bone density and bone mets

gandl

After reading about Marsha's experience with sciatic type symptoms and mets to her femur, I have another question.  I had a bone density test done about the same time as the MRI for sciatic symptoms.   The bone density showed that I have severe osteopenia, nearly osteoporosis, near the top of my right femur (same side as my ILC).  The rest of my bone density, hips and lumbar spine, weren't nearly as bad.  Do bone mets show up on a bone density test as a thinning of the bone? I'm now on 2000 units of vitamin D per day and a calcium supplement.  I will have the bone density rechecked this coming September. 

Marsha, your experience with the fracture sounded just horrible.  I hope your pain level is continuing to improve.  sincerely, gandl

marshakb

Gandl,

Please have that checked out.  My femur mets showed up on an ordinary xray, never had bone scan or bone density test.  My doc thought sciatic nerve pinched or beginning of arthritis when I first started complaining of nerve like pain.  Mine was at the top of the femur, right where the leg creases when sitting.  The first xray I had was of the spine/hip area and missed that femur by an inch or so.  Honestly the worse pain I have ever endured, makes me want to throw up just thinking about it.  I should have PET/CT results by Monday.  Praying the femur was the only place.

Your dx is nothing like mine, 1 micro node, 5 cm tumor.  As we age we are just as prone to "old age" stuff as anyone else.  Please check it out but I'm thinking in your case it is a simple case of getting older!  Sending you positive energy and praying you are just getting old!  lol    Hugs, Marsha

nosurrender

Gandi,

My onc has me on prophylactic zometa to keep bone mets away. There are several studies that have shown that strong bones help keep bone mets away... but since chemo and AIs deplete the bones, we are made more at risk. To be eligible, you have to have some bone loss. If you do, you get the Zometa twice a year. They have also found that all mets start in the bone marrow, so they are hoping that if they can keep the mets from growing in the first place, then they might be able to prevent all mets. 

He also has me on Vitamin D and Calcium.

Marsha, I feel so badly for what happened to you. I hope your scans show only the femur.

cp418

Marsha - I am so sorry to hear you are going through this ordeal.  This dx is frustrating and scary how it sneeks up with no symptoms many times.  I've also had bone pain at the top of my left hip since this summer.  Any time I mention my symptoms to my onc he discards them as side effects from Femara.  As usual I will have to fight to get additional scans done.  My dexa scan is this week so it will be interesting to see how much more bone I've lost since last year.  I take daily Calcium supplements 1500 mg and recently upped my Vitamin D to 6000 (for the winter months) when my last blood test showed level dropped from 43 to 29.  No - my onc doesn't discuss or monitor my supplements or Vitamin D levels either ( I have to ask my PCP to test Vitamin D levels and she doesn't know much about it.)  I self prescribe my own doses based upon my research.  I really begin to wonder about some of these doctors...........