Medications, steroids can lead to osteoporosis

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Certain medications can dramatically weaken bones and lead to osteoporosis. As many as 10 million Americans have the disease and 18 million more are at risk.

For Robin Brunnquell, playing on the floor with her dog Belle wasn't possible after she slipped and broke her back Christmas 2013.

The problems leading up to the fall began in 2007 when she was treated for asthma with the steroid prednisone. The medication led osteoporosis and another condition which causes her bones to practically crumble. At one point, her airway collapsed.

"Avascular necrosis is where the bone gets deprived of blood," she said. "My bones were so frail that the clothing from when they put the tracheal stint in, I broke four ribs. Even by simple walking my foot broke, twice."

Brunnquell also broke her pelvis and had to replace both shoulders and hips. Dr. Sean Tutton of Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin said Brunnquell is an extreme case.

For Brunnquell, Tutton devised a way to fix her pelvis with medical-grade cement. The cement was injected into Brunnquell's bones to keep them together, Tutton said.

When she broke her back, he used the cement and a new spine implant known as kiva, which works like an internal cast to heal her spine.

Now she is back on her feet.

"Sometimes when you think there's no hope, there's hope," she said.

Doctors say smoking and drinking alcohol can put people at a higher risk for the disease. If the disease runs in your family, experts suggest getting a bone density test to measure the risk.