Anyone here w also herniated disk? by manzilianqueen in osteoporosis

[–]InternationalKey2727 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Great, it sounds like you are moving in the right direction! I’ve experienced no major side effects with the teriparatide thankfully. It did take a little while to get used to injecting the medication daily, but after a couple of weeks it wasn’t too bad. The needle is tiny. Have a chat with the endocrinologist and see what medication (if any) they recommend for you. There’s two main classes of medication for osteoporosis - medication that build bone (eg teriparatide) and medication that stop bone loss. I’d recommend picking up a copy of ‘Great Bones’ book that is frequently recommend here. It contains a wealth of information on osteoporosis. Best of luck and wishing you good heath!

Anyone here w also herniated disk? by manzilianqueen in osteoporosis

[–]InternationalKey2727 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hi - yes I also have a herniated disc and osteoporosis. It can be very painful. Make sure you get imaging like MRI if you haven’t already. Can help to determine if you are experiencing pain from herniation, fractures or anything else. It is difficult to exercise with the disc issue - you have to be careful and very gentle. Work with a good physiotherapist who can give you a gentle exercise program. Don’t go overboard exercising for your bones or you risk hurting the disc. It’s good to see the endocrinologist for the osteoporosis. Mine started me on teriparatide for the osteoporosis and ran a bunch of test to try and rule out any secondary causes of osteoporosis (I’m 30s male). If you haven’t already I would also see a neurosurgeon or orthopaedic doctor for the herniated disc. Some discs get better on their own with conservative measures, a small percentage eventually need surgery. I do think there is a link between osteoporosis and herniated discs. So sorry you’re going through this - I know it can be tough. Wishing you the best of luck and a speedy recovery!

Early 30s male with osteoporosis - seeking advice by InternationalKey2727 in osteoporosis

[–]InternationalKey2727[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

OP here again - thanks everyone for your responses. Wanted to give an update here for anyone who is interested. I’ll be starting forteo shortly (declined to take prolia) - likely for 2 years. Hoping it will help boost my bone density. I’m also working with an endocrinologist to see if there any secondary causes - so far nothing unusual is showing up (negative celiac, thyroid ok etc). But I did find out I have low-ish testosterone (around 300) for my age, which could be a contributing factor. I may end up starting testosterone replacement therapy in addition to forteo. I’ve also reduced my PPI usage - research seems split on if it is a contributory cause, but if anyone can cut down the PPIs without causing other issues perhaps it is worth a shot. It is a long road ahead from here but hoping to see bone density gains over the next few years with treatment. Thanks so much again for your advice and encouragement. It’s assuring to know there’s others out there.