I wish I could show your valuable, easy-to-understand videos to the many doctors who only order DXA scans and push bone drugs. Quality osteoporsis care is scarce. Thank you for educating us.
Julie, I am sorry that navigating the medical system is so challenging. I am glad this video is helpful. There are things that we can do even with a challenging medical system ❤
I love to watch your videos and thank you for doing them for us. I have had 12 spinal compressor fractures and broken hip and femur. I did 2 years Tymlos injection. Reclast 1 round. I hired a trainer and perform optimal weights 3 times a week. I rebound 1/2 hr a day as I love both.
I so sorry to hear about all of your fractures! That is incredibly difficult to deal with! What you have been doing sounds like a solid course of action given the circumstances. Working with a trainer also sounds like an excellent choice!
Hi Sarah. I go for a Rems test in the UK for my bones and it does give you bone strength. I'm due for one this December. I go to the gym twice a week with a trainer. I started last November 2024. Started off light weight. Now lifting, heavy and jumping and restiance bands with weights. Only go twice a week. ❤
@@JudiHartmaier I cannot find anyone in the upper midwest who does the Rems test, not even at Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN, where I am on the waiting list for a second opinion of the "severity" of my osteoporosis. Where are people getting the Rems test?
@@JudiHartmaier REMS is a great option for getting more information about the quality of your bones and working out is an excellent way to build strength❤
I am so happy to hear that you found it helpful! Doing the natural things are the best long term solution for improving bone health whether a person takes medication or not. Strength training really works. Muscles pull on bones and stimulate new bone growth. Diet is much more complicated because there are so many nutrients that we need to get. It is important to get enough of all the vitamins and minerals our bodies need as well as getting enough protein. It is best to get as much as we can from foods and then to supplement where we are consistently short. Where is your bone loss? What have you tried doing so far?
Thanks for your video. It really helps to understand the difference between quality and density of bones. Is It possible to check the quality of the bones via any medical check?
Yes, there is a test called REMS that is basically an ultrasound for your bones. It is not widely available in the US, but is around more in Europe. This test gives information about the inside part of bones and uses that along with T-scores to asses fracture risk. If you want to see if you can find a traveling REMS int eh US check the REMS Echolight website for locations and availability.
I knew about the bone strength VS bone dense but didn't know the dexa only measured the outside of the bone! Seems like such a waste of resources. I'm armed with some info for my next appt and am continuing my weight journey. Thanks as always.
Dexa has been the best available tool for learning about bone for awhile, but I think that will change in the near future. REMS is basically an ultrasound for bones and it gives information about the inside part of our bones. REMS is newer technology. If you google REMS Echolight you will see locations for traveling REMS that may potentially be available in your area. I have several clients who have been able to get them and they are a few hundred dollars, not thousands.
Thank you Sara… This video clarifies so much gor me. Can you elaborate on some of the side effects of taking bisphosponates? Specifically Fosamax…. I had discontinued my meds because of usual bone and muscle aches. I know I am aging but this is affecting my ability to exercise. How can I exercise when in pain? Thanks
The side effects you are experiencing are totally possible with Fosamax. You should let your doctor know that you are experiencing side effects like that. I totally understand you choosing not to continue taking Fosamax when it is making it difficult to go about your daily life because of pain. Fosamax and bisphosphonates in general also have the potential for serious side effects. Keep in mind that these side effects are rare. They include necrosis of the jaw. This means that the jaw bone starts to die. This can make it difficult to have dental work done. It is incredibly important to have your dentist monitor what is happening with your jaw bone to make sure that you don't experience necrosis of the jaw. All bone medications carry some amount of risk of heart related complications so it is important to monitor heart health with your doctor. Also with bisphosphonates since bone breakdown is being slowed bone building will also be slowed. These two processes in our bodies are affected by one another. If you were to take a bone building drug it would also increase the amount of bone breakdown that happens. These are not reasons to not take a medication, but it is important to understand what can potentially come along with it. The pain that you are experiencing sounds like this medication is not working well for you. The good news is that bisphosphonates are the easiest type of bone medication to stop taking. If a person takes a bone building medication it needs to be followed up with a round of bisphosphonates. If you are working hard at both strength training and getting a nutritious diet it will help to improve your bone health whether you choose to take medication or not. I believe in listening to your gut on these things. Not all medications are a good thing for everyone. They also have the potential to help in the right circumstances. Figuring out whether to take a medication or not can be really challenging. I think you made the right call to stop taking Fosamax, but let your doctor know what was happening to you on the medication.
Thanks Sarah. I was going to call my doctor today to ask to get my first bone density test. Are there other questions? I should ask? I do my yoga and walk and try to eat healthy late and take vitamins and supplements. I think I need more vitamin C, and I need to start doing some weight training, which I will do this week!
If your test comes back showing bone loss then get some baseline lab information. Ask for bone marker tests before starting medication. Also, get your vitamin D checked just to make sure. Weight training is incredibly helpful for maintaining our muscle mass as we age. Let me know what your doctor has to say. I will be all ears ❤
I 'm 67 and just started letrozole- DXA shows severe spinal OP; being told I don't really have a choice but to go with medications: Evenity or Forteo, followed by Reclast in 2 yrs. I'd love to get your thoughts. Thanks so much.
I am not sure what your numbers are to really give you an opinion. I will say that doctors don't generally jump to using bone building medications first. Evenity and Forteo both stimulate new bone growth. That makes me think that you have significant bone loss. You are young at 67 and I would go with the bone building medication and then follow it up with Reclast or another bisphosphonate afterwards. That will help to compensate for your current bone loss. At the same time I would also work on making some lifestyle changes with diet and exercise. Diet and exercises are the best long term solution for better bone health. Given how young you are the best scenario would be to not have to be on medication for bone health long term. I encourage you to find out if you have any nutritional deficiencies and if so to fill the gaps with the right nutrients. I also encourage you to work on doing some consistent weight bearing exercise because that will help you to increase your muscle mass and to improve your bone health for the long term. Let me now if you have other questions❤
@@sarahmapes_bonebuildersystem Thank you so much for answering me, Sarah: -3.1 spinal. I have no deficiencies- comprehensive labs were all great. I've always done regular weight bearing exercise as well as other types. Have always been very careful to eat intelligently. Asked rheumatologist why, then. She attributed it to small bones, light weight.
I am not aware of MRI's showing bone quality. There is a new test that is not widely available yet called REMS that is basically an ultrasound for bones that provides information about bone quality. They have had some traveling REMS exams. If you google REMS echolight you can check about locations and availability for getting a REMS test.
Hi Sarah, thanks for the educational video. I wish many of my friends would see it. I have been trying to educate people around me with this type of contents but people seem to prefer going to the “easier” way-drugs. I unfortunately have family history of osteoporosis. I am right now in the osteopenia range. My recent DEXA showed more significant decline in lumbar L1-4 than in the hips. I don’t know if regular dancing (amateur ballet dancer) helps the hips. Would you recommend some exercises to help the weight-bearing on the L1-4? I know DEXA does very little but it is the first step. My doctor said although my DEXA isn’t good but my risk factor is very low. I also did my own calculations-I am a scientist myself so will not take anything without further investigation. Lol! I already identified some locations that do REMS and will go for it in my next physical check up.
Getting a REMS is an awesome plan! Ballet would actually be helpful for protecting and strengthening your hips because there is a lot of standing on one leg. Every time you pick one foot up off the ground you load weight into your standing leg hip. This is a great thing for our hips. Balance also has so much to offer by way of fracture reduction. It improves our reaction time and makes it less likely that we will have a fall. Ballet also offers a lot of core work and back bends. Both of these types of exercises will help improve posture over the long haul. Having better posture reduces the risk of having a compression fractures. Adding some weight lifting would also be good for both your hips and your back. You are working on doing some wonderful things to improve your bone health ❤
Thank you for the encouragement 🙏. And yes, I realize the weight-lifting component is not quite there yet. I carry only my own weight, which is not very much. Lol!
Hi Sarah, I appreciate your feedback very much. It is so valuable that a medical doctor can’t offer. You seem to have very good knowledge about ballet training. One thing that has been puzzling me is the bending forward in the typical barre or center exercises, which we call “port de bras”. When one is trying to bend forward (hinge at the hips with flat back without pushing the legs backward-yes! A lot of hamstrings) to the extent that it looks like closing a book, most of us inevitably “rounding” the back to certain extent, except for my director! Lol! I now modify it to hinge at the hips, bend forward with a flat back without pushing my legs back, basically forming a 90 degree angle. I either stop there or bend forward 15 degree further, as long as my back stays flat. I am trying to be very careful but still have the doubt whether this modification is good enough to avoid rounding my back. Thank you in advance for your feedback. I wish I have found you earlier! ❤
@@gracehsiung6298 The perfect modification for this move is to stop at a flat back at about a 90 degree angle. Your instincts are spot on. This will protect your back. It is how I teach modifying sun salutations in yoga to make them osteoporosis safe. I did ballet for nine years when I was growing up. I love ballet ❤
Yes, there is a REMS test that is basically an ultrasound for your bones. It isn't widely available yet, but I think it will become widely available in the next few years. There is discussion about it potentially overtaking Dexa as the gold standard. We have to wait it out and see what happens for sure on that though. In the meantime, if you google REMS echolight you can see locations of REMS tests. There have been traveling REMS and you might get lucky and have one close enough to get one done.
@@sarahmapes_bonebuildersystem thank you so much for this information. It’s exciting to know that there might be a better technology for gauging and diagnosis. Now it will be matter of implementation. 🤓 thank you again for everything! I love your content.
The only way I have heard of to assess bone quality is to have a TBS score done, which is the Trabecular Bone Score. But not all radiology centers offer this. If you live in NJ, there is a center that offers it in Cherry Hill. I was surprised that I got a normal bone quality TBS score when I have severe osteoporosis at the same time. I guess I'm eating well and getting helpful supplements into my body but now I need to exercise much more. I am glad I got the TBS score because it gave me insight into what I am doing right.
I wish I could show your valuable, easy-to-understand videos to the many doctors who only order DXA scans and push bone drugs. Quality osteoporsis care is scarce. Thank you for educating us.
Julie, I am sorry that navigating the medical system is so challenging. I am glad this video is helpful. There are things that we can do even with a challenging medical system ❤
True!
I love to watch your videos and thank you for doing them for us. I have had 12 spinal compressor fractures and broken hip and femur. I did 2 years Tymlos injection. Reclast 1 round. I hired a trainer and perform optimal weights 3 times a week. I rebound 1/2 hr a day as I love both.
Thanks for all of the helpful information you provide, greatly appreciated!
I so sorry to hear about all of your fractures! That is incredibly difficult to deal with! What you have been doing sounds like a solid course of action given the circumstances. Working with a trainer also sounds like an excellent choice!
@@BarbaraShaw-pn7zi I am so glad you are finding it helpful ❤
Great information and timely too since I go to the doctor this week for the first time after a less than good dexa scan.
Hi Sarah. I go for a Rems test in the UK for my bones and it does give you bone strength. I'm due for one this December. I go to the gym twice a week with a trainer. I started last November 2024. Started off light weight. Now lifting, heavy and jumping and restiance bands with weights. Only go twice a week. ❤
I have heard of Rems test and will ask my doctor to schedule one for me. I try to work out the best I can.
@@JudiHartmaier I cannot find anyone in the upper midwest who does the Rems test, not even at Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN, where I am on the waiting list for a second opinion of the "severity" of my osteoporosis. Where are people getting the Rems test?
@@JudiHartmaier I have to pay for this Rems test it's a private one. I don't like Dexa scans.
That is wonderful! REMS are a great option! They are not widely available in the United States yet. Working with a trainer is a great option ❤
@@JudiHartmaier REMS is a great option for getting more information about the quality of your bones and working out is an excellent way to build strength❤
Thanks Sarah, I love your videos.
I am glad to hear it!
Great to see you again Sarah❤thanks a lot for sharing these helpful information❤😂
I am glad this information is helpful ❤
Excellent video. I have severe osteo, and want to know what really works the natural way through nutrition and exercise..
I am so happy to hear that you found it helpful! Doing the natural things are the best long term solution for improving bone health whether a person takes medication or not. Strength training really works. Muscles pull on bones and stimulate new bone growth. Diet is much more complicated because there are so many nutrients that we need to get. It is important to get enough of all the vitamins and minerals our bodies need as well as getting enough protein. It is best to get as much as we can from foods and then to supplement where we are consistently short.
Where is your bone loss?
What have you tried doing so far?
This was a very informative video. I plan to up my game with strength training 3 -4 times a week.
That's wonderful! I am so glad to hear it ❤
Thanks for your video. It really helps to understand the difference between quality and density of bones. Is It possible to check the quality of the bones via any medical check?
Yes, there is a test called REMS that is basically an ultrasound for your bones. It is not widely available in the US, but is around more in Europe. This test gives information about the inside part of bones and uses that along with T-scores to asses fracture risk. If you want to see if you can find a traveling REMS int eh US check the REMS Echolight website for locations and availability.
I knew about the bone strength VS bone dense but didn't know the dexa only measured the outside of the bone! Seems like such a waste of resources. I'm armed with some info for my next appt and am continuing my weight journey. Thanks as always.
Dexa has been the best available tool for learning about bone for awhile, but I think that will change in the near future. REMS is basically an ultrasound for bones and it gives information about the inside part of our bones. REMS is newer technology. If you google REMS Echolight you will see locations for traveling REMS that may potentially be available in your area. I have several clients who have been able to get them and they are a few hundred dollars, not thousands.
Thank you Sara…
This video clarifies so much gor me. Can you elaborate on some of the side effects of taking bisphosponates?
Specifically Fosamax….
I had discontinued my meds because of usual bone and muscle aches. I know I am aging but this is affecting my ability to exercise. How can I exercise when in pain? Thanks
The side effects you are experiencing are totally possible with Fosamax. You should let your doctor know that you are experiencing side effects like that. I totally understand you choosing not to continue taking Fosamax when it is making it difficult to go about your daily life because of pain.
Fosamax and bisphosphonates in general also have the potential for serious side effects. Keep in mind that these side effects are rare. They include necrosis of the jaw. This means that the jaw bone starts to die. This can make it difficult to have dental work done. It is incredibly important to have your dentist monitor what is happening with your jaw bone to make sure that you don't experience necrosis of the jaw. All bone medications carry some amount of risk of heart related complications so it is important to monitor heart health with your doctor. Also with bisphosphonates since bone breakdown is being slowed bone building will also be slowed. These two processes in our bodies are affected by one another. If you were to take a bone building drug it would also increase the amount of bone breakdown that happens. These are not reasons to not take a medication, but it is important to understand what can potentially come along with it.
The pain that you are experiencing sounds like this medication is not working well for you. The good news is that bisphosphonates are the easiest type of bone medication to stop taking. If a person takes a bone building medication it needs to be followed up with a round of bisphosphonates. If you are working hard at both strength training and getting a nutritious diet it will help to improve your bone health whether you choose to take medication or not. I believe in listening to your gut on these things. Not all medications are a good thing for everyone. They also have the potential to help in the right circumstances. Figuring out whether to take a medication or not can be really challenging. I think you made the right call to stop taking Fosamax, but let your doctor know what was happening to you on the medication.
Thanks Sarah. I was going to call my doctor today to ask to get my first bone density test. Are there other questions? I should ask? I do my yoga and walk and try to eat healthy late and take vitamins and supplements. I think I need more vitamin C, and I need to start doing some weight training, which I will do this week!
If your test comes back showing bone loss then get some baseline lab information. Ask for bone marker tests before starting medication. Also, get your vitamin D checked just to make sure. Weight training is incredibly helpful for maintaining our muscle mass as we age. Let me know what your doctor has to say. I will be all ears ❤
I 'm 67 and just started letrozole- DXA shows severe spinal OP; being told I don't really have a choice but to go with medications: Evenity or Forteo, followed by Reclast in 2 yrs. I'd love to get your thoughts. Thanks so much.
I am not sure what your numbers are to really give you an opinion. I will say that doctors don't generally jump to using bone building medications first. Evenity and Forteo both stimulate new bone growth. That makes me think that you have significant bone loss. You are young at 67 and I would go with the bone building medication and then follow it up with Reclast or another bisphosphonate afterwards. That will help to compensate for your current bone loss. At the same time I would also work on making some lifestyle changes with diet and exercise. Diet and exercises are the best long term solution for better bone health. Given how young you are the best scenario would be to not have to be on medication for bone health long term. I encourage you to find out if you have any nutritional deficiencies and if so to fill the gaps with the right nutrients. I also encourage you to work on doing some consistent weight bearing exercise because that will help you to increase your muscle mass and to improve your bone health for the long term. Let me now if you have other questions❤
@@sarahmapes_bonebuildersystem Thank you so much for answering me, Sarah:
-3.1 spinal. I have no deficiencies- comprehensive labs were all great. I've always done regular weight bearing exercise as well as other types. Have always been very careful to eat intelligently. Asked rheumatologist why, then. She attributed it to small bones, light weight.
Will an MRI show bone quality?
I am not aware of MRI's showing bone quality. There is a new test that is not widely available yet called REMS that is basically an ultrasound for bones that provides information about bone quality. They have had some traveling REMS exams. If you google REMS echolight you can check about locations and availability for getting a REMS test.
Hi Sarah, thanks for the educational video. I wish many of my friends would see it. I have been trying to educate people around me with this type of contents but people seem to prefer going to the “easier” way-drugs. I unfortunately have family history of osteoporosis. I am right now in the osteopenia range. My recent DEXA showed more significant decline in lumbar L1-4 than in the hips. I don’t know if regular dancing (amateur ballet dancer) helps the hips. Would you recommend some exercises to help the weight-bearing on the L1-4? I know DEXA does very little but it is the first step. My doctor said although my DEXA isn’t good but my risk factor is very low. I also did my own calculations-I am a scientist myself so will not take anything without further investigation. Lol! I already identified some locations that do REMS and will go for it in my next physical check up.
Getting a REMS is an awesome plan!
Ballet would actually be helpful for protecting and strengthening your hips because there is a lot of standing on one leg. Every time you pick one foot up off the ground you load weight into your standing leg hip. This is a great thing for our hips. Balance also has so much to offer by way of fracture reduction. It improves our reaction time and makes it less likely that we will have a fall. Ballet also offers a lot of core work and back bends. Both of these types of exercises will help improve posture over the long haul. Having better posture reduces the risk of having a compression fractures. Adding some weight lifting would also be good for both your hips and your back. You are working on doing some wonderful things to improve your bone health ❤
Thank you for the encouragement 🙏. And yes, I realize the weight-lifting component is not quite there yet. I carry only my own weight, which is not very much. Lol!
@@gracehsiung6298 You are off to a great start with lifting! Keep it going ❤
Hi Sarah, I appreciate your feedback very much. It is so valuable that a medical doctor can’t offer. You seem to have very good knowledge about ballet training. One thing that has been puzzling me is the bending forward in the typical barre or center exercises, which we call “port de bras”. When one is trying to bend forward (hinge at the hips with flat back without pushing the legs backward-yes! A lot of hamstrings) to the extent that it looks like closing a book, most of us inevitably “rounding” the back to certain extent, except for my director! Lol! I now modify it to hinge at the hips, bend forward with a flat back without pushing my legs back, basically forming a 90 degree angle. I either stop there or bend forward 15 degree further, as long as my back stays flat. I am trying to be very careful but still have the doubt whether this modification is good enough to avoid rounding my back. Thank you in advance for your feedback. I wish I have found you earlier! ❤
@@gracehsiung6298 The perfect modification for this move is to stop at a flat back at about a 90 degree angle. Your instincts are spot on. This will protect your back. It is how I teach modifying sun salutations in yoga to make them osteoporosis safe.
I did ballet for nine years when I was growing up. I love ballet ❤
I wonder: Are there new testing methods being explored to test for bone quality in addition to bone density? :D Thank you!
Yes, there is a REMS test that is basically an ultrasound for your bones. It isn't widely available yet, but I think it will become widely available in the next few years. There is discussion about it potentially overtaking Dexa as the gold standard. We have to wait it out and see what happens for sure on that though. In the meantime, if you google REMS echolight you can see locations of REMS tests. There have been traveling REMS and you might get lucky and have one close enough to get one done.
@@sarahmapes_bonebuildersystem thank you so much for this information. It’s exciting to know that there might be a better technology for gauging and diagnosis. Now it will be matter of implementation. 🤓 thank you again for everything! I love your content.
@@verdad1234 I am so glad to hear that it is helpful ❤
The only way I have heard of to assess bone quality is to have a TBS score done, which is the Trabecular Bone Score. But not all radiology centers offer this. If you live in NJ, there is a center that offers it in Cherry Hill. I was surprised that I got a normal bone quality TBS score when I have severe osteoporosis at the same time. I guess I'm eating well and getting helpful supplements into my body but now I need to exercise much more. I am glad I got the TBS score because it gave me insight into what I am doing right.
@@Sparkey155 TBS is a great option if you can get one ❤