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Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis

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Offline Sharmin

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Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« on: April 20, 2008, 12:17:29 AM »
My grandma is eighty years old - she has been very healthy and active most of her life.  Last year we discovered that she has developed osteoporosis.  During a recent cold she sustained a compression fracture (while having a coughing fit) in her back and she is in terrible pain.  I feel very bad for her.  When her osteoporosis was discovered, she was put on calcium but the doctor neglected to give her vitamin D.  Now she is on both.  It's hard to watch her suffer  :(

Andy, how can we help her avoid fractures in the future?  Also, my mom is 53 years old - also a thal minor - and I am concerned about her developing osteoporosis (because her mom has it).  What preventative measures can we take for my mom & I suppose for me as well?  I'm sure your response will be helpful to all thal minors and majors:)

Thanks everyone,

Sharmin
« Last Edit: April 20, 2008, 05:19:45 AM by sharmin »
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Offline Andy Battaglia

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Re: Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2008, 06:06:32 PM »
Hi Sharmin,

I don't know if you can necessarily draw a link between thal minor and osteo conditions. However, these are conditions that affect many women, especially after menopause and thusly will also affect many minors. In general, maintaining overall good health is important. A good diet, supplements like B complex, vitamin C (yes, minors can freely use C and FYI, vitamin C is the one vitamin I absolutely do not go without, and in fact, I wish its potential role in majors would be re-examined, as the research showing its possible dangers in high quantities in majors, is suspect and thal majors are almost universally severely deficient in C ), and vitamin E are all basics that can improve the health when taken regularly. I would suggest taking a calcium supplement that includes magnesium, as the two need to be taken together along with vitamin D. While reading about red clover as a blood purifier while researching for Ambareen, I came across studies that showed that red clover increases bone density and may be of some use in warding off osteo. I don't want to make any claims that a woman of your grandma's age will necessarily see benefits but red clover has many positive properties and would be worth trying.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1780039

Quote
Isoflavone extracts of soy and red clover appear to have a small but positive health effect for plasma lipid concentrations and may improve bone mass density and cognitive abilities...it would appear that including soy and red clover in the diet of peri-and postmenopausal women, not withstanding a soy allergy, is beneficial.

The main precautions are that women with breast cancer are told to avoid estrogen-like compounds like those in isoflavones and also that if you use a blood thinning medication, the dose may need to be lowered because of the blood thinning properties of isoflavones.

There is also a good site that explains which foods and herbs may be of benefit for bone health at http://www.project-aware.org/Health/Osteo/osteo-bonehealth2.shtml
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Offline Sharmin

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Re: Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2008, 12:56:12 AM »
Thank you for the information Andy.  I'll start looking into it right away for her. 
She is on a blood thinner so that limits some of her options.  I hope all women take care of their bones,
the poor woman is in so much pain. 
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Offline Zaini

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Re: Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2008, 11:21:09 AM »
Dear Sharmin,

I am so sorry to hear about your grand ma, seeing your loved ones in pain is always hard, i hope she'll recover soon, may GOD bless her.

ZAINI.
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Offline maha

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Re: Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2008, 01:57:09 PM »
Hi Sharmin
My grand uncle takes aloe vera juice for his osteoporosis. He too is quite aged and nothing seems to help him much. He always says old age is like old clothes, if you mend it from one side it will start tearing elsewhere. Groovy thoughts but it is the truth after all.
Wishing your Grandma lots of good health
Maha
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Offline Sharmin

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Re: Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2008, 02:08:43 PM »
Thank you Zaini and Maha,

She is a trooper and she was pretty much running the house until she sustained this fracture in her back.
The doctor said that we discovered the condition to late, had we known years back we would have taken preventative care.
My silly grandma would never drink milk - she would insist that milk was for the children - as if we would run out! 

Maha, I like your grandpa's analogy, it is so true!   :biggrin   
I'll suggest the aloe vera juice to her as well - would that be ok for someone on blood thinners Andy?

Until she recovers I will visit her frequently with my kids, she loves spending time with her great grandkids and she loves any opportunity to tell old stories - that's when a broken back can't hold her back! 

Thanks again my friends, I appreciate your support,  :hugfriend :hugfriend

Love,
Sharmin
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Offline §ãJ¡Ð ساجد

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Re: Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2008, 02:32:13 PM »
Hi Sharmin,

Wishing your grand mom a speedy recovery!
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Offline Andy Battaglia

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Re: Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« Reply #7 on: April 21, 2008, 03:17:45 PM »
According to the Sloan  Kettering site  http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69116.cfm  Aloe can have additive anti-platelet effects, so it probably should not be taken with blood thinners.

I mentioned the studies on red clover and one specifically found that red clover increased bone density in the spine. Sharmin, do you know why your grandma is taking blood thinners?
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Offline Manal

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Re: Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« Reply #8 on: April 21, 2008, 10:18:27 PM »
May she get well soon Sharmin, send her our greetings :hugfriend

manal
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Offline Sharmin

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Re: Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2008, 03:51:39 AM »
Thank you Sajid and Manal  :hugfriend

Her condition worsened today, she is now in the hospital and we are awaiting an assessment. 

Andy, about 9 years ago - when my son was diagnosed with thalassemia my grandma had difficulty dealing with the news.  She began to have anxiety and heart palpatations.  She was put on blood thinners and some medication to slow her heart beat.  The medications led her heart to beat dangerously slow, so she had a pacemaker put in.  Since that time she has been on blood thinners.  She has been very active since that time.  She also had a tiny tumor in her throat 6 years ago, which was treated with radiation.  She has not had problems with that either since then.

She gone through some difficult times, but she has always bounced back.  My grandma has been such a pillar of strength and wisdom for our family - I just can't bear to watch her suffer. 

Thanks again for everyone's support,

Sharmin
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Offline Andy Battaglia

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Re: Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2008, 03:59:30 AM »
Sharmin,

Our prayers are with you.
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Andy

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Offline Manal

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Re: Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2008, 11:34:20 AM »
Sharmin, i will be praying for her please keep us updated
manal :hugfriend :hugfriend :hugfriend :hugfriend :hugfriend

manal
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Kathy11

Re: Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« Reply #12 on: April 22, 2008, 11:11:23 PM »
Sharmin.
I hope you nanna  get well. :hugfriend
Take care
Kathy
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Offline Sharmin

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Re: Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« Reply #13 on: April 23, 2008, 12:40:19 AM »
Thank you Kathy:)  Thanks everyone - your support means so much.

She was released from the hospital late last night.  The doctors didn't feel that they could do anything for her - so they drugged her up - and sent her home.  They feel that there is nothing that can be done to improve her bone density. 

Andy, would Boniva be a good option for her?  I feel so helpless not being able to do anything for her.

Thanks again,

Sharmin
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Offline Andy Battaglia

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Re: Thalassemia Minor and osteoporsis
« Reply #14 on: April 23, 2008, 02:23:04 AM »
Sharmin,

After seeing some of the online forums that discuss Boniva use, I would hesitate to give it to someone who is already having great back pain. Many of the people taking it complain about back pain as a result.

http://drugs.healthdiaries.com/boniva-side-effects.html

http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=21455&name=BONIVA

You can Google Boniva and read the company info also, but the amount of people having serious side effects makes me wary.

The effects of these bone building drugs vary greatly among patients. Discussing options with the doctor should be the first step. Her doctor may have some experience prescribing these drugs and should have some thoughts about which, if any would be appropriate here, although Boniva is a newer drug so the doctor's experience may be limited.
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All we are saying is give thals a chance.
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