AIBU to be feeling low that I have an osteoporosis diagnosis at 52?

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I realise there are far worse things that could happen to me.

However, after a routine DEXA scan - I've had fairly stable osteopenia for over 9 years due to an early menopause - my neck of femor is moving into osteoporosis territory. On the line.

I do weights, I take exercise seriously and have done for years - I've taken calcium and Vit D for years too. And yet, I'm still at this place.

I feel worried about falling, worried that it's going to keep getting worse.

I've got an appointment in Jan with a bone consultant who's great, but just...well, just wanted to voice my frustration with it.

You should also split your magnesium up rather than taking it in one big dose. So, for example, in the morning take minimum 200mg magnesium malate plus 2-3000iu vit D plus 50mg vit K2 plus 3-6mg boron, 4 hours later take your calcium, 30 mins before bed take minimum 200mg magnesium glycinate (or threonate).

Also be aware that your body absorbs calcium more efficiently from food than from supplements so it's important to consider what you're eating.

Hope this helps!

I'm a member of this group as I've had primary hyperparathyroidism. However, other than osteoporosis, the OP hasn't yet said anything which indicates she has a problem with any of her parathyroids.

I think if you’ve had bloods taken to test for Vit D Ana Calcium there’s a very good chance they have tested for parathyroid - you just need to ask the question- it’s a simple test

It's not particularly common to test for PTH as a matter of course unless someone is having symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, stomach pain, etc and/or has high calcium (which might have been picked up in a urine test). This is why I've asked several times on this thread if the OP has any other symptoms.

Also to be clear (in case the OP needs this info), PTH isn't a 'simple test'. It's essential that a EDTA vial is used to test PTH - some hospitals use non-EDTA vials which renders the result meaningless. And obviously serum calcium (and adjusted calcium) must be part of the same draw as the PTH.

Apologies OP, I don't mean to derail your thread. Parathyroidism can be complex and isn't well understood by many UK medical professionals and there are some real horror stories of people with this disease fighting for years to be treated and/or recognised as having the disease.

Do you know which hospitals use the non-EDTA vial? As far as I know my blood was tested for it as standard screening - my only symptom was a broken bone (well multiple really)

@HundredMilesAnHour i don’t understand why you keep saying the OP would have to have symptoms and to base it on this. Many don’t have symptoms and osteoporosis can be a symptom. Yes, the bloods don’t always show it if you’re normocalcemic. But better to have the bloods in case as it will show in many (as it did for me!). It’s just a test for calcium and PTH and better to rule it out. Along with coeliac test as suggested by another poster.

Because the vast majority of people with parathyroid disease have a variety of (usually non-specific) symptoms (and probably don't even realise why) and is why doctors will test PTH levels in addition to calcium. Yes of course the OP should ask for it to be checked but your implication that it will have happened when she had her calcium checked is quite misleading and could cause unnecessary worry both for the OP and for anyone with osteoporosis / osteopenia reading this.

Thanks so much. Such interesting posts and I'll definitely check out the FB groups and get tested for PTH - although, given it runs very strongly in the family, I don't suspect it will be that.

Two more questions for those in the know. I do lots of exercise, including weight bearing. But I'm aware I might need to be more mindful now about what exercise I do.

A: I love to box. In a class, with a partner. Or with a bag. I thought it was probably good for bone density, given the constant 'thuds.' Now I wonder if it's considered too 'jerky', which is an osteoporosis no-no and if it's really a fracture waiting to happen.

B: Also, I was looking and comparing my DEXA scans. See my table comparison. I don't think the advance is bad - in fact it's minor except for the NOF T. Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts? Aware no one is a doctor!

Is the change even significant - there's a margin of error on the Dexa Scan. They are not always consistent - was it the same machine?

I feel for you, I'm dreading this.
I had a surgical menopause at 37 and I'm now 45. I've been osteopenic for a while now but waiting for a hip scan as it's become very painful.
I'm also now terrified of ice which makes me feel ancient.