Walking the Curb without a Net

gruntlabor

gruntlabor

Last Frontier, Age 82
Osteoporosis is mine. Many of us have experienced the beginnings of chronic health issues by the age of 45 or 50. The doctors acted as if my problem was unheard of at that age, no-one knew what was wrong. But I was in a wheelchair. I believe I know how this came about, which I will explain in another episode, weather permitting.

**Depend upon me. I will support you. --The Floor**
 

The most ridiculous thing a Doctor said to me when I was first getting diagnosed with my chronic back issues was .. You cannot have back pain you're not tall enough ... when asked what he meant, he said only people who are tall get lower lumbar issues.

I kid you not he actually said this to me.. a qualified consultant..
 
hollydolly said:
The most ridiculous thing a Doctor said to me when I was first getting diagnosed with my chronic back issues was .. You cannot have back pain you're not tall enough ... when asked what he meant, he said only people who are tall get lower lumbar issues.

I kid you not he actually said this to me.. a qualified consultant..
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A physical therapist told my husband to do a squat. Had he tried that, he would never have walked again! He said no and was called 'non-compliant'. I've seen so many excellent health-care people, but there are definitely the mean ones and incompetents, and you can't avoid them.
 

Both of you are right. Doctors told me a lot of nonsense, also a physiotherapist. Both of them recommended to do a workout at the gym to strengthen my abdominal muscles which lead to a groin hernia. The surgery for the hernia led to my first deep vein thrombosis.
 
George1959 said:
Both of you are right. Doctors told me a lot of nonsense, also a physiotherapist. Both of them recommended to do a workout at the gym to strengthen my abdominal muscles which lead to a groin hernia. The surgery for the hernia led to my first deep vein thrombosis.
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I've got a groin hernia. At my age, 82 next month, I don't want another surgery. I'm advised to apply pressure, to push it in with my fingers, especially when coughing.
 
"Blame it on gravity....!"
iu
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I believe these four things contributed to my osteoporosis. Just my opinion and facts as I recall them.

1. I had four children in five years.

2. Birth control pills. In 1966 lower doses were approved, but the high-dose pills were still sold until 1988. My pharmacist told me I'd been taking ten times the necessary dose. By 1967 serious side effects were just being acknowledged, including loss of bone-mineral density (BMD). BMD is the outcome of the influence of many factors, one of which is hormone levels.

3. Coffee. The body's ph requirement is very precise. Coffee being highly acidic, the body leaches calcium from bone in order to maintain the system's alkalinity.

4. Jogging and other abuses of high-impact exercise can cause insult and injury to knees, ankles and feet. Any extra weight adds to the equation.

Next time I'll tell you about my emergency trip to UCLA.

**I'll be back. --Arnold Schwarzenegger**
 
I flew to UCLA to see an expert in my problem, whatever it would turn out to be. I don't believe he called it osteoporosis, he just said that it was bone deterioration. He prescribed calcium, estrogen, vitamin D, and get this! 25 mgs of fluoride per day. I returned home and after many grueling exercise sessions regained the use of my legs. I took the fluoride for, I think, about a year and a half.
But this problem would return again and again.
**It's always something. --Gilda Radner**
 
I hear ya @gruntlabor
I was diagnosed with osteoporosis last year. I take bone supplement with calcium hydroxyapatite, D3, K2, and some other vitamins thrown in. I've always taken Magnesium Citrate, fish oil, and multi vitamin.
I'm going to take Fossamax for a year which means until November to stop bone loss until I get this regimen going good.
I do strength/resistance exercise at least four days a week.
I'll be curious what my next bone test says.
 
It is more than likely that as we age our bones become weaker and begin to deteriorate. Which cause pain is most cases. necks, arms, hands, hips, back, and knees to name some main problems. Mine has happened in my neck first. Last year at 71 I had an MRI and this is the results. All of this means that I am in pain most of the day, and am on 1800mgs of Gabapentin. I micro dose THC, and try to stay active and exercise. Also eating well and taking appropriate supplements.

C2-C3: Disc osteophyte complex. Facet arthropathy. Mild to moderate spinal stenosis.
C3-C4: Disc osteophyte complex. Facet uncovertebral hypertrophy. Severe right and moderate left foraminal narrowing. Moderate spinal stenosis.
C4-C5: Disc osteophyte complex. Mild to moderate right foraminal narrowing.
C5-C6: Fusion. Disc osteophyte complex. Moderate central canal stenosis. Questionable subtle dorsal cord hyperintensity, chronic appearing.
C6-C7: Disc osteophyte complex. Facet and uncovertebral hypertrophy. Moderate bilateral foraminal narrowing. Moderate to severe central canal stenosis.
C7-T1: No significant stenosis.
 
hearlady said:
I hear ya @gruntlabor
I was diagnosed with osteoporosis last year. I take bone supplement with calcium hydroxyapatite, D3, K2, and some other vitamins thrown in. I've always taken Magnesium Citrate, fish oil, and multi vitamin.
I'm going to take Fossamax for a year which means until November to stop bone loss until I get this regimen going good.
I do strength/resistance exercise at least four days a week.
I'll be curious what my next bone test says.
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Death of the jawbone as a side effect of Fossamax scares me. I don't want to take prescription drugs, but I may have to before I'm done. Keep safe, and please keep us informed on your progress, I'm curious too about your next bone test.
 
Paco Dennis said:
It is more than likely that as we age our bones become weaker and begin to deteriorate. Which cause pain is most cases. necks, arms, hands, hips, back, and knees to name some main problems. Mine has happened in my neck first. Last year at 71 I had an MRI and this is the results. All of this means that I am in pain most of the day, and am on 1800mgs of Gabapentin. I micro dose THC, and try to stay active and exercise. Also eating well and taking appropriate supplements.

C2-C3: Disc osteophyte complex. Facet arthropathy. Mild to moderate spinal stenosis.
C3-C4: Disc osteophyte complex. Facet uncovertebral hypertrophy. Severe right and moderate left foraminal narrowing. Moderate spinal stenosis.
C4-C5: Disc osteophyte complex. Mild to moderate right foraminal narrowing.
C5-C6: Fusion. Disc osteophyte complex. Moderate central canal stenosis. Questionable subtle dorsal cord hyperintensity, chronic appearing.
C6-C7: Disc osteophyte complex. Facet and uncovertebral hypertrophy. Moderate bilateral foraminal narrowing. Moderate to severe central canal stenosis.
C7-T1: No significant stenosis.
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:) Ouch, stiff neck! Neck exercises are called for. Careful when driving --when backing up you may not be turning your head sufficiently to see behind you!
 
gruntlabor said:
Death of the jawbone as a side effect of Fossamax scares me. I don't want to take prescription drugs, but I may have to before I'm done. Keep safe, and please keep us informed on your progress, I'm curious too about your next bone test.
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I know!! Scary, that's why only one year.
Those side effects are seen after being on it 3,4 years and up.
 
hearlady said:
Also, what happens after you have to stop taking it? Best to have a long term plan in place. I just wanted to stop the loss short term and work on building bone.
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We can think about other tactics that may help, like estrogen or strontium, and keep informed on new ideas. And we shouldn't abuse our joints by being overweight or malnourished. And we should avoid too much sugar in the diet.
 
Last November I fell and broke my right femur. I've had a lot of broken bones but they were all broken at a joint. This time the bone snapped close to its center (otherwise, of course, it would have been a broken hip or knee).
Screws and pins and rods and whatnot were required, including weeks of inpatient physical therapy and months of home physical therapy.
I'm presently on a two-wheel walker, knock-kneed, suffering incredible pain, living on Excedrin, both right and left feet and ankles swollen like weather balloons, and I don't know that I will recover from this.
The good news is:
I'm not depressed
I am responsible for no-one but myself
I've got it so made in every way but this, ...well, sort of
I've got you guys at SeniorForums to keep me on the straight and narrow path
So, Dear Diary, I'll hope to be back to inform and titillate, although I don't want to turn everybody on.
**Y'all come back now, y'hear? --from Beverly Hillbillies lyrics by Flatt and Scruggs**
 
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Most swelling has disappeared, like overnight! My legs look so thin. The swelling had been uncontrollable with legs rock hard.
The only reason I can think of for its disappearance is that I had been sitting with my feet on the floor, but for the last few days have been propping them up again. I'm trying to remember why I stopped propping them up, when I always, always have done so.
Later: I think it was because I had workmen in the house and had to be ready to move quickly. But the weakness and the pain are worse.
Okay, that was a setback, and I'm much the weaker for it.
**HURT AGONY PAIN LOVE-IT --Training scene from SILENCE OF THE LAMBS**
 
Paco Dennis said:
Well your 10 years older than me. If I live that long, I hope I can have an attitude like yours. I admire everyone who is our age and doing their best to keep a positive attitude each day while we slowly melt back into the ground. :)
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Yes, into the ground from whence we came, but later rather than sooner! It is good to be alive. šŸ˜
 


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