Question:

My dexascan almost 2 years ago indicated osteopenia under way. I am 60 years old, have osteoarthritis. This is 9 years post hysterectomy. I am currently on .625 Premarin and 35 mg Actonel. I am concerned about the value of a Dexascan since I have a 20 year old fusion (L4, L5, S1), 8 year old left hip replacement and 9 month old right hip replacement. Have I run out of places to measure? Would Estrace be a substitute for Premarin?

Answer:

In your situation it would be advisable to use the middle 33% radius of your non-dominant arm to follow your bone mineral density.  Any estrogen can be substituted for Premarin.  I recommend hormone products that have been approved by the FDA so that you can evaluate the safety and efficacy aspects of the drug.  It is still recommended to use the lowest dose of estrogen for the shortest amount of time for your purpose.  Review the risks and benefits each year.

For more information:

Go to the Osteoporosis health topic.