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Bone Density scores?

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Posted 1/21/2009 2:47 AM (GMT 0)
I just got my bone mass density from a Walgreens mobile healthfair van for free. You have to put your foot in a machine and it reads it very quickly. My score was a .2

The T-score guages are as follows

Nomal = Above -1.0

Osteopenia = Between -1.0 and -2.5

Osteoperosis = Below -2.5

I was wondering if anyone else has taken one of these test and what kind of results did you all get after being on prednisone.

Posted 1/21/2009 3:20 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Got2believe,
my mother took this test(she does not have any UC problem), and her reading was below 0.2 as well, her doc told her it is very important for her to start taking calcium + other Vitamins supplements immediately and also made some improvement in her diet. She was on heavy medicines for 2-3 months and her readings did improve. Just hope u have started taking medicines for this... it is important!
Sorry, i have no knowledge how prednisone is related to this.
Posted 1/21/2009 4:13 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the reply. i wanted to see if if my t score warented any action. It probably does. I have a meeting in 3 days for my other spine and hip one which i will talk about the results with my general practitioner. Yeah prednisone can kill bone so it is imperative to get these tests. I can't wait to compare my test with the one I took of my hip and spine a couple years ago. I don't take any calcium pills but eat lots of veggies...
I researched on web after my initial post and saw a bell curve that had the standard deviation thing and it showed 50% of people are right at 0 (zero) with their scores... So maybe I am OK.
Anyone else know about this stuff?
Posted 1/21/2009 5:15 AM (GMT 0)
I haven't had a bone density test, although I'd be interested in getting one.

I was on Prednisone once for three months. After two months of being on it, my teeth hurt when I drank cold water. Sensitive teeth is a known side effect of Prednisone. It means the underlying layer of the teeth, the dentin, has become exposed. That was two years ago. My teeth aren't as sensitive anymore.
Posted 1/21/2009 2:21 PM (GMT 0)
I think I was -1.9 but I've never been on pred before. My GI just told me to add a calcium supplement along with my multivitamin.
Posted 1/21/2009 3:14 PM (GMT 0)
The foot bone density test is not quite as accurate as the body scan so you should probably ask your GI to order a body scan to get the best results. My bone density remained unchanged after over 2 years of continual pred use of 10-40mgs. My GI credits my results to my daily participation of weight bearing exercise and the supplementation of calcium citrate. If you are not engaging in weight bearing exercise you shoud start a program. You don't have to join a gym to work on building bone but you do need a regular program that you can commit to.

Sue
Posted 1/21/2009 4:37 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on prednisone continuously for over a year now.  My mother has Osteopina (not sure of spelling, but its not osteoporosis, i guess it just means your predisposed to getting it eventually?) and my GI has just scheduled a Bone Density Scan for me beginning of February.  I am curious to see what level I am at. 

Posted 1/21/2009 6:44 PM (GMT 0)
I'd be suspicious of the results you get from a free, mobile health fair scanning. Have your GI order hip and spine bone scans. If you've been on pred for a while - and particularly if you're a small-boned white female - you could certainly have bone loss. I had osteopenia - the precursor to osteoporisis - but was able to reverse it with improved diet and weight training.
Posted 1/22/2009 12:15 AM (GMT 0)
I think those quick tests will help alert you to a problem, but I wouldn't trust it to decide you were OK.

Your doc should be watching your bone density if you take prednisone. I had the bone scans and fortunately, despite taking prednisone a lot over many years, my bones are fine. I attibute it to strength training, which I started doing in college and am doing about four days each week now.
Posted 1/22/2009 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
I had one done almost 5 years ago, when I was 19, and I don't recall the exact score at the moment but it was already showing osteopenia in my left femur and lumbar spine. I haven't had one since but I plan on asking for one this year to see if things have gotten worse. I've been on prednisone a few times since then, and I'm not the best at remembering to take supplements, so I fear it might have.
Posted 1/22/2009 1:23 AM (GMT 0)
Bone density scans are VERY important for anyone who has been on prednisone for more than a short taper (2-3 months). I first learned of my decreased bone density when a chiropractor took x-rays. I then went to my GP who ordered the DEXA scan. The three I have had have shown Osteopenia.

It is important for anyone taking prednisone to be on calcium as well.

My last scan was in early December. My GP recommended increasing my calcium and adding more weight bearing exercise. I also hope to avoid pred use in my future.

To make sure I remember my calcium, I take it at night with a handful of other meds. I also get some from my multivitamin - I also LOVE milk :)
Posted 1/22/2009 3:44 AM (GMT 0)
I am going to have my GP go over my bone density of my spine and hip I took 12/4/08 with me Friday 1/23/09. I am going to put more emphasis on this test b/c it was from the big machine and cost $300 (although insurance paid for most)

I will post my results so we can see how accurate my free ankle reading was. I just saw the mobil van was in town and had to go get a free checkup. they also checked cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose, body composition, and body mass composition.

Posted 1/23/2009 4:35 PM (GMT 0)
I got my results today from my main scan i took last month. I have oseoperosis in both my hip and spine. :( I had taken this about 2 years ago and both were fine at the time so I can definately say prednisone has done this to me. Please everyone on prednisone take care of yourselves and try to get off of it and use it as little as possible. I would advice anyone on prednisone to monitor their bone density b/c it is scary to find out you have osteoperosis at age 29... My doc recommended another scan in 1 year so I will do my best to get stop the bone loss and try to rebuild.
Posted 1/23/2009 5:31 PM (GMT 0)
That's a bummer... I forget what my actual scores were, but I too had a bone scan done, the full body one they do in the hospitals. My PC doc recommended it, after being on pred for about 18 months- my pred dose varied during that time, but overall I was on it at some dose for that long. The bone scan did show osteopenia, but my PC doc just recommended that I make sur I get plenty of calcium from food, as well as checking my multi-vitamin for calcium.

Posted 1/23/2009 8:21 PM (GMT 0)
     I had a dexa-scan done last month.  Both my GI doctor and family physician called me because they were both concerned.  It was -3.6.  I was never a milk drinker as a child (bad, bad, bad) and have been on prednisone off and on for the UC over a ten year period but the longest time I had to be on it was last year when I couldn't get off it for seven months.  The prior dexascan I had, done 4 yrs ago, read -3.5.  I already suffered a compressed fracture of the lumbar spine when I fell about four years ago.  Both doctors are pushing meds but for the time being, since I am on so MANY other meds for the UC and blood pressure and since Fosamax can cause ulcerations in the esophagus AND I read where there is an increase in esophageal cancer in women who have been taking Fosamax, I am just taking extra calcium with vitamin D.  I thought this would be okay since my scan hasn't shown much deteriation in four years.  I was told about the other meds...injections and Boniva for osteoporosis, but I don't think they have been on the market long enough to prove their safety.
Posted 1/24/2009 5:29 PM (GMT 0)
I can't remember my score, but I was classified as having osteopenia. I've never been on pred though, but I'm naturally very small-framed, so I wonder if it's somewhat normal for me to be in that range. I did start taking a calcium and vitamin D supplement daily after I found out I had osteopenia and I workout regularly. I first had the quick foot bone density scan and then a full DEXA scan. Both showed the same results.
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