Osteopenia

[michelem]

So, here's a little background:

I am allergic to dairy (causes awful skin rashes) and osteoporosis runs in my family (my great-aunt fractured her bones from rolling over in bed). I was diagnosed with osteopenia at around age 26. I am now getting close to the big 4-0. I am very nutrition-conscious (very much into whole, organic foods; RARELY eat anything processed (not even energy bars with all their saturated fat); skinless boneless chicken once per week, otherwise fish, brown rice protein powder, egg whites, or lentils for protein; take 10g fish oil per day (combo of fish oil pills, salmon, and sardines); once in a while a tablespoon of flax, 1500 mg calcium/750 mg magnesium daily, vitamin b-complex daily, vitamin c and e several times per week, and just about two months ago started taking 2000 IU of vitamin d per day. Why so much vitamin d? Well, it turns out that my avid avoidance of the sun (I wear titanium dioxide/zinc oxide sunscreen whenever I'm anywhere near the sun and wear SPF treated clothing as well - long sleeve SPF jerseys and cycling tights even in the heat of summer) has created a SEVERE vitamin d deficiency - my level was EIGHT and the low end of normal is around 30. My doc said that as my vitamin d levels increse my bone pain should decrease - yay!

As far as exercise goes, I cycle (of course), jog, do power yoga, and resistance exercises with resistance bands. Recently I joined a gym (yuck) and have been going three mornings a week and using the weights. I have been very active all my life, from competitive ice skating to high school cross-country team.

So, where is all of this going? I just had another DEXA scan done a few weeks ago and my bone levels have diminished to the point that I am on the very brink of osteporosis. I am so discouraged. My doc seems to think it is due to the vitamin d deficiency.

I've been doing some research and see that vitamin k2 has been used in mega doses of 45 milligrams per day and that the benefit has been equal to or better than Fosomax and some of the other prescription medications that I'd like to avoid. However, I am having a hard time finding vitamin k2 in doses higher than 400 micrograms, let alone 45 milligrams!!!

Here is one of the studies I've read: http://www.thorne.com/altmedrev/.fulltext/10/1/24.pdf

Anyway, does anyone else have good suggestions?

Oh, and my cholesterol is high too. Go figure. And, yes, I eat organic rye, barley, oats, wheat hot cereal at least 5 mornings per week for breakfast, lots and lots of veggies, very very little oil and only olive oil on the rare occasions that I use it.

Of course, my husband goes out and eats a double cheeseburger with fries and a milkshake the night before his cholesterol test and passes with flying colors. Grrrrrr . . . .

[kat_h]

Why do you avoid the sun so much?

[VeloVT]

Michelle,

Is my memory correct that you had a post some time ago (6 mos - year ago) about amenorrhea? (It's entirely possible that I' have you mixed up with someone else, so go easy on me if I have!). Do you struggle with eating disorder issues or just have trouble keeping weight on? All of these concerns (irregular periods, very low BMI, bone density issues) can be interrelated, so maybe that's worth exploring with your physician?

There was a special section in the NY TImes a few days ago about health as we age. One of the articles was about healthy bones... it mentioned that bone density is in fact not necessarily the only/best indicator of risk/heath, it's just the easiest one to measure... you might find that article interesting, maybe worth checking out to see if it's on the website?

I worry about bone density too. I have never had eating disorders and my BMI bounces between about 19-21, so I've never been "underweight" either... but I've been on Depo Provera for going on 6 years now, starting when I was 23 (when I should have still been adding bone density). I had a scan done when I was 25 -- the measurement at my hip was like, in the 99th percentile of what I "should" have had, but the spine measurement was borderline osteopenic... Doctors didn't seem to be concerned with this at the time, but I wonder... The medication works really well for me for a variety of reasons, and I don't really see an alternative that is equally appealing (though I did just switch to the new low-dose version), but I sympathise with your concern.

I wish you the best of luck.

[mimitabby]

gee, with all the Vit D you're taking, i'm surprised to hear that you're still getting worse. But it has only been 2 months.

dysmennorhea would certainly be compounding your problems. Jump rope! lift weights! good luck.
I get to go back to the Dr in November for a bone progress report....

[VeloVT]

BTW, I have an acquaintance who had health issues related to vitamin D deficiency from super-vigilant sun-protection -- it definitely happens... it's so hard to know what to do sometimes...

[makbike]

Have you had your thyroid levels checked recently?

[Zen]

The reason you can't find vitamin K in higher doses is probably because of the possibility of vitamin K toxicity

[snapdragen]

Wow michele, that's a whole lot of supplements. How much real food do you eat daily - your post makes it sound like it's not much. Maybe a talk with a nutritionist would help?