Bone Health

March 17, 2019

Alright, I've been honestly stressing out about all of this. It is echoing in my head. My bones depleted by 7% these last three years. Holy crud. In that time, I was basically pregnant or on hormones trying to get pregnant about a year...so I had the estrogen. Yikes. I'm also dealing with severely recessed gums. Last dentist exam instead of the usual, wow, your teeth are amazing, she said my oral hygiene wasn't as good. Excuse me? I brush a bazillion times per day, floss, use mouth wash. My gums are recessing faster. I have pockets. It's due to no estrogen.

I basically need to stick it out one more month to get the babies I donate breastmilk to, to one year. After that, I think I may need to bite the bullet and start the bioidenticals. My own son really only nurses morning and night now. When he's home, he will nurse at nap time or for emotional comfort. I think cutting back the pumping will help my body regain some nutrients. Pumping an extra 24-30 oz is a lot for a body to do. My endocrinologist did say some bone density will return once I wean.

I started taking the new calcium along with my other one. So now, I take two Young Living Super Cal Plus, two Garden of Life Raw Calcium. The Garden of life has the stronium in it, but a very, very small dose. I will start their Grow Bone once I wean. The reviews are fantastic and my endo gave me the go ahead. I also just started the Young Living BLM supplement. It has the glucosamine sulfate and collagen. I'm keeping up with the Biosil and current collagen I'm on as well. In a support group, someone mentioned taking Boron as well. Lo and behold, I did some research and very promising info. The raw calcium does have some, but since I'm doing a half dose of that, I did get a 3 mg supplement.

My sister in law suggested two workout sets, so I ordered these and these as well. The kiddos and I have been doing our exercises at night, I've been doing weights a few times a week, and I've been very diligent about making sure to at least take 20 minutes a day for a brisk walk. I'm doing jumping jacks every time I get up to get a drink or go to the bathroom from work, squatting holding my son, anything to fit in extra weight bearing exercise.

I think I feel panicky because I'm not doing everything I can, but I'm not emotionally done nursing and my son is nowhere near emotionally or physically done. I keep weighing my long term health vs where we're at now. I can't supplement with herbs or supplements, I'm nervous starting BHRT... Ugh. I just need to take a breath. The reality is, a few extra months won't do long term damage. I just need to do what I can and trust. I can start on the BHRT once I'm done donating. "Normal" women have estrogen in their blood and milk all the time...granted this isn't naturally produced, but the effects are the same. I absolutely despise I need medication. I pray for no ill effects.

I just want my body to cooperate...

On a lighter note...still meal kit obsessed! LOL We got our second Sunbasket delivery and it was delicious! Well, we all agreed the sesame crusted tuna and salmon nicoise was. I thought the blackened tempeh was ok, my husband was a hard no. Ah well. I knew it was taking a chance. I'm trying to shift more plant based. For my initial Sunbasket review go here.  So far, that is the one I've been most impressed by overall.

I'm excited to try out Hello Fresh this week. Stay tuned ;)

Endocrinologist Appointment

March 8, 2019

Well, yesterday I had the dreaded endocrinologist appointment following my DEXA scan, and the results weren't good. I knew I'd lost some bone mass, but was not prepared in the slightest to have my doctor walk in and suggest osteoporosis meds. Hard pass. My mouth dropped open.

As she reviewed my history she mentioned the last time I came in I had a two year old, to which I replied and I still do! Ha! Well, a six and a two year old. Her eyes got wide so I quickly chimed in through embryo donation...ahhhh. I also said I'm still nursing him and she got a bit quiet. Apparently, that took the osteoporosis med suggestion out of play since it's contraindicated.

Her next suggestion was estrogen therapy. I reminded her of my family history of estrogen driven cancers and added that since our last meeting my mom had also had uterine cancer and female cousin (40) had breast cancer. Again, she got quiet.

She was obviously deeply concerned, and I will hand it to her. She spent a lot of time while we hashed out and weighed all the options. She doesn't want me at risk for breast cancer, but at the rate my bones are deteriorating, I'd be in grave danger. As it stands, I'm still nursing so medications and even my herbal route from before are out.

She told me, very seriously, that I needed to make sure I was getting 1200 mg of calcium and 1000-2000 of Vitamin D a day. She said it could be from food or supplement, but I needed to ensure I was getting that much.

I've been taking Young Living's Super Cal Plus. The calcium levels are lower, but my understanding is it's more bioavailable to the body. As I researched calciums, the issue is a lot of people JUST take calcium or JUST calcium and D3. As I learned more about calcium, I started to see how controversial it is. Now, the controversy seems to be because people are just taking calcium supplements. Calcium by itself isn't absorbed by your body and what happens is it floats around and gathers in your arteries. This is what causes calcification and morphs into heart disease. In order for your bones to actually absorb the calcium, there needs to be adequate levels of calcium, D3, K2 and magnesium. People tend to overlook the K2 and magnesium. The Super Cal plus has all of them. It's enriched with essential oils that help make it more bioavailable and absorb better. I also like it is an algae sourced calcium.

I've also been drinking protein shakes that are calcuim rich. I add fortified almond milk, Orgain Superfoods protein powder and one scoop of Young Living's Balance complete which is higher in the calcium and fiber.

In addition to that, I looked more into Young Living's BLM. This one has glucosamine sulfate, collagen, MSM, Manganese and essential oils. As I broke down the ingredients, glucosamine sulfate has promising research that it can help bones heal faster. I haven't tried it yet, but put it on this month's order.

Another supplement I reviewed with my endocrinologist is strontium. Now, I've researched it before, but when I looked it up, it was suggested not to take while nursing, so I haven't taken it. When I brought it up though, she right away said she knew about it, there was promising stuff she knew about people using it in Australia and that since it wasn't FDA approved (it's a supplement) she couldn't prescribe it, but was totally fine with my taking it. Score.

Now, a heads up, when you google this one, strontium ranelate will pop up with red flags...THAT is a medication. Here is the deal when it comes to drugs and pharmaceuticals. You cannot market a natural mineral (like strontium.) In order to make money, drug companies must take a chemical constituent in a naturally occurring substance, make a synthetic version and THEN patent it. Ranelic acid is the synthetic compound used to create this drug. NATURAL strontium that is used in supplements in strontium citrate. As long as you are taking more calcium than strontium citrate, there have not been ANY adverse reactions reported in over 100 years.

I dug around and found a few good sources of natural strontium. Here is one and here. I love the GARDEN OF LIFE vitamin products and use this one for my multi vitamin. Now, I use the 50 and wise version because there is no iron. I have hemochromatosis so I can't have iron. If you need iron, search one of their other varieties.

So, my battle plan is to do weights a few times of week, be diligent walking and working out and once I wean my son start a bioidentical hormone therapy. I agreed to do a very low dose BHRT with a transdermal patch. She was going to prescribe oral, but I asked if transdermal would work. I want to bypass the liver processing the meds and lower my risk of blood clot and she agreed. It was funny, but when I asked for a bioidentical hormone she said my insurance didn't cover it. I said, I'm certain it does. She went on to explain they've no compounding pharmacies and was kind enough to humor me...so I pulled up this website and showed her that the FDA actually has several approved bioidentical hormones. The crazy part is the one she was going to prescribe was on there. Yay!

Here is the website so you can reference it. There are a lot of bioidentical ones available on the market that are covered by insurance so you don't have to spend hundreds a month at a compounding pharmacy.

I'm giving a shout out to my sister in law at Pod Performance. Beth is awesome. I text her asking for some recommendations on bone building workouts that would fit in my schedule (aka, no time at all.) She gave me a few suggestions that I could do when the kids were in the tub, when I was making dinner, etc. I need to make my bone health a priority, but have been freaking out how to fit it all in. Check out her page! 

After weaning, I will also start using my strontium supplement and a few other Young Living ones that are intended to support healthy hormones like Femigen and PD80/20. PD80/20 has DHEA which is the precurser to testosterone. There have been some positive studies about that one and bone health as well.

Right now, I'm using my calcium in addition to Ningxia red, multi greens, Life 9 probiotic, sulfurzyme, omegagize fish oil, Biosil  and a great collagen called Aminosculpt. I was diligently taking my minerals, and need to start that back up. I love Vital Earth's Fulvic Humic blend. It's not salty at all!

It was a discouraging day to say the least, but at least I've a game plan. I'm really upset I have to resort to medications, but I feel incredibly blessed that I had a doctor who listened to me, respected me, agreed with my concerns and found an option that I think is the best and safest method. How awesome is that?!

We considered my starting the BHRT now, but we both were a bit leery as I'm breastfeeding. The only contraindication really seems to be that my supply could dry up. BUT, as with any med, some gets in the breast milk, and we're talking about a hormone, soooo.... Makes me nervous. I'm also a milk donor. I don't want to mess with "stuff" in my milk that is going to another child.

I talked with the baby's mom yesterday about my doctor's visit. She actually watched my oldest while I went so he didn't have to sit in the waiting room with flu and colds and everything else! I talked to her about my visit and the options presented and she was too sweet to say that if I had to stop providing milk, my health came first. I told her following through to get her babies (she has twins - the boy relies on my milk) to a year is my goal and I'd committed that to her. They turn a year April 20th! A month and a half isn't going to make or break my bone health! I DID tell her though that at a year, I'd begin weaning from the pump. I don't mind my son nursing as long as he wants, but on some days I'm producing upwards of 30 oz for her. That's a lot of milk.

Something else I talked about with my endocrinologist is the fact I'd read about how breastfeeding can lower bone density temporarily and she verified that. When I'm done nursing, some bone density should come back. Not all I've lost, but a bit. That was reassuring.

Well, I've rambled long enough. It was a very emotional day. I feel so frustrated. My health overall, is good. I feel great. I've never been healthier. I don't get sick. I've good energy. And then this... I've no control over it and it's so frustrating and disheartening. I'm very type A in control and not having it...UGH!

As always, God Bless!

Ugh Hormone Reality

October 26, 2018

Well, I bit the bullet and got my hormone panel run. I'll be honest, things have been stressful. I've been getting very little sleep, dealing with an ill fur baby, teaching several essential oil classes every week, rolling out new acting projects, working a full time job, doing the whole PTA thing, just wrapped a huge church event I was helping run AND trying to be as present as possible with my family. To say I've been stretched thin is an understatement. And, my body is apparently feeling it. Here I am educating people on healthy choices, completely running myself into the ground. Isn't that the way it goes? I make sure my kids are taken care of - good food, oiled up, adequate sleep...do I do the same for myself? Um, nope.

Oddly enough, other than a few hot flashes here and there, I've felt like my hormones were doing ok. I've attributed my lack of energy, poor focus and being short tempered to stress.  I've my little oil and supplement regimen, and apparently it's been working well enough to take the edge off, because I honestly haven't felt poorly and haven't been getting sick constantly like before. So, when I got my hormone panel, my spirits sank.

FSH 161.2
Estradiol <10 pg/ml

Right to the gut. I can't aggressively do anything homeopathic because I'm nursing. A lot of herbal supplements contain herbs I'm not comfortable using while breastfeeding. I know this is a poor excuse for not exercising or sleeping as I should, but I honestly can't find the time. It's clear I need to look at a bioidentical hormone replacement therapy of some sort. I need to think of long term health - bones, heart, mind... I'm also praying I can let my day job go or cut hours drastically. I'm on the verge of just being able to focus on essential oil education and acting. That brings such joy to me and oh man...if I could do something fulfilling with my time, that'd alleviate so much stress for me.

I do NOT want to wean. That, I am sure. I'm wondering if a hormone therapy will decrease milk supply. That will be fine for my son...I think he will still get plenty, but I'm feeling massive guilt. I've been donating milk the last year and have a long term family. There are twins, one with some physical and cognitive issues that I provide milk for everyday. I've been able to give him 16-24 oz per day and it's been beneficial for him. He doesn't tolerate formulas well. I know this may decrease my supply and I already know how stressed his mom is about trying to feed him and / or afford formulas. Ugh.

I've been crying this morning. I just feel so emotional about it all.

S, my sweet (almost) two year old is such a smart, inquisitive, headstrong little guy. He's incredibly smart, and it's been eye opening how that presents it's own challenges. People think he's three or four, but he's not even two. So, although he can communicate like an older child with full sentences and insightful questions, great memory, he even plays sports like an older child, catching, throwing, hitting, kicking, and impressively so...He'll sing songs, recite his alphabet, prayers and colors,...all these things that sound "impressive" or braggy, but my point is...he's not even two.  People don't know how to deal with him all the time, because emotionally, he's still a toddler. So, he does all these big boy things, and he has BIG feelings. Big. And, he doesn't know how to process them all the time. I think it's scary for him, so he has big reactions. I've found just holding him and hugging him until he can get control helps, but not everyone understands that. They yell or get frustrated with him and it absolutely breaks my heart. I know his emotions will catch up with that bright little mind of his, but until it does, I'm just so on edge advocating for him, making people try to understand he needs extra love and reassurance. He doesn't need grumbling and complaining and telling me he's acting out. One day that headstrong little personality will run an empire, of this I'm sure. I definitely don't need to worry about him and peer pressure...he'll tell those peers right where to go.

R, my oldest is dealing with his own set of needs. Kindergarten has been eye opening. There are a lot of children out there, I can't say mean spirited, because I don't think any child is, but who definitely have been shaped by different experiences. I feel like I'm constantly trying to encourage him to be strong in who he is, unique and proud. I've certainly gotten my first taste of having to let go and watch him struggle, and I'll be honest, it sucks. You have to let them live their life, and I need to step back and both equip him with social skills to stand up for himself, but not overstep. It's been a tightrope. He also is at an age where he is finding himself, his independence and that can have it's own set of challenges. He too, is very bright, and his TK program well equipped him, so there is a lot of review this year. The days he falls down to a lower color (behavioral chart) are the days we find he's "bored" and reviewing things. I want to swoop in there and tell the teacher to challenge him vs reprimand him, but again, gotta let the teacher do their job. Yeesh, this motherhood thing is tough.

Well, I'm clearly an emotional mess today. lol So, excuse my musings. Overall, life is good. I'm just grappling with how to take care of myself health wise in the best way possible.

I KNOW I do not want certain HRT. I am SO strongly opposed to medications derived from horse urine...from a moralistic standpoint, google how those are created. Animal cruelty plain and simple. I also don't agree with how so many synthetic hormones are metabolized in the body and not processed correctly leading to other issues and having various side effects. I know there are some good bioidenticals out there, just I'm not sure at this point if my insurance covers them.

Ah well, one foot in front of the other. I'm sure the answers will be presented. They always are. I haven't turned to prayer yet, so perhaps instead of my mind spinning...that is where I should start. Let go and let God...

Blessings.