osteopenia ...anyone else?

i had a bone density test done yesterday and my gi just called to tell me i have osteopenia. i am currently taken 1400 calcium and 800 vitamin d daily. he said it's more than likely a cause of the steroids/6mp along with the disease itself. i sent a message to my pcp to bring him up to speed and see what we are going to do next. uhmm .... i am no spring chicken but aren't i too young for this ?! and i am still on the anemic side, taking 650 of iron a day. i read somewhere that iron can block the proper absorbtion of calcium so i take them at different times.

anyone have experience with this, comments, suggestions, new intestines, ...please reply! kthanks!

my mom was diagnosed with pre-osteoporosis at about 50 and all they told her was to chew some tums! i called to tell her the news and she is shocked that i will more than likely have to go on a script to try and correct the problem. my grandmother also has osteoporosis. i am also small (4' 11 1/2'' and 108lbs.) and like, beyond white hahaha. but i just got back into exercising, i walk about an hour 2-3 times a week, use light weights and a balance ball at home.

so besides the yoga, is there anything else you are doing to help the osteopenia? thanks for the reply :)

I have it too, for a while now (since mid 20's) and I'm only 35. I was on fosomax for a while and it had a GREAT effect on me, but I quit taking it so I could get pregnant and I need to get back on it. I've been on pred since I was 20 and I can't get off because of adrenal atrophy. Nice, huh? No suggestions except to take the fosomax and hope that it helps you!

I am also at osteopenia levels (-2.2) at age 38. (Haven't had a recent scan done, but I am due for another after another 7 months on steroids.) My doc says that Crohn's patients usually have less bone mass, as he says, "before even smelling a steroid." My Ob did not recommend the bone building meds at this point. (I am pre-menopausal.)

I had osteopenia diagnosed at least 7 years ago. Since then I had a different doc each time I had a new bone density done. When I was livivng in gilroy, ca the doc I had, had their own machine in the office. Not only did they do it on my hip, they also performed the test on my spine and arm. The arm showed osteopenia, the spine was normal, and the hip wasnt wonderful and was shown normal but bordering osteopenia. I am unsure of the actual values of my 1st or 3rd tests but the doc in CA sent me a color copy including pics of my bones. Whether there is a set diagnostic level or if diff docs consider a slight diff in values. I had one done in 07 and my GI said it was normal. I only take a prenatal vitamin and no calcium supplements outside of what is in that. I am not lactose intolerant so I tend to eat lots of cheese.

i developed osteoporosis after being on prednisone for like 3 years (i think i was 20 at the time). i was on it for a total of 6. to counter it, i went on fosamax for like 10 years. my last bone scan said i was in the normal range, so i quit the fosamax. this was in like august last year. you want to get at least 1000 mg of ELEMENTAL calcium. if the dosage does not specify elemental than you dont know how much you are actually getting. you also need to take magnesium with your calcium. i have read you want 2:1 ca to mg, but i've also read the opposite, even 3:1 mg to ca. i currently take peter gilhams natural calm plus calcium. i also take a cod liver oil for my vitamin D and omega 3 EFA.

strength/weight training will help cos muscle growth promotes bone growth, so if you dont go to the gym regularly, now is your chance to start (and summer is right around the corner!!!)

since doing this on my phone I cant edit that last post. I meant to add thatafter my 1st scan the RA doc that wrote for the test did not want me to use Fosomax since I knew someday I wanted to have kids. Whether it was due to it being a newer drug at the time or there is adverse troubles even if you stop fosomax prior to conceiving.

You might want to ask for a referral to an Endocrinologist. I was Dx with Osteopenia I can't remember when, then I started having compression fractures and rib fractures, so I guess its Osteoporosis now because there are actual breaks. But, I've been seeing an Endo, we've tried a bunch of different meds, most of which I couldn't tolerate, all the Fosamax types. So now she has me taking Birth Control pills for the hormones so I can absorb more calcium, a prescription Vit D, 50,000 IU, tons of Calcium a day, and I was taking a nasal spray too, but I was really non-compliant with that. But her combo is working, each time I go for a bone scan, my levels have improved, and I'm 43, so to improve my levels is pretty great, or at least I think so. You just want to make sure that you stay on top of it.

wooo weee! thank you everyone for the feedback. seems pretty common for us crohnies. my boss suggested i might want to start taking liquid vitamins for better absorption so i might look into that. i am not the biggest fan of exercising but a friend of mine used to be a personal trainer and she's working on a exercise plan for me. with the warm weather here i am going to try and stay fairly active on a daily basis. i am by no means lazy, i just get bored of routine. tomorrow i am going to have more blood work done through my pcp (vitamin d, pth & serum calcium levels) and he will make recommendations after he gets my results.

thanks again everyone! if i learn anything compelling in the the next few days in regards to this osteopenia i will be sure to share :) take care all!