When does osteoporosis seem to start after starting steroids?

From what I've read so far, it seems that the bone loss effect happens quickly. Does it pretty much start right away? How soon did you know the bone loss was happening

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Permalink Reply by jenn on January 18, 2010 at 2:22pm
my son max is 8, and has been on steroids about 4 years, according to bone scans his bones are still ok
Permalink Reply by Dave Click on January 24, 2010 at 4:55pm
Our son Alex is nearly 11 and has been on pred since about age 5-6. Thus far, his bone scans indicate no bone loss.
Permalink Reply by Laurie Paschal on January 24, 2010 at 7:44pm
Sam was diagnosed with osteoporosis about 3 years after starting steroids. His bone density was pretty low to begin with though, so I'm sure that didn't help. He took Fosamax for a year and now is back in a good range. He has another dexa next month, so we'll see if he's still keeping it up there.
Permalink Reply by Liisa Underwood on January 24, 2010 at 10:56pm
Thank you for the answers =)
Permalink Reply by Michael on March 11, 2010 at 2:33pm
get a DEXA scan yearly, use vitamin D + calcium, at about age 9 or 10, he may develop diabeties type 2, yep steroids do than thad then that's when the weight gain starts and no amount of dieting will stop that, so you have to go to a diabetiesw type 2 controlling drug and the weight will gradually drop off,
Permalink Reply by Carolyn Morrison on January 20, 2011 at 8:29am

Our son just had a dexascan today, and we do not see the doctor until next week.  It looks like all his scores are between -5.3 and -7.1, and overall T-score is -6.3   I assume this mean Osteoporosis has started?  Does anyone have similar scores?  And if so, did you add medication to help rebuild the bones?    John just turned 8 last month and has been on steroids since he was 4.

 

Thanks Carolyn

Permalink Reply by Liisa Underwood on January 21, 2011 at 12:51am

Hi Carolyn!  From what I can see online, it does look like osteoporosis but I'm no doc.  Hand in there!  Keep us/me posted on how he is doing.

Liisa


Carolyn Morrison said:

Our son just had a dexascan today, and we do not see the doctor until next week.  It looks like all his scores are between -5.3 and -7.1, and overall T-score is -6.3   I assume this mean Osteoporosis has started?  Does anyone have similar scores?  And if so, did you add medication to help rebuild the bones?    John just turned 8 last month and has been on steroids since he was 4.

 

Thanks Carolyn

Permalink Reply by Ofelia Marin on January 22, 2011 at 4:13pm
is there a z-score on the page?

Carolyn Morrison said:

Our son just had a dexascan today, and we do not see the doctor until next week.  It looks like all his scores are between -5.3 and -7.1, and overall T-score is -6.3   I assume this mean Osteoporosis has started?  Does anyone have similar scores?  And if so, did you add medication to help rebuild the bones?    John just turned 8 last month and has been on steroids since he was 4.

 

Thanks Carolyn

Permalink Reply by Carolyn Morrison on January 23, 2011 at 2:51pm
Yes, the Z score was -1.7  what is the difference with the Z and T scores?
Permalink Reply by Ofelia Marin on January 24, 2011 at 3:29pm

http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/osteoporosis/a/bonedensitytest.htm

 

A T-score compares your bone density to the optimal peak bone density for your gender. It is reported as number of standard deviations below the average. A T-score of greater than minus-1 is considered normal. A T-score of minus-1 to minus-2.5 is considered osteopenia, and a risk for developing osteoporosis. A T-score of less than minus-2.5 is diagnostic of osteoporosis.

A Z-score is used to compare your results to others of your same age, weight, ethnicity, and gender. This is useful to determine if there is something unusual contributing to your bone loss. A Z-score of less than minus-1.5 raises concern of factors other than aging as contributing to osteoporosis. 



Carolyn Morrison said:
Yes, the Z score was -1.7  what is the difference with the Z and T scores?
Permalink Reply by Janine on January 26, 2011 at 12:20pm

It is my understanding that it is not unusual for a boy with dmd to have low bone mineral density even before the introduction of steroids.

Carolyn my son was put on fosomax when he started steroids at around eight. He has been taking it since then, he is now 16. You may want to ask the doc about this at your appt as it looks like your son's bone density is low.

Permalink Reply by Carolyn Morrison on January 26, 2011 at 3:12pm

Ofelia and Janine,

 

Thanks for the info. We go to the doctor tomorrow, so I look forward to what they say about it.  It is just really scary having not realized this and not having a scan in over 4 years....

Carolyn

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