Re: Prednisone/Loss of Bone Density

[Guest guest]

I agree with you about prednisone ....

sometimes it's the only thing that helps. It's inexpensive too. I

started taking Actenol to build up the bone mass. I'm also getting a

bone density test once a year. I've been on prednisone since 1993 off

and on, mostly on and the bone density tests come back with good news.

I don't drink milk, it makes me sick, and I'm not a big veggie eater.

Ostoeoporosis runs in my family. My biggest problem with prednisone is

weight gain...Now that I'm finally down to 5mgs of prednisone, I've

lost a few pounds...woot! I think that different things work for

different people.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maggie

http://www.4HockeyFans.com

http://www.4FloridaHockey.com

MSN: Maggies1429

AOL: Maggies85

gloriarex@... wrote:

For some of us, staying on prednisone long-term is something we have to do. I'm wondering if there are any preventive measures we can take to stop bone loss. I take Fosamax, try to remember to take calcium during the week, do a lot of strength training. I have been on Prednisone for probably 5 years on some dosage or other - right now 5 mg/day.

Will diet help? Drinking more milk? eating more broccoli? How often do people take bone density tests? I know that increased cholesterol can also be a side effect of continued prednisone use.

Just interested in hearing what everyone does to counteract prednisone.

gloria

[Guest guest]

Careful with Milk it is one of those foods that is very suspect in regards

to bringing on RA flares. There are other foods that you can get calcium

from.

Dorey

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

From: <gloriarex@...>

<Rheumatoid Arthritis >

Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 1:26 PM

Subject: Prednisone/Loss of Bone Density

>

>

> For some of us, staying on prednisone long-term is something we have to

> do. I'm wondering if there are any preventive measures we can take to

> stop bone loss. I take Fosamax, try to remember to take calcium during

> the week, do a lot of strength training. I have been on Prednisone for

> probably 5 years on some dosage or other - right now 5 mg/day.

>

> Will diet help? Drinking more milk? eating more broccoli? How often do

> people take bone density tests? I know that increased cholesterol can

> also be a side effect of continued prednisone use.

>

> Just interested in hearing what everyone does to counteract prednisone.

>

> gloria

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Gloria, I do about what you do but I also add Vitamin D to help use the calcium. I have recently switched to Calcium Citrate instead of Calcium Carbonate because the Citrate is used better by the body. I also try to eat yogurt with active acidopholus every day to get more calcium. God bless.

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

From: gloriarex@...

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 1:26 PM

Subject: Prednisone/Loss of Bone Density

For some of us, staying on prednisone long-term is something we have to do. I'm wondering if there are any preventive measures we can take to stop bone loss. I take Fosamax, try to remember to take calcium during the week, do a lot of strength training. I have been on Prednisone for probably 5 years on some dosage or other - right now 5 mg/day.Will diet help? Drinking more milk? eating more broccoli? How often do people take bone density tests? I know that increased cholesterol can also be a side effect of continued prednisone use.Just interested in hearing what everyone does to counteract prednisone.gloria

[Guest guest]

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

From: Maggie

> I agree with you about prednisone .... sometimes it's the only thing that helps. It's inexpensive too. I started taking Actenol to build up the bone mass. I'm also getting a bone density test once a year. I've been on prednisone since 1993 off and on, mostly on and the bone density tests come back with good news. I don't drink milk, it makes me sick, and I'm not a big veggie eater. Ostoeoporosis runs in my family. My biggest problem with prednisone is weight gain...Now that I'm finally down to 5mgs of prednisone, I've lost a few pounds...woot! I think that different things work for different people.

I am currently on 30 mg. of prednisone. Every time I try to go below 20, I flare so bad the doc makes me start taking more again. I have only been taking it since last August. I had two infusions of high doses in the hospital last Fall. I'm taking Actonel. A medical friend of mine said to take coral calcium because it is absorbed better than most calcium is. I haven't tried it yet since my back has been hurting too much to go shopping. If I ever get off this prednisone, I will never take it again. I thought the weight gain was my biggest problem with it until this happened. Up until taking the prednisone, my bone density loss was minimal.

Nina

[Guest guest]

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

From: Harold Van Tuyl

> Gloria, I do about what you do but I also add Vitamin D to help use the calcium. I have recently switched to Calcium Citrate instead of Calcium Carbonate because the Citrate is used better by the body. I also try to eat yogurt with active acidopholus every day to get more calcium. God bless.

I was told you absorb virtually no Calcium if you don't take Vitamin D and Vitamin K with it. I also eat yogurt every day.

Nina

[Guest guest]

I was on 20 mgs, sometimes I'd take 30mgs

for a couple years...I don't remember being down to 5 in a very long

time...then in January I saw a new doctor (rheumatologist). He took

me down gradually and I'm at 5mgs. Sometimes the pain has been really

bad in my hands.. I didn't think I could keep going down on the

prednisone. I worked thru it by taking an occasional pain pill, or

some Tylenol Arthritis medicine. It's very hard to go down and it is

painful, no doubt about that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maggie

http://www.4HockeyFans.com

http://www.4FloridaHockey.com

MSN: Maggies1429

AOL: Maggies85

I am currently on 30

mg. of prednisone. Every time I try to go below 20, I flare so bad the

doc makes me start taking more again. I have only been taking it since

last August. I had two infusions of high doses in the hospital last

Fall. I'm taking Actonel.

Nina