CalciYUM!



One more from Sunday! Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Pink Zone



205 percent.

That’s my daily calcium intake value.

I’ve completely overhauled my diet and got permission yesterday from my doctor to NOT go on Fosamax. Hooray! I win again.

Just kidding.

But seriously, I am proud of myself for scheduling this meeting and talking about the potential risks and side effects.

My PCP is out on maternity leave, so I’ve been seeing a different doctor these past two times: about a month ago for my stomach issues pre-colonoscopy, and yesterday to discuss the Fosamax.

I addressed everything I wanted to, and am happy with the outcome.

He agrees it is risky for someone my age to take Fosamax since it has never (never) been studied in women my age. He also was truthful in that we don’t know if the drug will do anything at all. My PCP had recommended a low dose because of my age. The lower dose would maybe mean less side effects, but would it also mean less potential benefits? Yes. And doctor agreed.

We looked at my Dexa results. One of my big issues was making sure we compared the results to 2011’s test. Were they better, worse or the same? Turns out they were worse. In all areas, including my neck, hips and spine. I’m still osteopenic, but if my numbers continue to drop at the rate they have been, I will have osteoporosis. However, as per discussion with the doctor yesterday, this isn’t expected to happen any time soon, and looking at my test results and complete medical history, my personal risk of fracture (hence reason for taking Fosamax) is low.

So he said he gives me permission to overhaul my diet and re-test in two years.

He believes a combination of my weight-bearing exercises (think yoga, running and lifting weights) plus my NEW diet of almond milk and calcium chews can work.

So here’s what I’m doing:

1 multivitamin (already a part of my diet): 50 percent daily value

Two calcium chews (added this): 100 percent daily value

1 cup almond milk a day (added this): 45 percent daily value

1 nonfat Greek yogurt a day (already a part of my diet): 10 percent daily value

All of those make up 205 percent. PLUS, I get calcium from the other things I regularly eat, including almonds, artichokes, broccoli and oranges. This winter I’ve been eating two oranges a day.

I also take 5,000 iu of Vitamin D mostly every day, and my Vitamin D levels are actually really good. As per my latest blood test via my oncologist, my D levels are in the 50s. Anything below 30 is considered low. So I’ll continue to keep those levels up. Doctor agrees I need good D levels.

I will admit before this last Dexa I didn’t give two horses asses about my bone density. In the past three years I was diagnosed with breast cancer and Li-Fraumeni Syndrome. I’ve been making sure I don’t have cancer. That was my priority. MRIs, colonoscopies, blood tests, ultrasounds, coming up with a plan, joining the NIH study. Honestly, I wasn’t worried about my bones. I never drank milk. Ever. Because I didn’t care. But now I got a wakeup call. I need to take action or else I’m going to be on a drug I don’t want to be on.

I’m proud of myself for not just swallowing another pill and for giving myself the opportunity to change my habits. One thing I do like about myself is I am a creature of habit and I love my schedules and my regimens. Meaning, once I make my almond milk and calcium chews a habit, they are there for good. They are going to stick.

And I am grateful for a doctor who didn’t just push another pill on me. He listened to my story, listened to my concerns (and didn’t laugh at me or dismiss me), looked at my personal history, was honest about the drug and collaborated with me on my care. THAT is a good doctor. All of my Penn State Hershey doctors are like this. I’m a special patient and it takes a special doctor to actually SEE a special patient. I am grateful my concerns and questions were addressed honestly, openly and patiently.

It’s not easy to be a LFS patient. I have a back story. Every pain is amplified. Every concern is an emergency. Having LFS means I’m busy. There isn’t a month that goes by that I’m not seeing at least two doctors, even if just for a check-up. Whether it be my dermatologist (seeing him in April), my breast surgeon (seeing her tomorrow), my oncologist (every four months), my plastic surgeon (2 weeks ago), I’m always, always, always seeing a doctor. It’s busy having LFS. And it sucks. But having good doctors helps tremendously, and that shouldn’t be oversighted.

The hardest thing about living with LFS is not having control over cancer. As in we don’t know why, how or when people with LFS get cancer, or how often or where or how many times. LFS patients don’t have that control.

But what I DO have control over is my screening schedule. And what I do have control over is what I put into my body. And that’s all I can do. And I have to be fine with that.

It’s not always easy, but I feel like yesterday was a win. A win for me, for my doctor and for control. I had concerns, I addressed them and a plan was put into action.

I feel confident in my calcium plan, and like everything else I will give this my all. It’s my health so it’s priority. When I’m all in I’m all in. And I’m serious about my bones now.

And I can’t help but thank G-d a million times that my bones are my top priority. This is the BEST “problem” I can have right now.