h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

OK. so, a year and a half or so ago.... start of last year sometime I think, I eventually persuaded endocrinology, to give me a bone density scan (which I should have had back in 2015, prior to commencing lifetime replacement steroids).
They discovered I had osteoporosis...
a few months ago, I finally get an appointment with the osteoporosis/rhumatology Dr, and he talks of treatment...
The medication for this, bisphosphonates, are truely horrible, if you look at the side-effects possible; fractured jaw, unable to have any dental work done, once you've taken the meds, neuropathy, dizzyness, vertigo, affecting the bones of the ear/hearing, fractured leg bones, etc., etc., - not nice things....
During the period from being diagnosed, a year and a half ago, I've done all the 'stuff' one is told to do; supplimenting vit D3, calcium (which I blance with magnesium), K2, etc., etc., plus weight bearing exercises, and was at last on full hormone replacement for my missing hormones...

So... despite having done all that... the Dr wanted to start nme straight away, on the meds with the horrible potential side effects, with no reassessment of the bone density.... - reminded me a little of the origional c**-up of not measuring my bone density before starting the steroids; this is significent, as if its steroid-induced osteoporosis, its far worse, than if its just as a result of my having been deficient in hormones (growth hormone and testosterone in particular), for a period of time before DX...

anyhow... basically I refused treatment, until they re-tested my bone density.

Just got the results back yesturday.

I've no longer got osteoporosis, and treatment with the horrible bisphosphonates is therefore not indicated for me.... - a good job I made them do the scan then....

Bone density has iimproved around %4, most especially on the spine (which is fractured).

However, the improvement in density may be higher than this; The Drs expectation was, prior to this, was that my bone density would show as further reduced, even if it had remained identically the same; because I've lost 25 KG/56 Lb in weight, that can affect the results of the bone density scan... - so I assume, the density has actually improved a lot more than the 4% as measured by the scan, just, that with lossing 1/4 of my body weight, the X-rays, pass through my body, full stop, a lot easier than they would have, were I the same weight I was a year and a half ago...


In hospital Monday, for a fasting bone resorption blood test- seems a test to measure various marker's in blood, that indicate osteoblast/osteoclast activity in the bones, and therefore give an indication of how/what bone remodelling is occuring...

In otter news, I'm smashing it at the gym still

Tuesday, with my PT, did intervals on the treadmill; including at a new fastest speed for me; 3 or 4 minute speed intervals, at 11.8 KM/H, then back to my now normal speed, of 9 KM/H, to reduce heart rate a bit, then down to a rapid walk pace, with incline turned up to about 7...
back in gym Wednesday, with W, did 15 minutes at 9.5 KM/H (but I was knackered that day, so couldn't quite make it to 20, plus my sock/shoe was slipping on one foot )

Today was a break from the running, so did the cross trainer instead...

Today and yesterday, also did an hours upper-body weights, plus squats and some calasenics etc...

I'm gradually stretching my tendons 'out'... the quads are really a lot more/fully supple now, and the hamstrings have improved a heck of a lot too

Had home-made chili the last two nights, and we're still living off salad with couscous, and spicey piripiri chicken most days for lunch - probably fish tonight for dinner I think... maybe some lamb tomorrow night...


in otter otter news; I've found a new dosing patturn for my levothyroxin, which means the drug doesn't make me feel so utterly c***.... - really reduced my brain fog, even if the new dosing patturn can be a little annoying....

basically, I wake up in the middle of the night, and take it between 4.30 and 5.30 AM, - then when I wake, I don't immediately get hit with a wave of turning into a zombie, on taking it first thing....

got a oncology app in August, an endocrine app, err,..... some time soon, and a week of testosterone blood testing, mid-September....
also got a very important cardiac MRI scan, to see how close I am to needing open heart surgery - summer 2018; only, of course, still no appointment for it. - have now contacted Papworth hospital, and been unable to find any phone there other than reception that gets answered, or has an answer phone which is checked. - have also contacted my hospital, and after a few attempts persuaded someone to put me to the correct person... who 'I'll take care of it', - no come back yet though, nho appointment...

day of rest fromn the gym tomorrow, then back Saturday and Sunday, off Monday, and then back again Tuesday with my PT

Yay!

what he ^ said!

No, really, those are good news. Congratulations!

I'm kinda chuffed.... a 4% or more increase in bone density, in a year and a half, is more than half the average improvement in bone density, achieved in three years, on the bisphosphonate drugs I think* the bone resorption blood test, will show the 'turn over' markers of the bones, whi h oughta show I think, to what extent I'm getting suppression of the building fresh bone, due to the steroids I'm on, as compaired to the turnover/creation due to either the exercise I'm doing (impact stresses, picked up by osteocytes, and transmitted to osteoblasts to build bone), and direct hormonal affect of (in particular), the growth hormone, in direct stimulation of the osteoblasts to build more bone matrix - reading some of this stuff, reminds me why I always during bits of my biomedical degree involved with bones way way too many little signaling molecules and complicated signally stuff between the almost identicaly named cell types, going on - it rather depends I guess what the Dr means on the letter by reapsorption tests, there seems to be a plethra of differnt 'markers' that can* be tested for, and I'm fairly sure I'm not making as much sense as I might of some of the information I'm reading in journals, I fear my background knowledge is getting rusty, or perhaps just senile anyhow, its a good news letter from hospital, for a change - I did have a fairly good idea my bone weakness can't be as all bad as the Dr seemed to think; people with full blown osteoporosis, would basically get a broken leg/hip as a result of half the daft stuff I do at the gym, as far as I can tell... - leaping off a 5 foot high platform, leaping high, and as far forward as possible, to land on the floor... for example - or jumping whilst having the squat bar on my back - daft stuff, but I'm fairly certain all good for stressing the bones enough to cause the kind of increase in density I've achieved

now just to hope th egym stuff, isn't impacting too terribly on the diameter of the aorta - I know a lot of my heart function has improved, which must be good, but not entirely sure if that could impact badly on the aorta - when I do intervals, I get the heart rate up to 130 -135, after 1 -3 minutes high speed/intensity cardio, then at a lower intensity, it reduces to 110 or lower, within two minutes or so - and my resting heart rate is now down to 50 BPM from over 70 BPM, a year or so ago now... just to increase my speed on the treadmill, so I can get a decent 5 K competition time - thinking I must get some new trainers soon... The ones I have were not very expensive, and well, they're looking a bit worn after a year and a half

" a good job I made them do the scan then.... "

Good job indeed... well done on finding the best way to improve your bone density without needing the things that sound like they cause brittle bones at the same time as curing brittle bones... Glad your new dosage regime is helpful, too.

It'll be interesting talking to the bone Dr, next time I see him... assuming I do... as he seemed rather of the opinion, that exercise, calcium/Vitamin D supplementation, etc, or just my replacement hormones like testosterone, GH and thyroid, would all be inadaquat, to give improvement to my bone density; as they're fighting against the bone-melting affects of the steroids I'm on... I guess he was wrong

Mind, as with a lot of this stuff, their patients, are, all* old females... as they are the largest group to get osteoporosis... so I think when I told him I do weights, cardio, etc, what he thinks of as exercises his 'normal' patients might do, differs somewhat from the 5 - 8 thousand KG of weight lifting I do most weeks...

just did the gym this morning... slightly different mix....

arrived before PT got there (we were early), so I'd done 13 minutes on the cross trainer, before he arrived.... then did some weird exercises with medicine balls.... and then did squats, whilst standing on various wobbly err... platform type things (no idea what they're called), and then did a load of press-ups, and lundges and such like; between each lot of them doing more intervals on the cross trainer... then more throwing medicine balls about more press-ups, squats, lunges, and weird things not quite like but similar to lunges... and plank... and more squats... and more squats... and more squats with medicine balls whilst balancing on wobbly platform things

Hospital app tomorrow, for oncology clinic, but trying to get out to visit big sports shop, in morning, to get new trainers... then gym Thursday, and off Friday until Monday for a break, with W, to Norwich, to catch up with some friends there and do miles and miles of walking whilst there... and probably eat out a lot

had cous cous for lunch, with salad, and I blended/ground some spices, and cooked some spicey chicken to go with it

I have put a lot of stuff behind me these last weeks and now I feel ready to change my life again: Eating and drinking less and healthier and exercising more.

And I will!

But this is the last day of July, my pension just got in and while I am 10 quids behind my budget already it's time to party while I can still breathe, so a South African Chardonnay and Butter Chicken with rice it will be!

Don't wait up!

I'm still astonished how transformational starting down this healthier path has been... especially the exercise... - I tend to think I aim for a balanced diet... - if I do 800 KCal exercise, and eat only up to my 1600 KCal limit for the day, then, a walk to the pub and back, and I can drink the 800 KCal of exercise's worth in beer, and still be below 1600 KCal for the day, if I take the walk to/from the pub into account

Mind, exercise doesn't have to just be gym, or ing... etc... today's exercise mainly consisted of bedroom acrobatics

There's a lot to be said for that.

But I'm sure it's not necessary

very wise

Off this afternoon, for the new cardiac MRI, to assess the progression of the dilated aorta - really rather hoping it has remained the same siz.e.... - to say I'm not looking forward to the prospect of open-heart surgery eventually, to replace my aorta and heart valve, is an understatement... - to have my ribs and sternum broken, in order to access the heart... heart stopped... the parts replaced, and then at least a years recovery period (with no exercise, and hardly any/restricted movement), and with a body, not capable to produce the hormones necessary for recovery here's hoping its not got any bigger

On an entirely unrelated note, I think I found your house on Google Maps. Once you mentioned the Chinese restaurant downstairs, I was able to nail it down. Mind you, I'm only an amateur stalker, so it took me at least a year to find it from seeing the view off your balcony (showing off your latest attire on Boofcake & Tweeter ) and reading various things you've said about the neighborhood.

Well, I'm not so much stalkerish as I just like any excuse to go wandering around the UK on Google Streetview.
You do have a neat neighborhood. Mine, not so much.

I'm half tempted to ask for a screen shot so I can confirm or deny the streetview...

So as not to divulge any further PII, I can describe a few innocuous details about the current Street View directly in front of Casa 2legs.

There's a black Range Rover hatchback parked out front. There's a lady wearing sandals and pushing a stroller (pram) up the street to the right. In a window directly across the street is a torn "Vote Labour" poster.

I know these details could describe almost anywhere in the UK, so I think no one could find 2legs going on them alone.

well; the Labour poster is probably where the labour HQ building is? - strictly speaking we're actually above the hairdressors... but the buildings are stuck a weird shape, its weird to figure it out, really, even living here we're almost/also just about opposite the enterence to a old now no longer in use, graveyard/crematory - thesedays the haunght of dope smoking kids, and tramps/down and outs...