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Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a thinning or decreasing density of the bones resulting in a weakening of bones and increase in likelihood of fractures.  It will affect most women.  Osteoporosis  is not 'normal' and with some effort can be prevented.  You may not know it but your bones are constantly changing or in a state of turnover.  There is a process of bone breakdown or resorption and this is balanced by deposition of new bone.  Before about age 30 the process is in favor of building new, bigger, longer, stronger bones.  After the age 30 there is slowly more destruction and removal of bone.  The most significant complications of osteoporosis is fractures of the spine and hip.  Merck has developed a SCORE  sheet to rate your risk of osteoporosis.

At ARFP we can perform a Bone Density  (DXA) test to identify the presence of osteoporosis and a special urine test, called a urine Osteomark test, which can indicate increased loss of bone material.  We may also do some special blood tests to check your Parathyroid hormone (PTH), thyroid hormone (TSH) as well as calcium and Vitamin D levels.  After we have all this information we can decide on the appropriate plan of treatment.

The Osteomark test is a special urine specimen you will collect at home and bring back to our lab.  This must be the second time you urinate one morning.  In other words you will get up and the first time you need to urinate go to the restroom as usual but the second time you go you need to collect the specimen to bring to the lab.  We should have given you a special cup when we ordered the test.  This test measures bone breakdown products in the urine,  The higher the result the more rapid the bone loss. 

As for treatment and prevention there are some recommendations that just about all women should do:

1. Calcium - you need between 1200 and 1500 mg of calcium a day. Some from your diet and some from supplements. (You can order a good Calcium and Multivitamin at - GNC Women's Ultra Mega Multivitamin
2. Vitamin D - Make sure any calcium you take also has Vitamin D. You need between 400 IU and 800 IU of vitamin D every day.
3. Exercise - The more you use your bones the stronger they stay.  We recommend that you stay as active as you can.  Walking for 30 minutes every day will help maintain your bone density.
4. If you smoke - STOP.  Tobacco use increases bone loss.

If you have osteoporosis there are several good treatment options we can discuss.  Call us at 227-6363 to schedule an appointment , you do not have to suffer from the complications of osteoporosis.