How Many Of You Have Already Had Bone Fractures?

[mamabear]

As I was sitting here,resting my fractured 5th little toe...it dawned on me that I had a normal DEXA last year....but I've had another broken toe in my 20's,broken little finger in my 20's and each ankle when I was a child. My recent Vitamin D came back low,so I'm pushing the D now.

I wondered if youall had a similar rate of non-osteoporotic bone fractures??

[little d]

HI GFMemphis

I am currantly nurseing my third fracture of my 5th metatarsal on my left foot. pretty much in the same location. this time it is very slow to heel I am on my 10th week I think still wearing my boot and I am wearing a bone growth stimulator for 10 hours a day let me tell you it is hard to get you 10 hours in when you are always on the go and I curtainly don't sleep 10 hrs a night.( it is to promote the bone to grow a little faster). My Ortho Doc says that is healing but needs a little help along with vitimins, but I kinda want to go back to my primary doc to get a blood work up just to see what all my levels are from last year my calcuim level I think was 9.2 I think it was right in the midddle of the normal maybe a little on the high side but you never know from year to year. I am asking my Ortho doc on my next visit for a bone scan to see if it is a possiblity that I might have early signs of osteopenia or osteoporsis.

Donna

[psawyer]

In February of 2001, about 8 months after diagnosis and at least six years after onset of clear celiac symptoms, I incurred a triple compression fracture of the lumbar vertebrae.

Short story is I turned sideways while lifting, and felt something snap. I told the doctor, who said, "You've broken your back."

X-rays confirmed the fractures, and bone mineral density testing showed osteoporosis. Osteoporosis usually shows up in post-menopausal women; I am a man and was 46 at the time. Things have improved, but a recent test still showed lower than normal density. I have been gluten-free for almost seven years, and take calcium and vitamin D supplements, as well as a prescription drug for the treatment of osteoporosis. The effects of long-term malabsorption are still there.

[little d]

In February of 2001, about 8 months after diagnosis and at least six years after onset of clear celiac symptoms, I incurred a triple compression fracture of the lumbar vertebrae.

Short story is I turned sideways while lifting, and felt something snap. I told the doctor, who said, "You've broken your back."

X-rays confirmed the fractures, and bone mineral density testing showed osteoporosis. Osteoporosis usually shows up in post-menopausal women; I am a man and was 46 at the time. Things have improved, but a recent test still showed lower than normal density. I have been gluten-free for almost seven years, and take calcium and vitamin D supplements, as well as a prescription drug for the treatment of osteoporosis. The effects of long-term malabsorption are still there.

I am only 36 and my Ortho doc looked at me kinda funny and ask if I still had my monthly and of course I do, but he said that he would set it up at the next visit I guess because I have had so many fractures but I didn't tell him about my possible Gluten Intolerance, because I knew that he would really look at me crazy. But I think that I will tell him just to see his reaction to me saying anything.

Donna

[mouse]

Many years ago I had fractures in both big toes. I knew what caused one, but not the other. They did Dupont plastic implants in them both. One broke down a couple of years ago and the other is still going strong. They expected them to last about 3 years. One lasted me 22 years and the other must be about 24 years old.

I do not have Osteoporosis as I was tested last year and that was when the scoliois showed up loud and celar. Dumb me, thought it was my osteo arthritis the last few years. Isn't malaabsorption great LOL.

I now take 1000 units of D and 1500 mg of Calcium, on a daily basis. My Rheumy told me to take it as my D barely hit the charts. Who said Arizona sun would provide all of my D - he, he.

[mamabear]

I was getting 400-800 IU of Vitamin D in supplements and 1000 mg in calcium tabs(with Mg and Zn) as well as liberally in my diet. Also I am no stranger to the sun!!!!!! I am now getting 1400-1800 IU of Vitamin D after a low 1,25 OH Vitamin D level . I think I was sprued again!!

I will recheck the level and if not well into normal range, I'll go ahead and take the Rx megadose. I just thought it odd that I've already had 5 fractures and bruise like a Georgia peach......poor DH might start to get paranoid!

[tarnalberry]

I've had a break, but it was from a rollerblading accident and healed well. :/

I do take supplemental calcium/magnesium (with D). Magnesium is equally, if not more, important for celiacs when it comes to bone density.

[little d]

I bought some supplements but I only took them for a week and I forgot that I had them in the medicine cabinet and havent taken them since gee I cant remember half the time to take them, and I know that it is important to take at least the calcium especially while healing a fracture, the multi vitiamin which has iron in it was making me constipated and hurt with it so i just stopped. I need to take something else i guess.

Donna

[Karen B.]

I bought some supplements but I only took them for a week and I forgot that I had them in the medicine cabinet and havent taken them since gee I cant remember half the time to take them, and I know that it is important to take at least the calcium especially while healing a fracture, the multi vitiamin which has iron in it was making me constipated and hurt with it so i just stopped. I need to take something else i guess.

Donna

It's important for all women to take calcium (but you need magnesium and D to absorb calcium). We get used looking at everything through a Celiac filter but non-Celiacs get osteoporosis too. A woman's body uses calcium to help regulate estrogen when going through perimenopause and menopause. My PC doc says every woman should take around 2000 milligrams of calcium a day to avoid bone loss. It just becomes more critical that you take your supplements when you have a malabsorbtion disorder like Celiac. I've known women with osteoporosis and it's my goal to not have it. I figure Celiac is enough to deal with.

A side benefit is it helps with muscle cramps and hot flashes.

I broke my wrist in a fall in 2005, a couple of years after the Celiac diagnosis and I was thrilled when the doc said it healed ahead of schedule. Ahh, the joys of gluten free health! My bone scan came back good but one vertabrae was on the low side of normal. Enough of as warning for me -- I take my calcium without fail.

[tarnalberry]

I know it can be hard to remember to take calcium, but you remember to brush your teeth, right? To get dressed, right? To eat sometime, right? Then link taking the calcium to two of these items. (Don't take more than ~500mg at a time. 300mg at a time is preferrable.) You've formed other habits in your life; you can form this one too!

[ami27]

2-1/2 years ago I broke my ankle and shattered the radial head in my elbow roller skating. This was long before I knew about celiac. But, now I wonder if it is related at all. I ended up having to have a plate and 6 pins in my ankle and a titanium spacer in my elbow. I asked my ortho surgeon if I had a bone density problem and he simply said 'no, there is nothing wrong with your bone density'. He explained that it was my size that caused the break. Whatever that means. I was pretty doped up on pain killers during this conversation and never did revisit it with him. I was at the skating rink with my kids. I was wearing old school 4 wheel skates. I wasn't doing anything spectacular and wasn't going very fast. I was actually going slow so I could get off the rink and go to the restroom. I fell and did that much damage?? That has always amazed me. If I were skating fast and fell I would have expected it, but not just barely moving. I have an appointment with my regular doctor next week. I'm going to mention it to her to see if she can do a bone density test.

Ami

[Ursa Major]

I broke a bone in my hand when I fell off the bike at 14, had a scull fracture when hit by a car at 15, and broke my right ankle when stepping onto the side of a driveway five years ago (age 49). None of them were related to osteoporosis, as I had my bone density checked after figuring out I am gluten intolerant, and it is perfect.

But all of them healed slower than they should have, and I didn't know why at the time. The ignorant doctor I had with my fractured ankle did everything else wrong, and he also never told me to take extra calcium, magnesium and vitamin D. Now I know that my vitamin D was quite low at the time.

[RiceAddict]

When I was diagnosed last year, I had my endoscopy and labs done on a Thursday. Thursday night I was out at a friends in the country and tripped over a tractor implement in the dark. I fell and broke my right wrist. the next day I went in to see the gi and he gave me the news about having celiac. He explained the disease, treatments, and potential complications including bone fractures. we both just looked at my wrist and laughed histerically. That was the first and only broken bone I have ever had. This doesn't really answer your question but I think it is a funny story.

[Karen B.]

When I was diagnosed last year, I had my endoscopy and labs done on a Thursday. Thursday night I was out at a friends in the country and tripped over a tractor implement in the dark. I fell and broke my right wrist. the next day I went in to see the gi and he gave me the news about having celiac. He explained the disease, treatments, and potential complications including bone fractures. we both just looked at my wrist and laughed histerically. That was the first and only broken bone I have ever had. This doesn't really answer your question but I think it is a funny story.

LOL! I asked my ortho doc about bone strength after the break on my wrist and he said that most people that trip will try to catch themselves by throwing their arm out and the wrist can snap even when the bone is good. My bone tested fine in my wrists, apparently Colles fracture is not uncommon.

I keep saying I want to take one of those classes that teach you how to land and roll. Although the ortho said if I had done that on the floor at work, I probably would have had rotator cuff damage in my shoulder. It's just carpet over concrete. Apparently, it's hard to have a good landing on concrete. Of course the better route would be not to fall. :-)

[irish daveyboy]

Prior to diagnosis I had various in-explicable fractures which didn't make sense!

.

While leaning into a shopping trolley to get that ever evasive last tin of beans

I managed to crack a rib.

.

While lifting a coffee table i cracked a small bone in my wrist.

.

And here's the strangest one of all, awakening with a jump from a 'Nightmare'

I managed to crack another rib.

.

So for a couple of weeks at a time I had them strapped up till they healed.

.

It was only after I was Dx'd that it started to make sense, not absorbing calcium

causing ' brittle bones' coupled with the fact that I was also Asthmatic and had been

recieving 'Kenalog' injections for years for allergies.

'Kenalog' is steroid based and didn't help the situation.

.

On the next visit to the Specialist i will be getting a Dexa Scan, but that probably

will only confirm the obvious.

.

[ravenwoodglass]

As I was sitting here,resting my fractured 5th little toe...it dawned on me that I had a normal DEXA last year....but I've had another broken toe in my 20's,broken little finger in my 20's and each ankle when I was a child. My recent Vitamin D came back low,so I'm pushing the D now.

I wondered if youall had a similar rate of non-osteoporotic bone fractures??

Count me in. I have one toe I have broken so many times that it moves freely in any direction. I had two broken ribs in my teens from having someone fall on me at a concert and I have also broken fingers, and lets not even start with teeth, not technically bones but close. I think my Ehlers Danlos has actually saved my long bones a few times, I tear tendons and ligament before the bones break. Otherwise I most likely would have broken my ankle more than once falling off those lovely '70's platform shoes.

I was diagnosed with oseteoporosis about 5 years ago but interestingly enough I haven't broken anything since except teeth. Of course I never try to run, dance or climb rocks or that sort of thing anymore either and my balance issues make sure I move slow.

[little d]

Knowing my luck with tests my bone density test when I go June 11 for my third visit with my Ortho Doc because I seem to heel slower this time. knowing my luck that he will say your just fine, just keep taking the calcuim and your be ok I have a feeling that is what he is going to say. But I also need to tell him about my possible Celiacs as well not that he will know what Im talking about. I guess I'll take some information with me to share with him.

donna

[Kottemamman]

Oh, let me join you all in this!

I have not been diagnosed yet (did the blood work Tuesday this week), but I suspect celiac disease very strongly.

So far:

*6 toe fractures (thank God, not all at the same time). Took forever to heal, especially the one in the big toe.

* Crashed one rib when I had the flu and coughed. Doctor said it wasn't possible, but sent me off to X-ray as I continued to claim that it was broken. It was. Took almost six months to heal, and is still painful sometimes when I cough. I broke it 10 years ago, so it really should be OK by now. It isn't...

* One finger fracture. I accidently pinned my finger when closing the doors to the drying cabinet. The doctor at the ER had NEVER heard of anyone managing to break a finger that way.