Marge

helloo there! My wonderful husband who will be sixty this July (advid cyclist) has been diagnosed with
osteopenia..Our frustration is that, if ,he were a women, he would have much better treatment options.
(we live in the USA) Has any of you have this experience? what did you do? currently his treatment
is "wait and see.." I think that they treat women much more proactively in the USA.

DnvrFox

My son is on Fosamax and calcium, etc.

Please see:

https://www.bikeforums.net/fifty-plus-50/88171-redux-osteoporosis-bicycling-important-50-rs.html

Shifty

Think about Viactive and lots of weight bearing exercise. Walking, weight lifting, rope skipping and hiking work better than cycling for this condition. This can be reversed with some effort. Fox is correct Fosamax is a wonder drug, but expensive and you need to follow Dr instructions.

Best of luck.

trmcgeehan

Osteopenia? I haven't seen this term, but I am assuming it has something to do with bone deterioration. If so, my experience with knee pain might help. I am 66, and have mild osteoperosis in both knees. My doctor told me to stop running and take up cycling. He said cycling has sufficient weight bearing attributes (especially when you pull a higher gear and get up on the pedals occasionally.) He said the pounding your knees take while running make your knees worse. He also prescribed a daily dose of glucosamine/condroitin, which you can get without a prescription. I take 750 mg in the morning and 750 at night. I also take a small dose of Ibuprofin each morning -- 400 mg. My doc says cycling is great for ailing knees because the flexing action in the knees keeps the fluid going in and out of the knee cartiledge. This keeps the cartiledge from getting brittle. If it gets brittle, it breaks off and then there's nothing to cushion the bone on bone action. I try to do at least 30 miles a week, and my goal for this year is 2,200 miles. Above all, tell your husband to keep on truckin'! Most men in their 60's have given up on their fitness program and have become hopeless couch potatos.

John E

I believe you have osteoarthritis, which is different. Your advice is spot-on, however.

Osteopenia is a bone density reduction, a precursor to osteoporosus. Weight bearing exercise, calcium, and Vitamin D can help. I know Denver lifts weights, and I do as well, because it is the only way I know to fight against deterioration of bone and muscle with age.

sam.g

I'm a 55 year old male cyclist and long time runner just diagnosed with early stage Osteoporosis. Needless to say I couldn't believe this prognosis but a bone density scan bore it out. I currently average over 25 + miles per week running and am currently training for another marathon in May. However hyperthyroid disease 25 years ago which led to radio-iodine treatment caused me to become hypothyroid which has a connection to Osteoporosis.

Currently I'm taking Miacalcin and Calcium/vitamin D suppliments each day. I also try to focus more on weight bearing exercises such as lifting but still can't believe that that's any more intensive than a 16 mile training run. From what I understand Osteporosis is not that uncommon in men with thyroid condition.

Good luck.

Sam

John E

Keep up the weight-bearing exercise, and best of luck to you, Sam. (I know a bit about thyroid conditions, since my mother had lifelong mild to moderate hypothyroidism, I run a tad low myself, and my wife is a thyroid cancer (total thyroidectomy) survivor.

DnvrFox

There is a new drug - Forteo - to rebuild better than Fosamax. Very $$$$

Andy's osteo is coming back - bone scan last month was not great. Met with doc today and referring to endocronologist for more evaluation. Andy is only 37.

Litespeed

I am a 53 yr. old woman who was diagnosed with Osteopenia several years ago. I started out on Fosomax but am now on Actonel (it's very similar). I take calcium with vitamin D and I also do weight bearing exercises, walking 5 days a week and gym 3 days a week. My T-score has slowly improved (takes a long time). Be sure your husband ask the doctor to be put on Fosomax or Actonel, it may be expensive but it's worth it. I know when I was with Kaiser I got my prescription much cheaper. Be sure to have a bone scan every two years. Since cycling is not a weight bearing exercise he should start a program that includes it. My husband has a male friend who was told her had osteoporosis and he only takes calcium. I think men have to take Osteopenia just as seriously as woman do, insist on a better treatment from your doctor.