I had one not too long ago - naturally, they thought I'd be a good candidate for Prolia. Even though Prolia is an every six month affair, I begged off. I do my calcium supplements, go for foods with calcium, walk... and am willing to take my chances. I've got enough going on medically - RA and some kidney issues that are being bombarded by meds now. Sometimes you just don't need another attempt to fix.

But, I am a believer in getting the best medical advice and making a rational determination for myself.

It really isn't a good idea to take too much calcium either btw. It ends up calcifying/hardening your vessels and can lead to heart disease due to buildup of the mineral causing narrowing or a blockage in the arteries.

http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/link-between-calcium-supplements-and-heart-disease-raises-the-question-take-them-or-toss-them-201205304813

Other options instead of prolia are reclast and forteo.

Pipsmom, It is good to get screened, you wont want to live with future back problems that can be prevented. Compression fractures are common and could be avoidable if proper bone density is maintained. People with compression fractures are miserable I can tell you this I see it often. It also leads to fusion surgery to try to help with the pain, pain injections, pain medications. Basically that's a road you don't want to travel. Also, if you do have a break and your bone density is not good, then the repair is difficult as the screws they use don't have much to grab onto, and the healing time is greatly increased.

A lot of the side effects they mention are less than 1% chance, but they have to list it as a part of FDA approval.

pipsmom, yes, get a scan. A baseline scan. Then in another year or 18 months (whichever your doctor suggests), get another. That way your doctor will know if you are losing bone density, or if you may have lost some in the past or may even be one who just never had especially dense bones to begin with (small, thin, Caucasian could place you in that category).

If you are actively losing, you may want to reconsider treatment to help build bone.

I've had several scans over the years, and I lost some density the year I had graves disease (hyperactive thyroid). Again in the two years following a drop in my estrogen levels (that one we all expect when becoming that certain age ;)). I've done the Forteo 24 mo treatment. Easy peasy, and measureable positive gains.

Yes, get the scan. if the results are good, then hoorah. However unknowing to you, you could have bone thinning. If found in time, countermeasures can be taken to avoid maybe a broken hip. A broken hip may happen in older women, in men too but not as often. Medications and load bearing exercises can help. Simple load bearing exercises may be all that you need, but if needed, the exercise program must be kept up. One load bearing exercise is simply jumping up and down in place. Skipping rope also counts. Walking 2 miles at a good pace loads the leg and hip joints.

I started having the scans a few years ago ordered by my rheumatologist. I have one every 2 years which let's us know what is happening. I am doing pretty good and glad we have a way to gauge any changes. I don't take any medication, just my vitamin supplements which have calcium and D. I do take a vitamin D3 supplement daily.

A bone density scan is one of the easiest tests you can possible take. You may find that everything is perfect. It's worth it for the peace of mind and to have a baseline for the future.

With many women, the first indicator of osteoporosis is a broken bone, and that may be what the doctor is trying to prevent with you. If it turns out you have osteopenia or osteoporosis, there are things you would want to do even if you ultimately rejected taking the standard meds, such as taking specific supplements and doing weight bearing exercise. So certainly, yes, get the test. If they recommend a prescription drug to take, consider Evista. It does not have the side effects of the Bisphosphonates.

Also, there are other minerals that should go along with calcium. A good all-in-one, or most-in-one, supplement is Jarrow's Bone-Up. In addition to the Bone-Up, I take extra MK-7 and I also take Strontium (at a separate time of day from the calcium in the Bone-Up).

Please, get the scan done. At 55, I have osteoporosis in my left hip. No radical meds at this time, just an increase in calcium and calcium rich foods.

Due to some of the side effect of the RX meds, doctors are not keen on prescribing them unless absolutely needed. Most will tell you to increase your calcium and other minerals, best through foods and to get bone building exercise, like walking or swimming.

The test is now a standard for women over 50, and also for some men. It is recommended that you have one every two years, so this would be a baseline for you. Osteoporosis in the spine and hips is very painful and dangerous, but the test is not.

I had asked my doctor for a bone scan as I have a small frame and wanted to know how my bones were and as it turned out I was just on the edge of developing osteoporosis so I am now taking Alendronate Sodium tablets once weekly. Next summer they will do another scan and if things have improved, I can stop taking any medicine. I still take the calcium twice a day. It's good to get the scan so if need be, steps can be taken so you don't develop osteoporosis. I am 72 and certainly don't want/need any broken bones.

I agree with morz. I'm so glad I have already had one (around age 45 or so), so that when they run it again in a couple of years, they'll have my baseline with which to compare it.

I've skipped the scans because I can't take calcium supplements due to having had serious problems with kidney stones. Now I am hearing that a scan can indicate other physical ailments...anyone know?

Metasticizing (to the bone) cancers.

Doesn't capture soft tissue, so ineffective in diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis.

Chisue, there are other ways to ensure that your body is getting the calcium it needs. It's shocking to me that anyone would eschew an important medical test.

I have to agree this is with out doubt the easiest scan to do. I have a hard time not falling asleep! It amounts to laying down on a fairly comfortable platform they even give me a pillow if I want one. That's it for a few minutes and you are done. You lay down you might have to turn a little bit but nothing else. I am not kidding about falling asleep! I would definitely recommend doing it if for nothing else get a baseline and an idea of what is happening in your body right now. It's also recommended to have it done at the same facility each time for the best accuracy, same machine. I know some time that is not possible, I have done it on the same machine each time.

I have borderline osteoporosis and have had several bone density scans over the years. I've been on 4 different medications (including injectable Forteo) to try to boost bone density. It's very difficult to know if they actually help because you do not know what would have happened if not taking the meds. Maybe it would have been the same as with the meds. So people can take them out of fear of getting worse, or just skip it and hope for the best, get exercise, take calcium and other bone building supplements. Right now I'm taking Evista. I'm due for a scan but have skipped it for now but might do it another time. If I've dropped more, what am I going to do, try a fifth medication??

Socks, wouldn't they just up the dosage if no improvement? I would certainly have the scan so you know . I hope when I have the scan again next summer there will be an improvement. I wanted to have a scan this summer but the doctor wants to wait as it will be two years on the medicine then. It scares me to think that a bone can break so easily with the osteoporosis.

Just got my notice that it's been 5 years since the last one. Easiest test there is.

I know this is a simple test. My MD agreed that it was pointless to do the scan to discover osteoporosis, since I shouldn't take the meds to remedy that.

I've had surgery to remove a staghorn calculus and have passed stones. All of the false-positives on my mammograms have been calcium deposits.

I do eat calcium-rich foods and drink milk. I take D-3 and a multi-vitamin daily. I *should* get more exercise!

Thanks for answering my question, Duluthinbloom. My *new* MD may want me to do the scan -- but I haven't seen any indication of a need to look for a cancer.