ADRSupport Community  

Go Back   ADRSupport Community > General Discussion > New Member Introductions

New Member Introductions If you just joined, please introduce yourself here. Please add a signature describing your spinal history (use the "User CP) and ask us how we can help you get started.


Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 06-19-2018, 04:01 AM
dorian dorian is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 80
Default dexa scan results

Well I was getting close to doing my surgery but looks like a delay. I decided to do my Dexa scan and x-rays before I committed to a surgery. Everyone kept on telling me I was too young to be worried about dexa at 45 but it seems that might not be the case.


I got this result from a doctor


The xray shows degeneration at L4-L5 and L5-S1
The Dexa came out not very good with at T score of -3.0 at L4 but the xrays show fine bone.

I would probably advice he follows some treatment before surgery to improve bone quality.




I am not sure what treatments or length of time that means presently, sent the doctor an email back for some guidance. I never broken a bone before but when it comes to my lower back it does not surprise me that I have problems.


Anyone have issues like this and can share their story etc? disheartened presently but as I said I do not really know what this means.
__________________
44 Year old Canadian
Disc Degeneration (13 years)
L3-L4
L4-L5
L5-S1
Considering ADR Procedure This Year
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 06-19-2018, 11:02 AM
annapurna annapurna is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,668
Default

This reply is from Jim; I comment because osteopenia and osteoporosis is generally thought to a problem only for older women. I had a Dexa scan in my early 40's prior to knee surgery and found that I was something like -1.9. It can happen, especially if your diet in your earlier years wasn't optimum; which, between food allergies and to much sugar, mine wasn't. On that note, I also never broke a bone so ended up with quite a surprise with the Dexa scan result.

My advice is to start your own research. The osteoporosis drugs can lead to some very bad side effects like bone necrosis so they should only be used when clearly required. Talking with a naturopath about your diet and best means to use supplements to encourage healthy bone growth is probably the best, albeit the slowest, means to address this. If your impending ADR surgery has you on a time clock, though, it might be necessary to balance supplements and diet against the faster response of the osteoporosis drugs to get you to a safe point for your surgery.
__________________
Laura - L5S1 Charitee
C5/6 and 6/7 Prodisc C
Facet problems L4-S1
General joint hypermobility

Jim - C4/5, C5/6, L4/5 disk bulges and facet damage, L4/5 disk tears, currently using regenerative medicine to address

"There are many Annapurnas in the lives of men" Maurice Herzog
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 06-19-2018, 01:01 PM
dorian dorian is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 80
Default

certainly has put doubts into my mind. I know Dr Bertagnoli does AMP Vertebroplasty which is hte injection of bone cement into the bones, not sure if other doctors would do something similar.



I spent my whole life exercising, eating pretty good, hardly drink, slender frame, even drink soda pop maybe 5 times a year. maybe 5 cups of coffee per week, eat healthy but results were disappointing. Though I have heard the tests could be quite off with a bad technician and being in Asia I wont say I am totally confident on the tech that performed the test on me.



Just frustrating I was this close to getting ADR but now feel like I have taken a couple steps backward. Seeing a local spine specialist on Saturday to talk about the Dexa results and what could be done , retests, treatments, causes etc and will hear from other adr doctors on their thoughts to.


Hit pretty hard tonight we a feeling of hopelessness but got to keep on fighting.




__________________
44 Year old Canadian
Disc Degeneration (13 years)
L3-L4
L4-L5
L5-S1
Considering ADR Procedure This Year
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 06-25-2018, 12:57 PM
dorian dorian is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 80
Default

well got some news


After talking to a local spine specialist he was really surprised with the results, thought perhaps a bad scan. So went to a more modern hospital and yes cost a bit more as well for the scan and re did it.


Results were not the same, the doctor there first went on to say that the first results were very strange and not at all like a regular dexa scan result and the new ones I had much better scores. Not amazing scores by all means but I guess I am pretty normal for a 45 year old man. The doctor still thinks it s a little low and wants me to do some blood work to see if I am missing any nutrients and also to up my exercise routine which I already started anyway


She also went on to mention that sometimes conditions like degeneration disease can also cause issues with accurate results with the Dexa Scan , will pass the new info to the spine doctors once I get my blood work done and take it from there.


Feel little better with these results though all still in the negative but supposively still normal for my age, the l4 is my lowest score
__________________
44 Year old Canadian
Disc Degeneration (13 years)
L3-L4
L4-L5
L5-S1
Considering ADR Procedure This Year
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 07-15-2018, 06:12 AM
dorian dorian is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 80
Default

So all the doctors (spine doctors) I have talked to are fine with the new results which is great. I got higher scores, still a little lower than I was hoping but I have heard that Disc Degeneration itself can cause dexa scores to be a bit on the odd side.

Checked all vitamins, kidneys, thyroid and so forth that might be interfering with bone development and everything is fine, also have not lost any height still 183 cm which I have been for years. Doctors all agree that I am pretty normal.


So if you ever get a Dexa scan make sure you question the results and perhaps even do it again if they are quite off. Another thing the bone specialist I saw here after the second test, I showed her my first test she said even by the test scores it looked off, she said the scores are usually in a pattern when people have bone problems and my scores were all over the map which didnt make any sense.


So I am getting close to the big decision. Hoping to get a talk in via Skype this week with one of my German doctor contenders and than will be making the final choice. It really has come down to two doctors, with a slim chance on three doctors in Germany and Spain
__________________
44 Year old Canadian
Disc Degeneration (13 years)
L3-L4
L4-L5
L5-S1
Considering ADR Procedure This Year
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 07-28-2018, 07:04 PM
Harrison's Avatar
Harrison Harrison is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,010
Post

Hi Dorian,

Wow, that is an interesting turn of events. Here are a few topics that may help you; and for all of us for that matter.

Some helpful topics on rebuilding bone:

dexa scan results
http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/showthread.php?t=13424

Gut Drives Bone Makeovers

http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/showthread.php?t=13262

Juicing: The Connection Between Pain Meds, Spinal Injury, Ulcers
http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10655

Foods, supplements, diet
http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/sho...ighlight=Balch

Prunes for building bone density
http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/showthread.php?t=11950
__________________
"Harrison" - info (at) adrsupport.org
Fell on my ***winter 2003, Canceled fusion April 6 2004
Reborn June 25th, 2004, L5-S1 ADR Charite in Boston
Founder & moderator of ADRSupport - 2004
Founder Arthroplasty Patient Foundation a 501(c)(3) - 2006
Creator & producer, Why Am I Still Sick? - 2012
Donate www.arthropatient.org/about/donate
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 09-18-2018, 02:18 PM
GravyBaby's Avatar
GravyBaby GravyBaby is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 142
Default Dexa not always accurate or reliable

Hi all,

I had a conversation with Dr. Rolando Garcia, as well as a personal friend who is a retired equine veterinarian of many years, about my DEXA results and DEXA in general.

At my follow-up meeting with Dr. Garcia, he came in the exam room perplexed at what he referred to as a statistical impossibility. After reviewing my DEXA scan results, he went on to explain that including myself and the two other most recent young men that he had examined under 40 years of age, all fell into the osteopenic category on our DEXA scans.

As we spoke about it, it was revealed that we all had our scans done at the same imaging location. The possibility and probability that either the machine was malfunctioning or miscalibrated became apparent.

Fortunately, my supposed osteopenia was borderline at best, at what he quoted as a 1.1.

In an occasion after that, a veterinarian friend of mine explained that the lack of accurate results regarding DEXA scans in horses proved them unreliable for him to to base surgical decisions on. He went on to say that he generally disregarded DEXA findings throughout his career, unless some type of extreme result was found.

It is important to note that he had the opportunity of working with racing horses in some of the largest and most wealthy stables in the world and had access to cutting edge technology most of the time. He said in the equine world, because racing horses are sometimes world millions or tens of millions of dollars, there is no spared expense and horses can receive better care than most humans.

In any case, it sounds like DEXA scans, while not being completely reliable on accurate findings, can be relied upon to determine extreme conditions of osteoporosis or conditions less common, like osteopetrosis.
__________________
2001 - Pulled off monkey bars, landed directly on coccyx.
2006 - Sports injury that made it worse.
2016 - Multiple instances of paralyzing low-back pain.
2017 - Blew out my back on leg-press. MRI showed L5-S-1 disc herniation and grade 1 retrolisthesis.
2018 - Successful ADR surgery with Dr. Rolando Garcia using the Activ-L implant.
2019 - In physical therapy for burning in feet, L4-L5 diffuse disc bulge and SI joint pain.
2020 - Getting better with one-on-one PT.

30 - Male - American
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 09-23-2018, 10:26 PM
Harrison's Avatar
Harrison Harrison is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,010
Exclamation

Hey everyone, this is an important topic. A rather critical topic, actually, that I will look into ASAP.
__________________
"Harrison" - info (at) adrsupport.org
Fell on my ***winter 2003, Canceled fusion April 6 2004
Reborn June 25th, 2004, L5-S1 ADR Charite in Boston
Founder & moderator of ADRSupport - 2004
Founder Arthroplasty Patient Foundation a 501(c)(3) - 2006
Creator & producer, Why Am I Still Sick? - 2012
Donate www.arthropatient.org/about/donate
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 09-25-2018, 06:03 AM
dorian dorian is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 80
Default

Honestly I do not have a lot of faith in the accuracy of Dexa Scans from my personal experience and my research. I have had three dexa scans at three differnet hospitals and had different results from each from being diagnosed with osteoporosis at age 45 to being completely normal for my age. I even went as far as got all the vitamin checks and tests to see if there would be any signs that I might not be getting the nutrients for my bones, all came out perfect.






__________________
44 Year old Canadian
Disc Degeneration (13 years)
L3-L4
L4-L5
L5-S1
Considering ADR Procedure This Year
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
need to scan MRI natasha The Big File 3 05-01-2005 08:43 AM
DEXA Results & Ward's Triangle spotty14 The Big File 3 02-17-2005 12:11 AM
MRI V CT scan Alastair The Big File 2 02-11-2005 06:17 AM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:47 AM.


© Copyright 2006-2023 ADRSupport.org All rights reserved.