This may be a dumb question...

[Crohn's Mom]

Is it possible that Gab has shrunk in height ??

Every year we have marked the wall at grandpa's house before he would leave for the summer to go up north. Well, Gab has gone over there today to start her weekly cleaning for him and decided to mark the wall again. She is actually about an inch shorter than she was last year on the wall!
She measures about 5ft 3 1/2 inches at the doctors.
We've been jokingly making comments for quite some time that she looks so much shorter than she already did before.
Is this even possible ??
Or are we nuts ?? :lol:
She spent about a year on prednisone, but I wouldn't think it could affect her that quickly ??

 

[DustyKat]

No such thing as a dumb question T!

I could maybe think of two things that may cause it, well one cause and one impression...

The back issues that Gabs has...has she had scans or x-rays done?
I guess being on Pred for so long may have robbed her bones of calcium and affected the vertebrae.
If she has had imaging done is there anything to suggest a decrease in the size of the vertebrae or the dics space?
Any mention of AS or anything?

Then there is the question of impression. How straight is she standing. I know my own dumb question! :lol: But seriously really look at her. She has had major, major abdo surgery, is she stooping at all? Has that position of guarding really left her or has it become a bit of a habit, no offence intended!

Love ya, :wub:
Dusty. xxxxxxx

 

[Grumbletum]

Tracy, I so hope not! At 5 ft, I don't want to be getting any shorter. Has Gab lost a lot of weight? I did at the start of all this and I think that and being generally poorly does give you a sort of shrunken, fragile look. Is it Pred that affects the bones?
Either that, or grampa has subsidence in his garden??!!

 

[Crohn's Mom]

No offense taken Dusty :lol:
I actually say that to her now and then when she is comparing her short stature to her friends...I assume she is slouching ! :ycool:
A few times when she has been measured we have made the comment, jokingly again, of oh my you did shrink! And then we laugh it off and assume someone got it wrong.

Yes, AS has been mentioned over and over again. Actually, just the other day when we saw the physical med doc, he said she probably has a Crohn's related arthritis and mentioned her positive HLA-B27 test again. There is still no positive "diagnosis" of AS but all docs seem to be assuming that is what she has.


Grumble...I hear ya ! She definitely doesn't want to be any shorter! LOL...we already know from scans that her growth was stunted due to CD, but we're pretty sure the growth plates left have closed up by now :eek2:

 

[DustyKat]

First up I would get her lay down on the floor and measure her that way. Eliminates any chance of stooping/slouching.

If she has lost height then that would be in my list of questions at the next GI visit...why is she loosing height, what is causing it, what do we do about it and what is the expected outcome.

Dusty. xxx

 

[rygon]

It wouldnt have anything to do with the time of day you have been measuring her? I know when you wake up you are taller than in the evening (pressure of being upright and all).

 

[Crohn's Mom]

rygon...that does make sense

 

[kekemonster101]

I dont mean to alarm you nor do I claim to know 100% whats happening, but I'll tell you what happened to me.

I have lost almost two inches in height due to compression fractures. This was caused by long term use of steroids, and I never took a calcium supplement. I highly recommend getting a bone density scan and taking calcium supplements if needed. If only I knew back then, I could have avoided 7 fractures and ultimately being completely bedbound. Its worth looking into, and cant hurt to get the bone scan.