This is partly a rant, and may be of no interest if you’re not a woman thinking about these issues. But I would certainly appreciate inputs.
My osteoporosis is severe: my T score at the right hip is negative 4.0. FRAX says that my risk of a hip fracture in the next five years exceeds 50% and my risk of a major osteoporotic fracture – spine, wrist, foot – exceeds 65%. I have already had fragility fractures.
Doing all I can think of – resistance training, vibration, diet, protein, creatine, supplements, ralosifene, including DHEA, and about to start LDN and teraparatide. But teraparatide will not get me where I need to be, given where I am now.
I want to add estradiol (patch). No doctor will prescribe because: 6 years ago I had a very tiny, very indolent estrogen/progesterone sensitive breast cancer. The three “tumors” were under 2 mm. The Ki67 was 1%. (Ki67 is a protein that manifests on the surface of the cell when it is about to divide. So it is a measure of whether the cancer is active or indolent. Anything under 14% is considered indolent. Mine was 1%. Should add that you have to ask for this (Ki67)–or you won’t get it.) I actually believe that the many needle biopsies knocked some DCIS cells out of their membranes – and “caused” the cancer. But, be that as it may, the cancer was about as much of a nothingburger as a cancer can be.
OK I understand that doctors have to follow guidelines. But I don’t. In fact I used estradiol and progesterone for 26 years, ordering it from Canada, after my obgyn decided I had been on it long enough.
So, now I know, because more recent research has shown, that estradiol has a miniscule to zero effect on stimulating breast cancer. Now it is known that progesterone is the culprit, the hormone that actually stimulates the breast cancer. And, I am taking raloxifene, which prevents the sensors in the breast cells from being able to take up whatever circulating estrogen there may be. (Raloxifene is a SERM-- selective estrogen reuptake modulator).
If I were to have a recurrence it would be treatable. But I feel that the probability, given the initial episode, is truly miniscule.
If I break a hip, my life as I live it now would be over (greater than 50% probability) or I would be dead (30% probability).
It seems so clear to me that I should throw everything at the osteoporosis that I possibly can. It is by far the greatest threat. But the doctors do not see it that way. This is all so frustrating but I am so grateful that I can get around this –
So many women have now decided to use estradiol that the patches are stocked out. Maulik can’t get them. But I will stay in touch so that I can grab some when they get restocked.
Anyone here who is taking rapamycin has gone through a version of this – weighing the potential benefits and risks and making a decision about whether it is a good intervention for you personally. This is just a version of this – having to decide for yourself what’s best for you. You all have empowered me to decide things for myself, even though this has nothing to do with rapamycin.