[Tigercat17]

Hi all,

I just got my bone scan results back today. I scored - 2.1 (Thinning Bones), so my doctor wants to see me. I'm 38 years old & I was diagnosed with celiac 7 weeks ago & gluten free.

Does anyone know what they do for "Thinning Bones? I have to say I'm really upset. It's just more bad news. I've been taking calcium 500 Mg for the last 8 years along with multi vitamins. I thought the bone scan was going to be normal. What a bummer...

Can I reverse the bone loose? Does anyone have any tips or recommendations? Thanks!

[twe0708]

Tigercat17, on Nov 4 2009, 09:30 AM, said:

Hi all,

I just got my bone scan results back today. I scored - 2.1 (Thinning Bones), so my doctor wants to see me. I'm 38 years old & I was diagnosed with celiac 7 weeks ago & gluten free.

Does anyone know what they do for "Thinning Bones? I have to say I'm really upset. It's just more bad news. I've been taking calcium 500 Mg for the last 8 years along with multi vitamins. I thought the bone scan was going to be normal. What a bummer...

Can I reverse the bone loose? Does anyone have any tips or recommendations? Thanks!

I am going through the same thing and was just diagnosed with Celiac a little over three months ago. My bone test said thinning of the bones too and I just turned 40. You have to remember since we have Celiac and didn't know it for some time, I am sure taking the extra calcium was just going right through you. I am taking extra calcium 3x a day (about 1300 mg total) and doing some light lifting/working out about 3 to 4 times a week. My doctor wants me to see a Rheumatologist, but I don't care to go right now (tired of doctors) when I alredy know what I need to do. Plus, I have read some negative things about Fosamax and would rather try light lifting and over the counter calcium before they put me on a prescribed medication. Not that he would for sure do that but I already know what needs to be done, so why go. It takes a good year to two years before we will see results so you will have to be patient. Hopefully you are not a smoker because that harms the bones too! Good Luck!

[twe0708]

P.S. And don't take calcium with iron.

[Gemini]

twe0708, on Nov 4 2009, 11:54 AM, said:

I am going through the same thing and was just diagnosed with Celiac a little over three months ago. My bone test said thinning of the bones too and I just turned 40. You have to remember since we have Celiac and didn't know it for some time, I am sure taking the extra calcium was just going right through you. I am taking extra calcium 3x a day (about 1300 mg total) and doing some light lifting/working out about 3 to 4 times a week. My doctor wants me to see a Rheumatologist, but I don't care to go right now (tired of doctors) when I alredy know what I need to do. Plus, I have read some negative things about Fosamax and would rather try light lifting and over the counter calcium before they put me on a prescribed medication. Not that he would for sure do that but I already know what needs to be done, so why go. It takes a good year to two years before we will see results so you will have to be patient. Hopefully you are not a smoker because that harms the bones too! Good Luck!

There was a study done in Italy, I believe, and they wanted to see how much of a negative effect smoking had on bone growth. Turns out, the different between the recovery of the smokers vs. the nons were so small, the study concluded that smoking didn't cause as much harm as originally thought, which I think surprised the researchers. This isn't to say it's healthy overall but I think it is vastly overblown.

I agree with your plan of action on this. It's pointless to see yet another doctor when you know what you have to do to regain bone density. It is entirely possible to do, especially if you are pre-menopausal. Estrogen plays a key roll in bone formation. It will take a while and it will also take awhile to recover from celiac damage but you can regain your health, without a doubt!

[Tigercat17]

Thanks for your comments & tips!

I have been taking my iron along with my calcium for years. Of course I'm anemic too. And I take two iron pills a day. I didn't know that about separating them. I'll start doing that today.

And I'm sure your right about having celiac for a long time. I've probably had it for years, too -maybe all my life, but who knows? I have to say it makes me mad that no one check me for this before.

I'm not sure what my doctor is going to say yet, but I really don't want to go on more prescription drugs if I have to. I've always lifted light weights & exercised my whole adult life. I think that's why I'm so shocked that I have thinning bones. I haven't did any in the last four months since I've been so skinny, weak & just not feeling good. I think I should start back again & hopefully that may help some.

[mushroom]

Don't overlook that your body needs a good supply of Vitamin D in order to use the calcium to make bone. You should make sure that you are not Vitamin D deficient (as many celiacs are). so that the calcium can do its job.

[ang1e0251]

Remember that calcium needs magnesium to bind. They work together. Here is a link that talks about it.

http://www.vitalnutrients.net/hq_handouts2...lcium/Magnesium

[Wolicki]

Take some vitamin c with your iron, too. Helps it absorb. I have osteopenia and osteoporosis. I take Caltrate + D twice a day, and prescripton strength Vit D. I've been getting Reclast injections once annually for the last two years. Even with the Celiac (wasn't dx until 6-09) my bones haven't deteriorated. Since I have absorption issues, the pills weren't an option. Hope that helps. oh, and weight lifting is very good!

[Tigercat17]

Yes, I do take vitamin C 500 mg with my Iron. And I've been vitamin D deficient for about two years now & I've been taking 2,000 vitamin D ever since. I'm wondering if I have other defiances. Should I ask my doctor to do a complete work up? I'm just really curious what else I'm deficient in & what my doctor is going tell me next week.

More bad news? What next?

[mushroom]

Yes, it is a good idea to have all nutrient levels checked as a baseline, to see how much supplementation is needed; check all those mentioned above, plus B12 and folate, because you are likely deficient in several of them due to malabsorption. In addition to Vit. D, and B12 shots, a take a mega B complex and a high dose multimineral tablet that also contains all the vitamins. Fortunately, I do not have osteoporosis.

[srthomas21]

What are the symptoms of thinning bones if any?

[mushroom]

srthomas21, on Nov 5 2009, 06:41 PM, said:

What are the symptoms of thinning bones if any?

Unfortunately, you often don't know until you break something If you are low in the nutrients we have been discussing there is a good chance that your bones are not in very good shape. The only way to know for sure is to get a DEXA bone scan which is a relatively simple, and painless procedure (although may cost quite a bit). If you have been diagnosed celiac or gluten intolerant I would certainly recommend that you have one. Sadly, doctors do not always know to do this. You have to tell them what you need, including asking for the nutrient tests.

[srthomas21]

Is this more common in women than in men or does it not matter?

Also what nutrient test should I ask for? I have checked B12 and Folate both of which were fine but I dont think anything else has been checked.

[Tigercat17]

mushroom, on Nov 4 2009, 08:47 PM, said:

Yes, it is a good idea to have all nutrient levels checked as a baseline, to see how much supplementation is needed; check all those mentioned above, plus B12 and folate, because you are likely deficient in several of them due to absorption. In addition to Vit. D, and B12 shots, a take a mega B complex and a high dose multimineral tablet that also contains all the vitamins. Fortunately, I do not have osteoporosis.

Thanks for the tips! I think you're right, I am probably deficient in a lot of vitamins. I will ask my doctor to check all the nutrient levels when i see her next Friday. I'm sure she might not of even thought of that since it was my dietitian (who has celiac himself) that told me to get the bone scan done in the first place. Seems like the doctors really don't know much about tis disease.

Too bad I have to weight till next week. I really want to get this started before i really start to have problems...like i don't already..

[mushroom]

Overall, statistics show women as more likely to get osteoporosis than men; however, I think all bets are off when we are dealing with celiac. My husband and I both started with really good bone density; mine have stayed good but my husband quickly dropped to osteopenia,, and he didn't even realize he had celiac--just went on the diet so it would be easier for the household. It wasn't until he developed DH when he "cheated" that he realilzed he was "one of us"..

As for the nutrient testing, they all seem to be specific boxes the physician checks on the form, or at least over here they are. There doesn't seem to be any such thing as "a nutrient panel." It's a good sign that your B12 and folate were normal. One thing to be aware of, though, is that you really need to be in the middle or above on the laboratory ranges. The ranges are so wide, and sometimes not all of what they are measuring is available to the body. My B12 and folate were "normal" too, but right at the bottom of the range and I had a type of anemia where your red blood cells are too large. I had kept asking the doc what "mean cell volume" meant because it was consistently out of range and I just got brushed off because it was "just a little" high. Well, being "just a little" above normal can be the same thing. For most things you really want to be at least mid-range for maximum health.