waiting

jinky

for my bone density test. I asked you all and you thought I should have another one as my last one was I think in 2008. I am osteopenia from femera. I have been on tamoxifen 5 yrs now femara 4 years 1 1/2 months and I told the doctor yesterday I am stopping it at 4 1/2 yrs instead of 5 as I just can't take it anymore. I will let you know the results of my scan when I get it. Should I ask any questions please? Thank you for your help. bc hugs jinky

otter

jinky, how are they handling your bone density scan?  Will you be meeting with a doctor afterward, to go over the results?  Will the technician or doctor give you a copy of the printout from the machine?

I can't think of any questions to ask ahead of time, except to ask for your own copy of the multi-page report that the DEXA machine generates.  There are lots of questions you might ask once you get the results, though, depending on what they are.  That's why I was wondering if you will get to meet with a doc after the test.

Good luck!  I hope your bone density is stable.  I've heard bone density might improve after we go off an AI.  Hugs to you!

otter

jinky

No I will have to make a appointment with my Doctor to get the results......last time after I was on femara for 1 year I was osteopenia but the teck  told me my scan was good. ..I was shocked when the Doctor told me I have osteopenia. Sure hope I am okay. I am having acid reflux and on 2 pariet a day and 2 zantax a day.....had the scope and I have gastritis and I think femera plays a part as the last 4 yrs my thyroid meds  have to be changed every 6 mts.....only taking femara until March 31 st.....bc hugs jinky

peggy_j

jinky, I don't know how old you are, but keep in mind that osteopenia is measured against a hypothetical *young* woman. (age 30?) We all lose BMD as we age. (sigh). It's more relevant to compare how your numbers look against other women your age. Keep in mind, everyone's anatomy varies too. In my case, my spine is slightly better than other women my age; my hips are slightly worse.  Good luck and hoping your test results are good.

cycle-path

jinky, are you taking zantac or xanax? Sounds like zantac, which is for reflux. Pariet is called Aciphex in the US.

Be sure you are dividing your reflux medications. Take half of them first thing in the morning, one hour before you eat anything. Take the other half an hour before your last meal of the day. I find this regime (as recommended by my doc) is the most helpful. 

jinky

Do you mean take the 2 Pariet together and then the 2 zantax together? Thank you  bc hugs jinky

jinky

Also I just got my date from the hospital for my bone density scan....Jan 10/11.

Just called the hospital and I told them about me and I go Monday.....yeah!!!!!!!

I am 70 and I am 4' 11 " and 114 lbs.. I will get a copy of the scan on Nov 29

when I go for blood tests. Hoping I am pkay...thanks for the help...bc hugs jinky

from Nova Scotia

jinky

Zantac 150mg  Also my heartburn could be because every 6 mts I have to change my underactive

thyroid from femera. March 31 st I am finished....4 1/2 yrs is enough along and with 5 yrs of tamoxifen. bc hugs jinky

cycle-path

jinky, it might not matter much whether you take 1 Zantac and 1 Paret in the morning and one each in the afternoon/evening, or 2 Zantac in the morning and 2 Paret in the afternoon/evening. The point is to divide the doses so you have a good amount of it in your system all the time. And in particular, make sure you take your morning dose 1 hour before you eat breakfast.

I think if it were me, I'd take one of each in the morning and one of each in the afternoon, but you should probably ask your doctor.  

Both those medications are Proton Pump Inhibitors, which inhibit the secretion of acid into the stomach. You want them to be working before you eat because when you eat, your digestive system reacts by pumping a bunch of acid into the stomach. If you eat first and then LATER take the PPIs, they can't do their work. Always get the PPI into your stomach well in advance of the food.

jinky

yeah!!!!!!!!!!! no change since the first year on femara......osteopenia....I have been on femara 4 years and 2 months and today i quit it.......Did 5 yrs of tamoxifen .......had so much to do at the doctor's I forgot to ask her if it can be improved.......I will next time.....thank you for helping me......on 2 losec for heartburn now......bc hugs jinky.

otter

Oh, jinky, that's great news about your bone density being stable! 

I'm pretty sure some of the women here who made it through 5 years of an AI without catastrophic bone loss found their bone density improved (went back up) once they stopped taking the AI... even if they weren't taking a bisphosphonate.  (Somebody jump in here to confirm my recollection.)

Anyway, I'll bet that with adequate Vitamin D and calcium, your bones will be fine.  And, congratulations on completing 5 years of tamoxifen and almost 5 years of femara!

Hugs to you...

otter 

jinky

Do you know if liquid calcium is worse for heartburn? ( 1000 mg -400iu) I also take vit d 1000mg and 300 mg of magnesium citrate.multivitiam also . thanks bc hugs jinky

otter

Ah, I don't know.  I take Citracal (calcium citrate) tablets, and they include Vitamin D.  They don't bother my stomach, but I'm pretty sure they give me a headache sometimes.  (Don't know what that's all about.) 

I used to take calcium carbonate in the form of Viactiv Chews (caramel, chocolate fudge, etc), and those didn't bother my stomach either.  I switched to calcium citrate because you can take it any time -- not just with food.  (Absorption of the calcium in calcium carbonate requires an acid pH, but calcium citrate does not.)

Occasionally I chew fruit-flavored Tums antacids, which are an easy, tasty way to get calcium carbonate and soothe an acid-y stomach at the same time.  But, I usually get a rebound effect -- later that day, or the next morning, my stomach is burning again.

Remember that your GI tract can't absorb more than 500 mg of calcium at a time, because the receptors get saturated.  So if you take any more than that at once, the rest of it gets wasted.

otter

cp418

Have you had your blood tested for Vitamin D level?  Maybe your daily dose needs to be increased if this information is confirmed. Carlson Liquid D drops work best for me added to my tea. If I recall some of the heartburn medications may interfere with Calcium absorption ---- all things to discuss with your doctor.

jinky

Yes my vit d is good thanks.

otter wrote:

I'm pretty sure some of the women here who made it through 5 years of an AI without catastrophic bone loss found their bone density improved (went back up) once they stopped taking the AI... even if they weren't taking a bisphosphonate. (Somebody jump in here to confirm my recollection.)

thanks jinky