Re: Dr. Kolb, Dexascan results

[Guest guest]

Dear Patty: It is not known if silicone can cause osteopenia. Studies need to be done. .

-----Original Message-----From: ~*Patty*~ [mailto:fdp@...]Sent: Saturday, June 01, 2002 12:24 AM Subject: Dr. Kolb, Dexascan results

Hi ,

I had a dexascan today for bone density and thought these results were interesting. Do you think there is any possible correlation to the implants?

Scans were done on my hip and on my spine.

Conclusions:

The bone density of the hip is normal.

The bone density of the spine is diagnostic of osteopenia.

Lumbar 1 -2.4

Lumbar 2 -2.1

L 3 -1.7

L4 -1.9

It appears the higher up my spine, the worse the bone density is. They stopped the scan below my bra line.

We've got studies posted on the group that indicate that bone deterioration occurs around silicone joint implants. Do you think silicone implants can have an effect on the spine, with the proximity?

Thanks for your input.

Patty

[Guest guest]

mine look similar and after reading this again I realize I don't have it in my hip either, and it says fairly advanced in spine that is all hmmm?

it isn't clear but it looks like my scores are

spine -2.2

hip- 2.0 but it says that is normal hmmm not sure but I see my Dr on Monday and I am going to ask her to interpret this stuff for me. I am thinking it is not as bad as I was told. They try to freak ya out so you will take drugs, but yours didn't recommend that so who knows. Yikes!

----- Original Message -----

From: ~*Patty*~

Sent: Friday, May 31, 2002 10:24 PM

Subject: Dr. Kolb, Dexascan results

Hi ,

I had a dexascan today for bone density and thought these results were interesting. Do you think there is any possible correlation to the implants?

Scans were done on my hip and on my spine.

Conclusions:

The bone density of the hip is normal.

The bone density of the spine is diagnostic of osteopenia.

Lumbar 1 -2.4

Lumbar 2 -2.1

L 3 -1.7

L4 -1.9

It appears the higher up my spine, the worse the bone density is. They stopped the scan below my bra line.

We've got studies posted on the group that indicate that bone deterioration occurs around silicone joint implants. Do you think silicone implants can have an effect on the spine, with the proximity?

Thanks for your input.

Patty

[Guest guest]

That is interesting that your worst is in your spine, too. My total

composite score on my spine was -2.0, while my hip was -.6. I just

thought it was strange that it got worse as it scanned higher on my

spinal column.

The reason this doctor probably didn't want to address it was

because he is a sports medicine doc and is treating my broken

ankle. He told me to get with my family doc, which, alas, I don't

have one.

Anyway, I am going to look at upping my calcium intake somehow. I

don't think pills are the answer for me, though. They make me

nauseous. I'll be looking into eating more calcium rich foods, (I

have a recipe book called " CalciYUM " ).

But I also wonder if this goes back to a calcium metabolism issue

(i.e., the parathyroid glands?) Wish I knew. Doctor Kolb, any ideas

on how to approach this?

Patty

>

>

> mine look similar and after reading this again I realize I don't

have it in my hip either, and it says fairly advanced in spine that

is all hmmm?

>

> it isn't clear but it looks like my scores are

> spine -2.2

> hip- 2.0 but it says that is normal hmmm not sure but I see my Dr

on Monday and I am going to ask her to interpret this stuff for me.

I am thinking it is not as bad as I was told. They try to freak ya

out so you will take drugs, but yours didn't recommend that so who

knows. Yikes!

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: ~*Patty*~

> @y...

> Sent: Friday, May 31, 2002 10:24 PM

> Subject: Dr. Kolb, Dexascan results

>

>

> Hi ,

> I had a dexascan today for bone density and thought these

results were interesting. Do you think there is any possible

correlation to the implants?

>

> Scans were done on my hip and on my spine.

> Conclusions:

> The bone density of the hip is normal.

> The bone density of the spine is diagnostic of osteopenia.

>

> Lumbar 1 -2.4

> Lumbar 2 -2.1

> L 3 -1.7

> L4 -1.9

>

> It appears the higher up my spine, the worse the bone density

is. They stopped the scan below my bra line.

>

> We've got studies posted on the group that indicate that bone

deterioration occurs around silicone joint implants. Do you think

silicone implants can have an effect on the spine, with the

proximity?

> Thanks for your input.

> Patty

>

[Guest guest]

Have been reading posts on the Dexascan results many are getting. . .

There are a multitude of predisposing factors re your bones--such as ancestry, diet, exercise, meds, etc. ; it is a good idea to have questions for the doc because the report is not always correct and it pushes him/her to look carefully at it. My doc tried to tell me I had osteoporosis-- and I do have a lot of the risk factors--but it turned out I didn't have osteoporosis and even where I have mild osteopenia, it's questionable. . .my Dexascan report contradicted itself three times--and this endo

is part of a big study!! The Dexascan gives readings specifically geared toward your height, weight and age, also--so reports can be different from one another.

Contrary to results some others are getting, my very, very slight osteopenia was

not in my spine, but my Wards Triangle/femur in which there is diminished

density anyway--so, who knows if there's anything? (There was rib destruction

behind silicone implant on one side--the side that had had two ruptures)

It was like pulling teeth to get Magenisum and Vitamin D tests (already knew

zinc was ok) and they were both low. If there was a problem, this was it

One really doesn't need these tests except to prove a point to the physician.

Putting calcium into your body is fairly useless unless your zinc, magnesium

and vitamin D are up to par. You can take them all without testing. These

are important for other things also. Many women with silicone implants have

been found low in Magnesium as it is a mineral that is needed for phagocytosis and

a ton of other functions. People in this country are rather low in it anyway and it is

rarely tested here.

Vitamin D is actually a hormone--and it comes from sunshine; some of us live in

areas where there isn't a lot, some can no longer tolerate it and I've read that

sunscreen blocks it. I know that some hormones travel in lipids--maybe all do; Vitamin D is lipid-soluble. Silicone is lipid directed, also. Take Vitamin D.

As far as we know re bones--calcium, magnesium, Vitamin D and zinc. And getting

these while you are younger can certainly save problems later. ( Dietary

silica combines with calcium for bones also! smile) Dr. Kolb can probably

advise you on what to take, if you ask.

Off the subject: it occurred to me that those of you who had infection may be

low on iron; it used to be considered that menstruating women used more iron

anyway--I don't know if that still holds or not. In any event, iron pills can really

mess with your digestive system if not exactly right. I use Yellow Dock Root as

a mild iron supplement.

I can remember a time when "iron-deficiency" was the fad of the day--causing anemia

and all manner of things. It's too bad it got lost in the shuffle cause it's real

important to the red blood cells.

Do you think we would be curious and implementing all these health measures

if we hadn't been ill with our implants? A true blessing in disguise.

Bonnie

[Guest guest]

,

Do you think it would be hard to get funding for such a study?

I would love to see if there is any connection. It would appear so, with some of the studies on bone deterioration we have in the files section.

My next question would be, of course, is this condition reversible if silicone is the culprit? Who do you think would be interested in funding a study?

Patty

Note the last sentence: wherever there was bone destruction, siliconeparticles were found. This is not something that should be put in humanbodies!> J Hand Surg [Am] 1994 Jul;19(4):575-83>>> In vivo experimental analysis of silicone implants on bone and softtissue.>> Minamikawa Y, Peimer CA, Ogawa R, C, Sherwin FS>> Division of Hand Surgery, School of Medicine, Buffalo, NY.>> We report experimentally produced silicone microparticles (synovitis) in 47 white rabbits and discuss the implications for clinical practice. Silastic HP100 (Dow Corning , Arlington, TN) finger hinges (size 5) were inserted in 20 rabbit's knees. The upper tibia was replaced with Swanson design great toe implants in another 15 rabbits; articular cartilage was removed and endosteal drilling was performed in 6 animals as a "sham" arthroplasty. Small silicone blocks were inserted in the proximal tibial endosteal canal of 6 others. Animals were followed by monthly x-ray films and killed at 2, 4, 6, 12, and 16 months. Implant wear, bone surfaces, and soft tissue were examined under the operating microscope and by light microscopy; implant surfaces were examined with scanning electron microscopy. X-ray changes included reactive endosteal bone formation around implant stems as early as 1 month postoperatively; at 2-3 months the new bone line was clearest but it became progressively homogeneous and less evident. Extensive cortical erosion around the stems was observed in one third of the animals. Neither ossification nor lysis was observed around the silicone block. Proliferative synovitis was found at post-mortem examination beginning after 4 months; femoral condylar erosions were observed in most animals after 12 months. Wherever there was bone destruction, silicone particles were confirmed by x-ray spectrography.>> PMID: 7963310, UI: 95052366

> > Patty: Yesterday I had a patient with low bone density around her > ribs but> not on her heel. There may be an association with free silicone and> osteopenia. I have not seen any studies on this. .