Osteoporosis Community

• To parents: Set an example through your diet and exercise; instill good lifestyle habits in your children.

• To children: Eat your dairy! Play outside, don't spend too much time in front of the TV and computer.

• To adolescents: Eat dairy and exercise (a variety of exercise).

• I would also say to doctors: Don't hesitate to send a young woman for a bone densitometry if there arfe a number of risk factors for osteoporosis.
  

I don't have a formal platform to be an advocate for bone health, but I try to talk about the importance of lifestyle factors for bone health in conversations with friends, acquaintances and people I talk to in the daily walk of life.

I don't have children.

Great advice and information Tomato!

I had a thought when reading your response. Wonder if the kids playing video games, on computers and sitting in front of the TV will have a higher rate of osteoporosis in 40 - 50 years?

Who else has info to share?

Elizabeth

Boy! Is this a loaded question! My illness, that created all my "osteoporosis issues", is genetic. I wish my Mother had told me & my 4 syblings about this dis-order. I found out, after searching thru & talking with, many relatives & medical records. My Mother, was one of two children, out of ten, that refused to beleive, she had this dis-order and that it IS genetically passed on, @ a 50-50 chance of inheriting it! Yet, she NEVER mentioned it to me, even after telling her of my early signs of "high calcium", in my blood! Her response, when I questioned, "Why would this be?" "I have NO idea!" Even though she had, had 3 0f 4 Parathyroids removed in "1967", due to Adenomas! Our Parathyroids, produce our Calcium. Although I had high balances of it, in my blood, it should have been going to my bones! Hence, all the kidney stones, while a teenager, (what was she thinking?) my bones were already, @ age 33, in "Hungry Bone Syndrome!? I then developed a broken hip @ age 35. It goes on & on. All I know is, IF, I had known this genetic dis-order even existed in our family, I certainly would have given A-LOT of thought of re-producing children @ a significant risk of inhereting this disease! My children have watched me go thru some 24, or so surgeries, to date! Not to mention, my son, has already been diagnosed with "High Calcium!" Hopefully, I caught it @ an early enough point in his life, that he may be spared some of the pain & anquish, I am living. I am now seeing signs in my daughter, which she is ON TOP OF IT! One thing I can say is, If you feel something, IS NOT RIGHT, in your body, follow up on it! You MUST be PRO-ACTIVE in ANY medical relationship, with any Dr., & or disease! If you have questions, ASK! If you don't like the answer, GET ANOTHER OPINION! I have learned SOOOOO much thru the last 12 or so years, it's scary, yet, I must press on, because NOONE else is going to do it for you!! Not even, my Mother.....periwinkle

I agree about being pro-active, Periwinkle. Some doctors are not all that well-informed, especially about latest research.

Others don't look at you as an individual and treat you holistically, according to your unique set of circumstances, but follow a "one size fits all" approach.

I often go to the doctor armed with print-outs!

And I have no qualms in dropping a doctor and finding another one if I don't feel comfortable with the treatment - no loyalty where my health is concerned, health comes first!

YES! I've been thru quite a few Dr.'s myself! When I mention the name of my disease, & they have a question mark, on their face, I KNOW, it's time to move on!! A women, has got to do, what she has to do!! periwinkle

To All: Do you think that if we have several diseases and then when it's later in life you find you have a broken bone or you start hurting inside and find out you have osteropenia ?? It seems like a lot of people only find their bone problems when they are older and it's advanced. I knew 20 yrs ago I had osteropenia but I also was give some medicine but then my mentally problems started and they were my #1 problem. I went thru med after med trying to get stable and finally found a drug for that. After that I never thought about taking care of my bones.When I got breast cancer I decided (along with my husband) that I wasn't going thru radiadion or chemo. It was in the early stages and they believed they got all of it. Stag I. Now that I have been on arimidex for 5 years (get off the 21st. of this month) I find out I have advanced osteroprosis and advanced sponsiolo (?) So I researched and researched what to take and am taking one that has very little side effects and I only pray it is helping. I am exercising and that alone has help me keep my balance. I fell 3 time in a year and a half , when I was 71. I bent 2 ribs and bruised my hip but luckily that was it. I don't want any more hurting so that's why I chose the drug with very few side effects. "call me chicken" ha My daughter had breast caner at 42, they told her that her bones were like 82 yr. old. Yes if I had my life to live over I would have taken better care of myself. My daughter and I were going thru her breast cancer, then afew years later I got mine, plus had a heart attack (which my 2 sons had also) Sometimes I feel my family could help about anyone with what all we have had. I would just say do what you can do by looking things up on the computer and see what new meds are being develop. The FDA is testing a pill form of the drug I am taking and I am waiting to see when it comes out. It's bull to think you have to take a pill that is going to make you sick or bad side effects just to be well from something that could cause you to be bedridden. Sorry I was so long. Nannywiz