Bone Scan Reveals Osteopenia Still in Residence

Its been a while since I posted. Home life got complicated again and I have been swimming under the surface for a few weeks trying to find ground again. Welcome to all my new followers too. Thank you for being here and sharing our journey and sharing yours. I wish that you did not find yourself on the same horror journey we have had.

Sophie had her update bone scan the other day. I found the original bone scan done 4.5 years ago during her first admission. They said then she had Osteopenia but when the doctors in Melbourne read the report and compared it with how they do their radiology, she actually had Osteoperosis. Another blackmark for regional areas, getting decent radiology reports and a GP who can bloody read them properly and not be indifferent about the number readings. Melbourne radiology has this neat way of reporting that they actually color the bands on the results for osteopenia and osteoperosis so you can clearly see. Melbourne also do the spine and the hip. Up here they just did the spine. So we have a very good and full report of her bone health now.

So 4.5 years ago Sophie had Osteoperosis. Now 4.5 years later:

• weight restored (3.5yrs ago),
• with periods (been back 3.5yrs),
• with weight bearing exercise (Taekwondo and walking),
• and with calcium/Vit D supplements (about 6 months)

she now is still in the Osteopenia range. Its a big improvement from where she was but she still hasn’t healed her bone density yet. Our dietitian did say it can take up to 8 years to do so for some individuals. The long term damage for such a short term restriction is amazing. I shudder think if she had spent many years restricting instead of the 2 years she did, what the outcome of her bones would be.

So of course Sophie is down, being OCD/perfectionist/anxiety ridden, she has something else to fret about. However we still have about 5 years ahead of her to still build up and lay down the bone stores she will need for the rest of her life. After that she can still protect her bones by her periods, calcium intake and weight bearing exercise. Her new doctor has upped the dose of her calcium/vit D intake and will continue blood monitoring to make sure she is getting the right levels. She also gets reminded that the consequences of anorexia are long term and (hopefully) incentive to look after herself more closely than most of us do.