Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

Re: [RC] fragile bones - DESERTRYDR1

I am post-menopausal, have more risk factors, mainly a Mom who had fairly 
severe osteoporosis, and had several vertebral fractures and a bad accident 
involving five ribs in a flail break that has not healed.  My Mom bugged me 
to get the Dexascan for bone density for about 5 years.  Finally, when I 
turned 49, I had one.  Showed that I had the bone density of a 30 yr old 
woman.  YeeHah!  

But it did alert me to the problem that many women face, and it also alerted 
me to the fact that there are medications that can arrest the bone loss, 
possibly even somewhat rebuild the bone.  My Mom had about four different 
episodes of breaks, but has not had any since the rib accident, about 5 or 6 
years ago.  She has even had a couple of falls that previously would have 
probably broken something.  She has been on a couple of different medications 
and has not been losing any bone.  If untreated, this is a progressive 
disease, her's is stable.

My advise to EVERY woman who is turning 50 is get yourself a Dexascan for 
your birthday.  If there is evidence of bone loss, you can get treatment 
before it's too late, and if there's no evidence, you have a good baseline, 
and can be checked again in (my Dr. says) a couple of years to see if there's 
any change.  I have talked to several women who's Dr's told them "Your too 
young to worry about that"  Fact is, bone loss starts in your 30's while your 
still producing hormones, there's no need to wait for a fracture to find out 
if you have a problem.

Deb, go back to your Dr. and find out what you can do to prevent further 
loss, and whether there's anything that will help you build bone again.  Take 
lots of calcium in an easily absorbable form, and do some weight bearing 
exercise.  And keep riding!  What good is being relatively healthy if you 
can't do the things you love.  If your horse isn't a 3S horse (thanks, Julie 
for that info) Safe, Smooth and Short, consider finding one that is.  Good 
luck,   jeri

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=