No bones about it, this is a very sexy topic.

[Jambalaya]

What age are you supposed to have these tests? I feel like I've had enough bad news for this year - diabetes and macular degeneration - and I'm not menopausal yet.

 

[Mreader]

What age are you supposed to have these tests? I feel like I've had enough bad news for this year - diabetes and macular degeneration - and I'm not menopausal yet.

I don't exactly know, but as @missy points out at the beginning, if you are white, asian or of small build it increases risk. I am in my mid forties (egad) and am petite so when I mentioned it to my gyn he said "that would be a good idea for you to get it done". But again, he never came up with the idea on his own, so I am grateful that Missy posted about it. I don't have results yet and I think I'm ok, but it's good to know to get it done since you can take measures against it if caught earlier. I am sorry about your recent diagnoses

 

[missy]

@Mreader I am so happy you got the DXA. Fingers crossed for good results. Now you have a baseline which is important.

@Jambalaya I’m sorry about your recent diagnoses. I don’t know how old you are but I would get one before menopause if you can because then you hopefully have a “normal” baseline with which to follow and compare with future reports. Which will help with future treatment if that becomes necessary. And there is much you can do besides meds. So it is important to know where you are now to help you continue or get to a healthier place regarding your bones.

 

[Jambalaya]

Thanks, @missy. I'm in my late forties. I'll ask my doctor about it, but I have a ton of preventive screenings coming up (eye hospital, mammo, colonoscopy, breast MRI), and I'm not sure I can take any more pokings and proddings right now, considering I haven't had the best news this year! I definitely appreciate the PSA though. I'll ask my doctor about it in due course.

 

[Jambalaya]

@Mreader - thank you!

 

[Calliecake]

I was told by my doctor and the technician that did the bone density test if you a small boned thin woman, you are more than likely going to get osteoporosis. The technician said when I walked in that I will probably have some degree of it. It’s extremely common in small boned thin women after Menopause.

 

[missy]

I was told by my doctor and the technician that did the bone density test if you a small boned thin woman, you are more than likely going to get osteoporosis. The technician said when I walked in that I will probably have some degree of it. It’s extremely common in small boned thin women after Menopause.

Actually the DXA is often measured incorrectly in small boned women. That’s why it’s critical to go to a competent doctor or technician who knows how to position you correctly on the DXA and why TBS is an important component as well.

Petite thin women are much more likely to get osteoporosis but it’s not a given. There’s so much you can do to prevent this disease. I touched upon it in a few different threads for those who are interested.

Eat sufficient protein. 0.6/0.7 grams per lb.
Make sure your BMI is in the healthy range.
Gain weight healthfully if you are too thin. BMI under 19 is a big risk factor for op.
Life weights that are heavy enough to help build bone.
Do weight bearing activity daily. Walking isn’t sufficient. You must walk fast.

And take supplements where you are lacking. Many important nutrients.

And replace your hormones. Aging healthfully is challenging without your hormones. Period. Read Estrogen Matters.


So much you can do. Which is why one should not bury their head in the sand. Be proactive. Your healthy future depends on it.

I don’t want one woman to needlessly suffer with osteoporosis. It’s a horrible disease that can ruin your quality of life. There’s so much you can do. That’s why I’m posting. That’s why I take time to share. You don’t have to suffer. But the longer you wait and the further along in the osteoporosis process you are the harder it is to help. That’s why early intervention is key. It’s critical.

 

[missy]

Please read. Once again sharing just in case it could help even one person. Or hopefully make everyone a little more cautious. No matter your age. Prevention is key.

From Amy Tan

“
Last year, I posted advice on how to live longer by not falling. In November, I was stepping backward to avoid rambunctious children. My foot slid off a sloped rock buried in dirt and I lost my balance and fell backward onto rocks. Fortunately, I had on so many layers of clothes I did not even bruise myself. But because I instinctively extended my arm, I put a lot of force on my wrist and sprained it. I don’t know what advice could have prevented that. But I mull over how I can learn to fall without incurring damage. I have osteoporosis and turn 70 this year. The concerns are real.

Herewith is last year’s advice on preventing falls:

If you make New Year’s resolutions, it’s not too late to add one more: How not to fall in your house.

Need motivation? There are alarming statistics concerning women over age 60 who suffer hip fractures from falls. The one year mortality rate is 21%, meaning 1 in 5 women will die in the first year, usually related to complications, such as pneumonia that can develop when a person is less mobile. Most fall-related injuries occur at home—for men, it is often from falling from heights, say, while on a ladder cleaning the gutters.

Since many of my followers are over 60, here is some advice to prevent falls. Most of them are my own “live and learn” lessons from falls I’ve had and the factors that put me at risk.

1. Always use the hand rail when taking the stairs. I estimate I’ve fallen a half dozen times over my lifetime for various reasons, some of them listed below. Many would not have happened if I had used a handrail. Consider installing handrails leading up to your front door. If you think you don’t need it, think about elderly friends or relatives who are not as fit as you.

2. Turn on the light when it’s dark or use an auto-on nightlight. I use one of those clip-on reading lights as a flashlight when heading for the bathroom and my husband is sleeping. I’ve tripped over things and fallen on stairs in the dark when what I thought was the last step was not the last.

3. Don’t carry a bunch of stuff in both hands while descending stairs or walking on sloped uneven surfaces, especially if those items block you from seeing obstacles or uneven steps.

4. Never walk while looking at your cell phone. That goes for inside the home and out. I know of two older friends who recently fell looking at their cell phone. One tripped on uneven pavement, and another did not take into account the greater height of her friend’s car as she stepped out while reading email. A firefighter in NYC told me that one of the leading causes of pedestrian deaths is inattentiion while looking at a cell phone and wearing headphones.

5. Routinely scan ahead to note obstacles or changing conditions. I once was engaged in talking to someone as we strolled on a level walkway. I did not notice that the flat walkway was becoming an elevated sidewalk with a 5” curb. My left foot rolled off the curb and I broke my ankle.
Fortunately, it was not my hip.

6. Be aware of where you place throw rugs, and also rugs that do not lie flat. Falls can happen when your foot catches the edge or when rugs are slippery. This is a real danger for those with Parkinson’s or MS.

7. Consider installing grab bars in your shower and tub. I am actually surprised how many bathrooms of friends have deep tub and shower combos, and only a slippery tiled wall to lean against. They cite that grab bars are ugly. I ask if their elderly parents ever stay overnight. Aha! You can slip when you step in and balance on one leg, or when standing on soap-and shampoo laden tub bottoms with your eyes closed. Your balance is simply not as good when you can’t see. Try standing on one foot with eyes open and then closed. I speak from experience. I have fallen in the shower of a former home that had very slippery tiles and nothing to grab. Another fall occurred in a hotel with a curved tub, which led to my shooting up and over the tub and landing onto a very hard floor. I have nearly fallen many times when using shower-tubs in hotels and the homes of friends. Oh, and those bath mats with grippy suction cups. Did not work for me. Soap on plastic is dangerous.

My current home has teak grab bars in the bathrooms. I love the look and their usefulness. They are sealed to be waterproof. They make for very nice towel racks, and in fact, I do hang washcloths on the one in my shower and a bath mat on another. I also have teak grab bars as towel bars in the guest powder room. Before I did that, I had an elderly guest who ripped off the towel bar and toilet paper holder when he leaned on them to stand up. There are many websites that sell attractive grab bars that don’t resemble those ugly aluminum ones you see in hospitals.

8. Be careful when walking on marble tile. I once slipped three times during the course of my stay in hotel that had beautiful marble floors that housekeeping polished to a shine. Wear non-skid shoes with traction even on slick surfaces. If choosing tile for a bathroom, consider small tiles, like penny tile connected by grout.

9. Be aware of dogs and cats that tend to get underfoot. A friend of mine tore her ACL when she tried to avoid falling on her little dog. My dogs often try to scoot by me.

10. Get into a balanced position when stepping out of the car. I once hurriedly stepped out of the car on one foot when the door was not fully open. I was off balance sideways with one foot still in the car and when I lost my balance, I had nothing to grab onto and fell backward and hit my head on concrete. That’s one way to end your writing career. I recommend opening the door fully, and swinging your legs together so that both feet are on the ground before standing up. A friend described it as “the ladylike way we were told to sit when we wore tight skirts in the ‘60s.”

11. Slow down when walking fast and changing directions. Your required balance shifts. I fell when I stepped outside onto the patio, and immediately turned, lost my balance when sideways, and fell onto a bunch of flower pots. Lots of bruises.

12. Remove obstacles on the floor, like magazines, clothes, and charging cords. I know of one author who broke a leg when he got out of bed and immediately stepped on a magazine. I fell when I stepped on clothes on the floor that I was about to pack for a trip.

13. If you go barefoot or wear only socks indoors, use grippy socks. They have a sticky bumps on the bottom. You can also get grippy yoga socks.

14. If you need to get something from up high on a shelf, use something very sturdy to stand on, and make sure you have something to hold onto if you lose your balance—but not something that will move when you hold on. I installed grab bars in my closet.

15. Think twice about using a ladder, indoors or out. My husband had a ladder slide out from under him when he was changing a light bulb on a 14’ high ceiling. He was lucky he was not killed. A high percentage of men who die of falls were on tall ladders or on the roof, cleaning gutters. We installed LED lights in our home so that we will not have to get in a ladder to change bulbs for years. And when they need to be changed, we will get someone young to do it.

16. Do core body exercises to strengthen abdominal muscles, quads, and glutes. They are all very much needed for balance. Also do stretches. Older people who are less flexible tend to move their upper and lower body as one unit. Practice turning your head to the side one way and the other. Turning your head to see something is better than turning your whole body. You can find exercise and stretching suggestions on YouTube.

17. Be proactive if you live with someone who is 85 or older or with someone who has dementia, weakness from stroke, cancer, or any disease that impairs coordination, like Parkinson’s. Also consider safety issues if you have elderly or mobility-impaired family or friends who visit, especially if they stay overnight.

18. If you have tall bed —frame, box spring and thick mattress—consider a lower bed. No box spring, for example, or a bed frame with less clearance. If you have a hard bare floor by your bed, consider carpeting your floor. If you add an area rug, put a non-slip mat underneath so it does not slide.

All of these points are triply important if you have osteopenia or osteoporosis.

Have a healthy 2022!
”

 

[kenny]

We have a battery-powered LED light with a motion sensor that instantly comes on at night when anyone enters the hallway between the bedroom and bathroom.
It has probably saved me from a fall or two.

Oh, and about throw rugs or even larger rugs.
Be sure there is a non-slip rubber or rubberish pad between the rub and your slippery floor.

If your dark vision is declining wear one of those miner lights on a elastic head strap.
I use those often.

 

[stracci2000]

Please read. Once again sharing just in case it could help even one person. Or hopefully make everyone a little more cautious. No matter your age. Prevention is key.

From Amy Tan

“
Last year, I posted advice on how to live longer by not falling. In November, I was stepping backward to avoid rambunctious children. My foot slid off a sloped rock buried in dirt and I lost my balance and fell backward onto rocks. Fortunately, I had on so many layers of clothes I did not even bruise myself. But because I instinctively extended my arm, I put a lot of force on my wrist and sprained it. I don’t know what advice could have prevented that. But I mull over how I can learn to fall without incurring damage. I have osteoporosis and turn 70 this year. The concerns are real.

Herewith is last year’s advice on preventing falls:

If you make New Year’s resolutions, it’s not too late to add one more: How not to fall in your house.

Need motivation? There are alarming statistics concerning women over age 60 who suffer hip fractures from falls. The one year mortality rate is 21%, meaning 1 in 5 women will die in the first year, usually related to complications, such as pneumonia that can develop when a person is less mobile. Most fall-related injuries occur at home—for men, it is often from falling from heights, say, while on a ladder cleaning the gutters.

Since many of my followers are over 60, here is some advice to prevent falls. Most of them are my own “live and learn” lessons from falls I’ve had and the factors that put me at risk.

1. Always use the hand rail when taking the stairs. I estimate I’ve fallen a half dozen times over my lifetime for various reasons, some of them listed below. Many would not have happened if I had used a handrail. Consider installing handrails leading up to your front door. If you think you don’t need it, think about elderly friends or relatives who are not as fit as you.

2. Turn on the light when it’s dark or use an auto-on nightlight. I use one of those clip-on reading lights as a flashlight when heading for the bathroom and my husband is sleeping. I’ve tripped over things and fallen on stairs in the dark when what I thought was the last step was not the last.

3. Don’t carry a bunch of stuff in both hands while descending stairs or walking on sloped uneven surfaces, especially if those items block you from seeing obstacles or uneven steps.

4. Never walk while looking at your cell phone. That goes for inside the home and out. I know of two older friends who recently fell looking at their cell phone. One tripped on uneven pavement, and another did not take into account the greater height of her friend’s car as she stepped out while reading email. A firefighter in NYC told me that one of the leading causes of pedestrian deaths is inattentiion while looking at a cell phone and wearing headphones.

5. Routinely scan ahead to note obstacles or changing conditions. I once was engaged in talking to someone as we strolled on a level walkway. I did not notice that the flat walkway was becoming an elevated sidewalk with a 5” curb. My left foot rolled off the curb and I broke my ankle.
Fortunately, it was not my hip.

6. Be aware of where you place throw rugs, and also rugs that do not lie flat. Falls can happen when your foot catches the edge or when rugs are slippery. This is a real danger for those with Parkinson’s or MS.

7. Consider installing grab bars in your shower and tub. I am actually surprised how many bathrooms of friends have deep tub and shower combos, and only a slippery tiled wall to lean against. They cite that grab bars are ugly. I ask if their elderly parents ever stay overnight. Aha! You can slip when you step in and balance on one leg, or when standing on soap-and shampoo laden tub bottoms with your eyes closed. Your balance is simply not as good when you can’t see. Try standing on one foot with eyes open and then closed. I speak from experience. I have fallen in the shower of a former home that had very slippery tiles and nothing to grab. Another fall occurred in a hotel with a curved tub, which led to my shooting up and over the tub and landing onto a very hard floor. I have nearly fallen many times when using shower-tubs in hotels and the homes of friends. Oh, and those bath mats with grippy suction cups. Did not work for me. Soap on plastic is dangerous.

My current home has teak grab bars in the bathrooms. I love the look and their usefulness. They are sealed to be waterproof. They make for very nice towel racks, and in fact, I do hang washcloths on the one in my shower and a bath mat on another. I also have teak grab bars as towel bars in the guest powder room. Before I did that, I had an elderly guest who ripped off the towel bar and toilet paper holder when he leaned on them to stand up. There are many websites that sell attractive grab bars that don’t resemble those ugly aluminum ones you see in hospitals.

8. Be careful when walking on marble tile. I once slipped three times during the course of my stay in hotel that had beautiful marble floors that housekeeping polished to a shine. Wear non-skid shoes with traction even on slick surfaces. If choosing tile for a bathroom, consider small tiles, like penny tile connected by grout.

9. Be aware of dogs and cats that tend to get underfoot. A friend of mine tore her ACL when she tried to avoid falling on her little dog. My dogs often try to scoot by me.

10. Get into a balanced position when stepping out of the car. I once hurriedly stepped out of the car on one foot when the door was not fully open. I was off balance sideways with one foot still in the car and when I lost my balance, I had nothing to grab onto and fell backward and hit my head on concrete. That’s one way to end your writing career. I recommend opening the door fully, and swinging your legs together so that both feet are on the ground before standing up. A friend described it as “the ladylike way we were told to sit when we wore tight skirts in the ‘60s.”

11. Slow down when walking fast and changing directions. Your required balance shifts. I fell when I stepped outside onto the patio, and immediately turned, lost my balance when sideways, and fell onto a bunch of flower pots. Lots of bruises.

12. Remove obstacles on the floor, like magazines, clothes, and charging cords. I know of one author who broke a leg when he got out of bed and immediately stepped on a magazine. I fell when I stepped on clothes on the floor that I was about to pack for a trip.

13. If you go barefoot or wear only socks indoors, use grippy socks. They have a sticky bumps on the bottom. You can also get grippy yoga socks.

14. If you need to get something from up high on a shelf, use something very sturdy to stand on, and make sure you have something to hold onto if you lose your balance—but not something that will move when you hold on. I installed grab bars in my closet.

15. Think twice about using a ladder, indoors or out. My husband had a ladder slide out from under him when he was changing a light bulb on a 14’ high ceiling. He was lucky he was not killed. A high percentage of men who die of falls were on tall ladders or on the roof, cleaning gutters. We installed LED lights in our home so that we will not have to get in a ladder to change bulbs for years. And when they need to be changed, we will get someone young to do it.

16. Do core body exercises to strengthen abdominal muscles, quads, and glutes. They are all very much needed for balance. Also do stretches. Older people who are less flexible tend to move their upper and lower body as one unit. Practice turning your head to the side one way and the other. Turning your head to see something is better than turning your whole body. You can find exercise and stretching suggestions on YouTube.

17. Be proactive if you live with someone who is 85 or older or with someone who has dementia, weakness from stroke, cancer, or any disease that impairs coordination, like Parkinson’s. Also consider safety issues if you have elderly or mobility-impaired family or friends who visit, especially if they stay overnight.

18. If you have tall bed —frame, box spring and thick mattress—consider a lower bed. No box spring, for example, or a bed frame with less clearance. If you have a hard bare floor by your bed, consider carpeting your floor. If you add an area rug, put a non-slip mat underneath so it does not slide.

All of these points are triply important if you have osteopenia or osteoporosis.

Have a healthy 2022!
”

Thanks for sharing this, Missy!
Good advice from the great Amy Tan.

 

[diamondyes]

@Mreader I am so happy you got the DXA. Fingers crossed for good results. Now you have a baseline which is important.

@Jambalaya I’m sorry about your recent diagnoses. I don’t know how old you are but I would get one before menopause if you can because then you hopefully have a “normal” baseline with which to follow and compare with future reports. Which will help with future treatment if that becomes necessary. And there is much you can do besides meds. So it is important to know where you are now to help you continue or get to a healthier place regarding your bones.

Much you can do besides meds- would you mind going into more detail?

 

[LightBright]

Much you can do besides meds- would you mind going into more detail?

I’m visiting this post because HRT was mentioned in another post today. Thanks for reminding us, Missy. This is an informative post.

 

[missy]

Much you can do besides meds- would you mind going into more detail?

There is much we can do besides meds.
1.make sure you get sufficient protein as bones need protein.
2. Weight bearing exercise and lifting weights.
Walking only counts as weight bearing if one walks briskly.
3. Make sure you eat a healthy nutritious diet. What you are lacking in make up with supplements.
4. Sufficient calcium. From food as best you can and the rest in supplements. Bone needs calcium.
5. Make sure you have a healthy BMI. Too thin is a huge risk factor for osteoporosis.
6. And replace hormones if you can. The biggest cause of osteoporosis for women is lack of estrogen. We can lose up to 25% of bone density in the first five years post menopausal. I did. But HRT has improved my bone health greatly.

 

[missy]

An excellent article by the late great Dr Heaney.

The Paradox of Osteoporosis Irreversibility | Robert P. Heaney, M.D.

 

[diamondyes]

There is much we can do besides meds.
1.make sure you get sufficient protein as bones need protein.
2. Weight bearing exercise and lifting weights.
Walking only counts as weight bearing if one walks briskly.
3. Make sure you eat a healthy nutritious diet. What you are lacking in make up with supplements.
4. Sufficient calcium. From food as best you can and the rest in supplements. Bone needs calcium.
5. Make sure you have a healthy BMI. Too thin is a huge risk factor for osteoporosis.
6. And replace hormones if you can. The biggest cause of osteoporosis for women is lack of estrogen. We can lose up to 25% of bone density in the first five years post menopausal. I did. But HRT has improved my bone health greatly.

Thank you!

 

[missy]

"

Hormone Therapy May Reduce Death, Cancer Risk in Older Women​

Miriam E. Tucker, for Medscape
July 01, 2022
9
31




Researchers published the study covered in this summary on medRxiv.org as a preprint that has not yet been peer reviewed.
Key Takeaways

• Estrogen therapy either by itself or in combination with progesterone among women aged 65 and older is beneficial and does not necessarily raise mortality or cancer risk.

Why This Matters

• In 2002, negative news about the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) estrogen+progestin therapy (EPT) results created lasting fears about hormone therapy (HT), despite later statistical corrections to the negative outcomes and another, less-publicized, WHI study in 2004 identifying several benefits for estrogen monotherapy.

Study Design

• The researchers analyzed data from 2007-2019 records of more than 7 million women with Medicare coverage aged 65 and older, of whom 15% used some type of HT at least once during the study period.
• The researchers classified HT into estradiol alone; conjugated estrogen alone; progestin alone; estradiol and progestin combined; conjugated estrogen and progestin combined; and ethinyl estradiol progestin combined. The study reviewed three dose strengths as well as routes including oral, transdermal, vaginal, and injectable.
• They used Cox regression analysis to study the effect of each HT drug on the 13 outcomes included in the study analysis.

Key Results

• Rates of death occurred less often in women using hormone therapy, 6.08/1000 patient years, compared with a rate of 12.93/1000 patient years among those not using hormone therapy. After adjustment for potential confounders the hazard ratio (HR) for mortality on hormone therapy was 0.80 compared with women not on hormone therapy.
• Mortality risk reductions were significant compared with no hormone therapy for both estradiol (hazard ratio