3/9/20: Bone Density Test

My medical oncologist ordered a baseline bone density test because both Lupron and exemestane are reducing my estrogen levels - actually, together, the goal is to eliminate estrogen completely - and that puts me at risk for osteoporosis.

Because of the coronavirus, when I checked in, I got asked whether or not I am having respiratory symptoms and also whether or not I've travelled anywhere within the last 14 days. These questions actually show an evolution from a few weeks ago, when I was asked only whether or not I'd travelled to China in the last 14 days.

Anyway, I filled out a questionnaire about my bone health, and was instructed to change into a gown. I laid down on a table, and the imaging machine above me moved up and down my body making scans. The whole procedure was a lot shorter than I expected, I think it took like 10 minutes.

When I got home, I went for a nice long walk with my neighbor. By the time I got back, my doctor's office had already called with the results. I have osteopenia! I got 3 T-scores:

• Lumbar spine: -0.5
• Right proximal femur: -0.7
• Left proximal femur: -1.2

Only the -1.2 number falls within the osteopenia range, but the nurse who called me said it's enough to consider my overall results to be osteopenia. She said my doctor is prescribing 1200 mg of calcium daily and 1000 IU of vitamin D daily.

My old oncologist already had me taking 2000 IU of vitamin D, so I figure I'll stick with that. The calcium supplement I've been taking is 600 mg, so I'll just take 2 of those from now on.

I'm already trying to walk at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for breast cancer recurrence prevention. Apparently, walking counts as a weight-bearing exercise that is beneficial to bones, so that makes me doubly motivated to keep it up.