I was recently diagnosed with osteoporosis but I don’t want to take my prescription drugs as I’ve heard they can have serious side effects. Can you recommend any natural remedies that could help rebuild my bones?
Dr Ellie Cannon replies: Osteoporosis is a serious condition that makes bones fragile and vulnerable to fractures that can be so severe that patients are left permanently disabled.
Every year thousands of sufferers – the majority of whom are women – die following an osteoporosis-related hip fracture. Yet I am often told that many are reluctant to take their prescriptions as they’ve heard about terrible side effects.
A lot of this, I’m afraid to say, is misinformation. For instance, a worry I hear is the medication will rot jawbones or cause thigh fractures. Others claim starting treatment and then stopping makes breaks more likely than not taking the drugs at all.
Dr Ellie says that a worry she hears from patients is that their medication will rot jawbones or cause thigh fractures – which are rare side-effects
It’s true that some experience a serious jaw problem – called osteonecrosis – and thigh fractures. However, such side effects are rare. All the research shows the benefits of osteoporosis drugs far outweighs the risks.
Basing a decision to start crucial medical treatment off the experience of others is never a good idea, because people tend to talk more about what’s gone wrong than right.
Someone can complain their osteoporosis medicine makes them feel unwell, but what they may not appreciate is those pills are the reason they have not suffered life-changing breaks.
In addition, there are also other steps patients can take including exercise as well as taking calcium and vitamin D supplements.
The Royal Osteoporosis Society is great for evidence-based advice (theros.org.uk).
I have a corn on one of my left toes which won’t heal. I tried Bazuka Gel but it doesn’t help. Could my low blood pressure be to blame?
Dr Ellie replies: Yes, low blood pressure can make skin issues harder to treat.
Corns are small lumps of hard skin that form on the feet, toes or hands. While not serious, they can be painful and many patients simply want to get rid of them because they don’t like how they look.
They are caused by pressure – such as from ill-fitting shoes or activities that mean being on the feet for long periods.
Treatments available include Bazuka Gel, a mild acid that’s used for verrucas, warts, calluses and corns. We also advise to soak the affected area in warm water to soften the corn, and then file away the hard skin before moisturising, then repeat this process regularly.
Corns are small lumps of hard skin that form on the feet, toes or hands that can be caused by ill-fitting shoes or spending lots of time on your feet
But patients with low blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease are advised not to treat their own corns. These issues are associated with poor blood circulation, which reduces the body’s ability to heal wounds.
The worry is by self-treating, the wound might accidentally worsen. Instead, any treatment should be done under the supervision of a GP, who will make sure the safest skin treatment is used.
I was told I have kidney disease – and apparently it’s getting worse. My doctor has suggested medication, including a statin, but I’m nervous about side effects. At 77, I’m in good shape. Do I really need a statin?
Dr Ellie replies: Kidney disease is strongly linked to heart health, which is why statins can be crucial.
Also known as chronic kidney disease, it occurs when the organs – which filter waste and excess fluid from the blood – no longer function at full strength.
For some, it may have no major health consequences. But for those seriously affected, a blood-cleaning treatment, called dialysis, or a kidney transplant may be required.
In all cases, kidney disease gets worse over time. To slow this process down, doctors offer a number of drug treatments. Empagliflozin and dapagliflozin are two new tablets which reduce blood sugar levels. This reduces the workload on the kidneys, and studies show these drugs can slow the progression of the disease.
Statins are mainly used to reduce cholesterol, a fatty substance that builds up in the blood vessels raising the risk of heart attacks and strokes. There is strong evidence that any patient taking a statin can reduce the risk of heart issues.
This is particularly crucial as kidney disease weakens the heart, raising the risk of life-threatening complications.
In rare cases, patients do experience muscle pain while taking statins.
However, this is thought to occur in only one in every 100 patients, and these symptoms subside when they stop taking the tablets.
So it is worth giving statins a go. It’s also important that anyone with kidney disease exercises regularly – for example, walking or cycling – as it can improve heart function which, in turn, reduces the pressure on the kidneys.
