My New Journey

I recently was diagnosed with Osteopenia (my BDMS results were -2.0) My ObGyn prescribed Actonel once a month (I will be trying to make that a once a week dose so I will remember to take it), upping my calcium to 1200 mg and D to 800 IU, and walk for 30 minutes at least 3-4 times a week (I will try for the 4-5 times a week or more if possible... I need to train for March races anyway!). I will also have to go back for a rescan in 2 years.

My mother has Osteoperosis and she has broken her leg into and had vertebras compress all up and down her spine... I am worried but I will be doing all I can to correct this bone loss and get a good grade next scan!

Together we will walk this learning path together we will research why we lose bone and how we can stop or possibly reverse bone loss.... We will also learn about calcium what it is what it does and how we can get enough of it to insure healthy bones!

Osteopenia: Mild thinning of the bone mass, but not as severe as osteoporosis. Osteopenia results when the formation of bone (osteoid synthesis) is not enough to offset normal bone loss (bone lysis). Osteopenia is generally considered the first step along the road to osteoporosis, a serious condition in which bone density is extremely low and bones are porous and prone to shatter. Diminished bone calcification, as seen on plain X-ray film, is referred to as osteopenia, whether or not osteoporosis is present. The diagnosis of osteopenia may also be made by a special X-ray machine for bone density testing.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes osteopenia, for people 50 and older with lower than average bone density who do not have osteoporosis. WHO defines osteopenia as a bone density between one standard deviation (SD) and 2.5 SD below the bone density of a normal young adult. (Osteoporosis is defined as 2.5 SD or more below that reference point.)

"Osteopenia" has two Greek ancestors: "osteon", bone and "penia", poverty = bone poverty.

from MedicineNet.com