does RA and osteopenia/osteoporosis... | Arthritis Information

do they go hand in hand? I was just DXd with RA and osteopenia, but I am under the impression that the doctor is not sure why I have the osteopenia. I have only been on Prednisone for 2weeks so it is not related to any medications...anyone else the same or have any ideas?Hi Crunchy!
I have been reading much of the post here and really enjoy reading yours!

I have friends that have BOTH and they seem to think that they DO go hand and hand however, I don't have the Osteoporosis But I DO have both RA and OA.
I have read somewhere that they maybe DO eventually go together. I guess I should have looked this up before posting BUT, WHAT is Osteopenia?
I've not heard of it - is it the same as Osteoporosis?

Barb

Good morning Crunchy

I have RA 22 years and now OP and they do pretty much go together. Mostly because of the steriod use. However in your case you have not been on the steriods long enough to have problems. Has you rheumy checked to see if you might have a calicuim leak?? Osteopenia means you are on your way to OP. Do what ever the doc says to take, because the OP drug I am on now (Fortera) cost 750.00 a month my co-pay is 150.00. It is a shot every single day.

Good luck

Hi, I know this is an old thread, but I decided to resurrect it because I'm new to the whole forum here and because I just heard that I have osteopenia. I've had RA 7 years.

I had a lower body bone scan about 15years ago for hip pain which in the end turned out to be a bad case of bursitis. They told me then there was no thinning of bones detected.

Now, there is. I bet it was caused by either all the Prednisone I was on for active Ulcerative Colitis in the 1970s or by the Methotrexate I've been on for the past 3+ years. What do you think? I haven't spoken with either of my doctors about this. When osteopenia is diagnosed, do they take you off Methotrexate? I really appreciate my hands working as much as they do..(not normal, but better) so I'm relunctant to start over with something else.

CathyM

I would have your calcium levels checked. This doesn't seem to be a "routine" blood test.
OK... I am just curious as to how many people have had osteoporosis problems in the past and have not gotten a proper diagnosis. I recently had a conversation with my mother, who has had problems since her chemotherapy years ago for breast cancer. She made mention of several drugs she has been on for several years. I did a little research on my own and turns out they are drugs involved in a defective drug lawsuit.

She had been taking Actonel for years, but neither her doctor, nor her dentist told her about these issues (ONJ) and recently (4-09) changed to put her on Fosamax. She was referred to www.legalclassaction.org for more information. I was amazed to find this out. Why would they not at least tell her this?

Has anyone else had these problems and not been given any information on these issues? This is a pretty big problem, and I realize it has been out there for a while, but why are doctors and dentists not alerting patients about this? My mom had no idea.Mitzch....Actonel and Fosamax are the same type of drugs.
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