General Chat

Hi Does anyone else out there suffer from Osteoporosis, if so, what treatments have been tried on you, and have they worked? I`ve already had several different kinds of injections, epidurals etc, drugs and so on, with no success . Now going to have anoher injection in Nov, not sure what its calledm sounded like "hot needle"?? idea is I think to burn out the nerves that have been crushed in my left ribcage, and which are causing so much pain (I`m presently on morphine for the pain , but not a total success, pain still breaks through) Would love to hear from anyone else who has had similar problems and how you cope

Haven't had any thing like this Maud, but it all sounds very painful, you poor thing, let's hope this treatment does some good!.

Yes I have it to I am 45 and have had it about 4 years it is really bad in our family so all you women go get a bone density x-ray done please and of course the men to. I have not got it bad but I am on a pill I take once a week to build bone it is called Actonel it has helped a lot also I was told to take Vitamin D to help the body absorb calcium, because that is why we get this because our body does not absord calcium, I was advised to go to the gym and was put on a program for Osteoporosis it stregthened my back alot, but it also sounds as though the National Health is not the best over there,(mum fills me in) here it is excellent. Another thing as soon as a bit of weight goes on the problems gets worse. To all you mum,s make sure your children overdose on calcium NOW it will help them later. Love Deb.

Maud i thinks its all trial and error, mine is the spine, and knees i've had injections.physio ,tens machine, and i am now on morphine. They want me to go and have a pain block injection, and i have refused as i was so ill after the last 14 injections, i can't face it. My mum has been like it it for 30years, and my younger sister had to have 3 discs removed this year and they are both in horrendous pain, so i shall plod on until the time comes i can't cope. I take fish oils and eat lots of fruit and veg. and warmth seems to help, roll on the summer. sandra

Thanks for all your replies, yes it is a dreaful disease. Mine was not diagnosed until after my spine fractured, I had been told by GP the pain I was having was caused by "wear & tear" (be warned anyone else who has been told this!!) but shortly after recovering from heart surgery (2years ago now) On the second day after getting on my feet, I took one step and then felt as though I had been sliced in two!! An immediate x-ray was taken, and I was told that my spine had fractured, this was not the first fracture! I then had a radisotope bone scan, showed all my bones are brittle. I too take Actonel (weekly dose) have just recently had another scan to see what difference if any, waiting for results. Adraid I already have to use a wheelchair if going any distance, can only walk a short distance with walking frame otherwise, I cannot keep up straight if standing, so must have support of frame. I think today that GP`s are becoming more aware of this disease and hopefully not so many people being left in the state I am, especially for people who have been taking steroids, I have been in Basildon Hosp a few times & have met other women who had been on steroids, they too were developing Osteo. I most certainly do NOT want to have any operation, someone I know (a man) recently had this, and is now worse off, he could not move his right leg for months, and is still very dodgy, so that would be the last thing I would want. Cannot understand why I developed the disease, I was as active as possible, went to exercises (not streneous because of my heart condition) but I did a lot of walking etc, so its not as if I had spent my life sitting around! Whether exercises etc will do any good after it has developed I don`t know? I did go to see a [physiotherapist when I came out of hospital, but he said there was nothing they could do for me, except offer Tens & heat treatment, which did ease pain whilst it was being used, but by the time I got home, benefits had already disappeared! It seems like we are stuck with this dratted thing and just have to put up with it I suppose Perhaps some day (due to medical advances?) an actual cure will be found, wouldn`t that be wondefull!!

i dont have osteo or rheumatoid aparantly i just have joint pains and muscle pain (doctors diagnosis after blood test normal) which affects my spine shoulders elbows neck ankles,and i wont go on , week ago given vioxx but it was then withdrawn now given brexidol . anti inflamatory. my back is so painful now . i have suffered with this on and off for last 4 years and have recently seen physio but that hasnt helped. tonite i have read side efects of brexidol and now considering putting up with pain. good luck maud with your treatment. let us know how you get on

hiya i feel realy sorry for you all i have a problem were my ribs join onto my sternum its called costochronderitis and if you cough or sneeze it is a nightmare its like haveing a heart attack as you cant expand your chestwall but i have been taking omega 3 and glucosomine from health shops and i feel tons better

Hello Maud,Have you joined the National Osteoporosis Society,There is also an international Branch They are very helpful,My Very dear Friend has this very badly and I find lots of things for her on the Internet.There is also a special Mat you can Buy From Nyvatex,In Canada Just type it in and search. Best Wishes Hal. I will search for some of the things she uses,and try and get back to you.

i was reading a book last night , it was a true story , in it the wife had that, she got a specialist trainer , not sure if it was at the gym or not, but after 2 years it had sorted itself out , but she would have to continue with the exercise for the rest of her life, so take at look at what programme there is out there etc, i dont believe in taking tablets for the rest of your life, i believe there is other methods. i suffer from a frozen shoulder, it affects the whole left side, plus my arm and neck, im lefthanded which doesnt help, i looked into it, joined a gym, its now gone, so ?????. when i stopped going the gym, it came back, LOL, so i try to go 3 times a week if not, out come the bake bean tins and i do it at home,LOL. good luck in what ever you choose. :-)

Hi Maud,Back again with a few things which may help.Firstly,tyr www.docguide.com Then type in for Osteoporosis,When you get through ask them to send you "Updates"on it.the other thing is what is available.there is,Alendronate,Teriparatide,and Evista(Ralaxifene)these are some of the latest drugs,also they are testing a"Patch"in America the results have not come thruogh yet.However,Which ever drug you are given,ASK,About the "SIDE EFFECTS"from them as they can be a bit upsetting.The full address for enquiries about the"Mat" is<[email protected]> they will send you details of it.My friend has one,and it does help.Best Wishes and good luck with your health,Hal.

Thanks again for the kindess of you people in suggesting various treatments etc. We get to the stage when we will try anything to get relief, thanks Harold for the item about Nyvatex, will have a look see. I`m having a "good" day at the moment, not too much pain at the moment, have been trying to avoid any unecessary movements to start it off, so far not too bad, keeping my fingers crossed will be ok today! I too was started on Didronel but Rheumatologist, changed this and put me on the Actonel (weekly) he seems to think this would be better, I think they just try all sorts of things and don`t really know, they just hope we will have some benefit I think? Also taking 30mgs ofAmitripyline each day, doc said that there is some evidence that a small dosage of that apparently does help the painkillers to work, probably because you are more relaxed (I find it send me to sleep, still, at least when asleep you do not have pain!, so suppose that is a benefit, so will keep on taking it, anything that offers relief is always helpful) Good wishes to all of you who go through this dratted pain every day, we just have to grit our teeth and get on with life, even though its jolly hard to do so, when I have "bad" days, I keep telling myself, this will pass, tomorrow I will feel lots better (it does work, sometimes!) and after all, if we look around, there is always someone worse than ourselves. It does help to have an interest that absorbs the mind, this I find a great help, especially researching the family, its better than sitting feeling sorry for oneself. Bye for now, hope you all have a GOOD day Maud

Can't give you any advice on treatment but my great aunt (Grandma's sister) had it very badly BUT she died in January this year aged 96 so it's not necessarily going to knock years off your life!! Hope this positive thought helps!!