Bone Loss Due To Meds

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Porkette

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Hi Folks,
Here's wishing all of you a Happy New Year ;) Of course you would know I fell right before the holiday and injured my knee and I found out I have a lot of bone loss do the seizure meds I've been taking for so many yrs. I can't take calcium because it causes more seizures for me. Do any of you know what I can take to increase my bones without the drug messing up my seizure meds? Thanks for your time and help. May God Bless All of You!

Sue
 
Just to say. I have the same. My teeth are falling out as I loose jaw bone. I'm afraid of a break. I had not tried calcium supplimemtally. I bought vitamin K2. That enables calcium to build bone, they say. It m makes sense chemically. But I'm not a medical perso.don't take my statements as advice.
I am scared to experiment with supplements, I did find I think hi amounts of vitamin B may be a trigger.
Warmly, Janus
 
Hi Janus,

Thanks for your help I will check out the K2 and see what I can find out about it. Sorry go hear about your teeth my husband had the same problem but his was do to smoking, thank goodness he quit :) I've been taking vitamin B12 for many yrs. to help reduce my seizures the B12
helps calm the nerves for me. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue
 
I have had major bone loss due to meds. I already have a family history of osteoporosis and the meds have made it a lot worse. That is why my back broke with my last bad seizure.

I had teeth moving around in my jaw offer a dozen years ago due to my jaw bones weakening. I never had a cavity til I was 40 and had been on meds for a few years.

I take calcium daily and have for over 25 years due to my family history. Make sure you take vitamin D with it to help it work..
 
It might be worth getting your vitamin D levels checked. I don't know what kind of weather you have where you live, but lack of vitamin D can cause weakened bones, as it affects how calcium and phosphorous is regulated within the body. We usually get it from the sun, but if you live somewhere similar to britain where we don't get much sun and have long winters, or have a darker skin tone, it can be harder to absorb enough vitamin D to maintain healthy levels. A deficiency also causes bone and muscle pain, depression, and a whole host of other issues. I have to take vitamin D all the time now, even in the summer, and if my levels drop i soon know about it.

Otherwise, i'd suggest eating more calcium rich foods, like dairy products. Meds can have an effect on vitamin and mineral absorption and excretion, so it would be a good idea to check your meds info, and get some bloods done.

A happy new year to you too :)
 
Hi Folks,
Thanks for your replies I really appreciate it. I've been eating foods with calcium in it and in the summer time I love spending time
outside in the sun. Today (Mon.) I will be seeing my physical therapist and hopefully he can tell me what's the best thing to take to
make my bones stronger. The problem has come from taking Depakene, Tegretol, Mysoline and phenobarbital since I've had seizures.
I took all of these drugs at one time in my life and each of them cause bone loss. I'm still taking mysoline today I've been on that drug
for at least 30 yrs. if not longer.
I hope all of you don't have to go through this same mess. Clovis I feel so sorry for you hurting your back and I hope you don't suffer
in pain. I wish all of you only the best and May God Bless You!

Sue
 
During my last physical test results showed my vitamin levels were low. So my pcp put me on high levels of vitamin d3 to stabilize it. During that time I also found out I have arthritis in my shoulder and neck. Which was caused by long term use of AED meds. :(

Calcium is good, but the D3 will also help.

www.webmd.com

Vitamin D for Your Bones

Vitamin D is crucial for the health of your bones. Find out where you can get it and how much you need?
www.webmd.com www.webmd.com
www.webmd.com

Osteoporosis and Vitamin D

Calcium and vitamin D are crucial to bone health and prevention of osteoporosis. How much of these nutrients do you need and where can you get them? Find out now.
www.webmd.com www.webmd.com

Hopefully you can figure out a plan that will help you.
 
Hi Folks,

My Dr. told me to start Fosamax but the problem is it causes joint pain and with knee problems I've decided to say no for now and I'm going to start taking K2 D3 and see if that helps me out along with eating foods high in calcium. Sometimes I wonder if Drs. even listen here I told my Dr. that I injured my knee and was in a lot of pain and then the Dr. turns around and wants me to start taking a med that will cause more pain.o_O No Thanks I'll pass for now. Here's wishing all of you well and May God Bless You. Thank you for all of your kind words, support, and help. I could never find friends like you who understand any place else.

Sue
 
In addition to bone loss from med side effects, osteoporosis runs in my family, so I take the K2+D3 combo too. And magnesium, since that's also important for helping calcium being absorbed. Since you're sensitive to calcium, you could try taking Strontium (if your MD approves), but you have to take it in the evening when you aren't eating calcium-rich foods or supplemnts, otherwise it competes with it for absorption.

I think you're right to skip the Fosamax. In addition to the side effects you mention, it has a mixed record -- it prevents some kinds of bone loss, but people who take it have a higher incidence of spiral fractures in the the thighbone.

Also worth trying: Exercises that improve balance (to help avoid falls) and that strengthen core muscles (to help minimize damage if you do fall).

I hope you're knee is healing Sue.
 
Hi Nakamova,
Thanks for your info regarding the K2 and D3 along with Magnesium. I will also talk to my Dr. about the Strontium and see what she says.
I'm glad you see that same thing as I do with the Fosomax.
I've been going to physcial therapy for my knee and starting today I have to go up and down stairs for 2 min. each day the strengthen my
knee. Thanks for all of your help and support. May God Bless You!

Sue
 
Porkette said:
Hi Nakamova,
Thanks for your info regarding the K2 and D3 along with Magnesium. I will also talk to my Dr. about the Strontium and see what she says.
I'm glad you see that same thing as I do with the Fosomax.
I've been going to physcial therapy for my knee and starting today I have to go up and down stairs for 2 min. each day the strengthen my
knee. Thanks for all of your help and support. May God Bless You!

Sue
Click to expand...
Porkette: Adding to Nakamova's magnesium, all medicines "rob you of magnesium" which is needed more as we age. It will help the bones get stronger, help seizure disorders. . . . the list goes on and on. It removed my partials and I can clearly think now. I highly recommend it.
 
Hi billy123,

I started taking magnesium with D3 and calcium the calcium triggered a few seizures but I can live with it, it's better than having
broken bones. I wish you only the best and May God Bless You!

Sue
 
Porkette:

The best magnesium is magnesium L-Threonate. I used magnesium from a store, taking (3) 250mg daily. In 9 months it removed my partials. If you didn't read my other posts, any prescription medicine will remove or lessen the magnesium in our body. It is best to take a daily supplement.
 
Hi Porkette,

I was diagnosed with Osteopenia a year ago after being on Tegretol for 30 years. My epileptologist had me taper off Tegretol slowly. It took a couple of months. Now, I just take one seizure med- Keppra which I know you can’t take. My neurologist sent me to a endocrinologist because of the osteopenia. The endocrinologist had me increase my Vitamin D. I can’t take calcium because of stomach issues.
 
Hi Music36,

Just like you I took tegretol and a few other seizure meds that cause bone loss right now I'm taking calcium with K2 and magnesium
and D3. Lets just hope this works. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue
 
My neurologist took me off of Dilantin/Phenytoin because of the threat of osteoporosis a while ago. I had been taking it for over 20 years. None of my doctors have done a bone loss test yet. I've always eaten at least the minimum number of servings of dairy products, so hopefully it shouldn't be a problem for me.
 
Hi Sabbo,
You are playing it smart drinking/eating dairy products. I'm in the beginning of osteoporosis and I had a bone density test done a couple of
yrs. ago and my Dr. told me the bones are getting really brittle. When I see my Dr. I'm going to ask if they can give me a prescription that will
help the bone loss other than Fosamax because I don't like the side effects of the drug. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue
 
Like so many others I was told I have osteopenia after taking Dilantin and Tegretol for 20 years. I was moved to Keppra 9 years ago as a result, and it seems to have stabilized to some degree.

As others have mentioned K2, D3, and Magnesium are all good choices. Even if you think you get plenty of sun or eat foods rich in Vit D3, it is a good idea to get levels checked and possibly start taking a supplement. Many people have chronically low Vit D levels, even if they do everything right, and need supplementation.

They say the "normal" range for Vit D in lab tests is 30 - 100, so as long as you are in that range some docs won't recommend a supplement. However, I was hovering around 30 for years before I was told I had osteopenia, and finally had a doc tell me a more "optimal" level would have been over 70 on my blood tests. I take between 2000 IU and 4000 IU of Vit D3 most days, as that is what it took to get my levels up into the optimal range.

Best of luck to you, and stay well!
 
Hi Dignan,

Sorry to hear that you have osteopenia it's no fun. Just like you I took Tegretol and Dilantin for many yrs. and I know Tegretol does a good job
of causing bone loss just like mysoline or phenobarbital.

I'm going to look into getting shots that will also help strengthen the bones and build them up when I see my family Dr.

I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You,

Sue
 
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