSAIDs and antacids.

[that-girl-in-the-corner101]

Why does every article about having osteoporosis/osteopenia have to mention how it’s mostly just older people who struggle with it. I’m 22 for fucks sake. I have nobody my age who has any idea what it feels like to live life scared to misstep and fall, because if I fall I will fracture more bones.

[severinetherat]

D is for Diagnosis

Hello, I hope you are all well. Thank you for sticking with me despite my lack of consistent posts. I’m trying to keep with the alphabet theme because it’s more interesting, I think. It also gives my posts a bit more structure, rather than me just rambling.

Anyway, today I want to talk about diagnosis. Specifically, a new diagnosis.

As you should know (if you’ve been following me for a while but don’t worry if not), I have Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, as well as a few other less impressive-sounding conditions. The IBD and PSC I mention specifically because there are thought to be links between them, mainly that patients with Ulcerative Colitis (the form of IBD I have) are more likely to develop PSC than those without UC. This is known as an extraintestinal manifestation which means that other conditions may develop because I have IBD.

Other extraintestinal manifestations include condition such as arthritis, skin conditions, inflammation of the eye, anaemia, problems with the kidneys, and osteoporosis. That last one is what I want to focus on today.

Just to clarify, I do not have osteoporosis. I do, however, have thinning in the base of my spine which they found recently in a bone density scan. This, I believe this is called osteopenia, but I’m not 100% sure as my GP didn’t put a name to it. Anyway, the thinning isn’t too serious, by the sounds of things, but they do want to start a form of treatment to stop it from developing into osteoporosis. My GP is consulting my GI as she doesn’t want to start anything that may aggravate my IBD. In the meantime, I am doing daily exercises that are designed for those with sciatica. This may or may not help but seeing as how I do get mild sciatic symptoms from time to time, I don’t think this will do any harm.

Speaking of exercises, I am still doing my knee exercises, as it doesn get stiff if I've not moved around for a while, and I’ve also added abdominal core exercises to my routine to strengthen my core. My goal is to do them all at least once daily so that I am as strong as I can be to return to work in two weeks. I am also trying to stick to a routine of getting up and going to bed at the same time each day (even the weekends) to regulate my sleep and get my fatigue under control.

Thank you for reading and I hope you are keeping safe and well. Until next time!

[starvingforlife88]

I believe one of the most devastating things you have to face with having chronic illness, is coming to terms with your friends and family will out live you. That they have to watch helplessly as your body disintegrates at a rapid rate in front of them.

I have tried my hardest to hide the havoc my body has undergone for the last few years. It got exhausting to see the distress in loved ones eyes as I say its getting worse.

I started to break down every single time someone asks how I am. I stopped answering my messages. I stopped reaching out. I lost myself in my pain and let guilt take over.

I have thrown my ever waking moment into researching ways to help myself. Praying I might be able to find some help. To possibly give myself the best life I can. No matter how minimal it has become.

[chaos-shall-reign]

Kicking ass and taking names!! 😂 Two & 1/2 months shy of 4 years, I finally got the news that I’ve been working sooo hard to hear!! And I’m sooo close to my birthday weight goal!! 🎉🎉🎉

[rinari7]

Puberty blockers for precocious puberty have a lot of studies showing they aren't safe, that the girls treated with those drugs for only 2 years end up as adults with osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, and deteriorating joints. PBS had a really good article citing how Lupron was never fully investigated before it was approved for use in children. That's terrifying. Leave it to cis doctors to ignore all that harm and decide trans kids can be medically experimented on bc why not.

I stand corrected, then, thank you.[To summarize some of the abovelinked article: although it seems that the loss in bone density that tends to occur while using the drug mostly reverses after stopping use, people who received the drug as children are reporting issues with bones and joints in the longer term (10+ years afterwards). This hasn’t been taken into account or warned about by the FDA so far.]

It wouldn’t be the first time the FDA or other governing body as well as individual doctors have been negligent and seriously fucked up, but that is very disturbing.

[lindsays-journey]

I really need something done about my knee...

I’ve had this a year and a half and it just isn’t getting any better.

I had a 20 minute physio session last year and they gave me daily exercises to do but they haven’t helped at all... This time my GP surgery just kind of brushed me off (yet again). I am yet to receive any beneficial advice or help from any of the GPs here for any problems I have had... I feel so discarded and just worthless to anyone.