Real stories from real women about bone health
Two positive outcomes
Elizabeth, 69, had a family history of osteoporosis and noticed she was losing height. Just after starting her Fosamax prescription, she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and had a feeling it was related to the Fosamax. Since working with Dr. Brown, she’s improved two major health issues in her life naturally: osteoporosis and Crohn’s. Here’s what she told us.
“Osteoporosis is in my family. My mother lost almost 6 inches in height over her lifetime, and in 2003, I noticed I’d lost about ¾ of an inch in my own height. I had a DEXA scan of my hip and spine at that time, and the T-score in my left hip was -1.6 and -2.5 in my spine. Although I’d been taking calcium and vitamin D, my primary care doctor prescribed Fosamax. I also decided to start a strength training program at our local recreation center.
“Within four weeks of being on Fosamax, I developed severe diarrhea and cramping. And after four months of working with a gastroenterologist, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease! At this point, I decided to stop taking Fosamax and look for natural alternatives. Within two weeks of being off Fosamax, the major symptoms of Crohn’s were gone.
“I found out about a seminar on bone health given by Dr. Susan Brown. So I went to the seminar and took lots of notes. I bought her book, Better Bones, Better Body, and tried to work on my bone health on my own. I began working with Dr. Brown in February of 2007 because of a flare-up in my Crohn’s. In our initial meeting, Dr. Brown and I decided to look at a whole range of health issues and do some testing.
“Working with my primary care doctor, I had a vitamin D test and found out my levels were only 18 ng/mL! Dr. Brown recommended a high dose of vitamin D3, increased calcium, magnesium, buffered ascorbate (vitamin C), and other nutrients, and a focus on natural foods. In July of the same year, my vitamin D levels were at 37 ng/mL, and by January they were at 55. My next DEXA scan also showed improvement. I had a T-score of -1.5 in my hip and -2.4 in my spine — an increase in bone density in both locations. I would have been happy with no decline!
“I continue to exercise, take the supplements, and follow an alkaline diet. Dr. Brown’s recommendations are easy to follow, and the best part is they are natural! There are no side effects, just better health for my whole body. Dr. Brown’s program has had two positive outcomes in my life: improving my osteoporosis and remedying my Crohn’s symptoms. I would recommend her program to any woman, especially as she approaches menopause.”
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Last Modified: 08/17/2009