I have been diagnosed for 2 years and take good care of diet and excercise. I take Alendronic acid. But i still live worrying about breaking more bones ( I have already broken 4) . It is not an easy thing to come to terms with.
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Hi speak with your GP, make sure you know your DEXA scan results. If you have broken bones post Allendronic medication, speak to the osteoporosis nurses helpline and they can advice you further. Maybe a referral to a consultant might help to discuss this.
Osteoporosis condition does make one anxious of breaking bones so have a chat with the nurses. They really are good and you will come away with lots of information moving forward.
Best of luck
Hello, your message really resonated with me, as like you, Iāve been diagnosed with osteoporosis for 2 years after a severe wrist fracture, and take Alendronic acid weekly. I was 59 when I was diagnosed, with no previous fractures.
Iāve been fortunate not to suffer any further fractures since, but like you, am finding it difficult to come to terms with the condition and have lost a lot of confidence in my ability to do the things I used to enjoy, such as hill walking, dancing, Pilates and playing tennis, especially with the latter being the cause of my wrist fracture.
My advice would be to take a fresh look at your exercise routine and the things you enjoy doing, and be prepared to adapt them to suit your new needs. Iāve had to remind myself that itās not a competitionā¦. I need to be as safe as possible and exercise just the right amount to maintain my fitness and strength, whilst minimising risk.
For example, I still enjoy a good walk, but plan routes which avoid steep or slippery slopes and take my walking poles for additional confidence.
I dance whenever I can, in my living room, to my favourite music on you tube, 10 minutes lifts my mood instantly and if Iām dancing at a party or event, I tend to wear trendy pumps rather than risk tripping in heels.
I do my normal Pilates class, but my teacher is aware there are certain poses and exercises I need to avoid and I adapt as per the ROS video created by Lynn the Pilates expert in their very helpful series of exercise videos.
I got back on the tennis court after 5 months of my fracture, but decided not to play matches any more, but just for fun, for short periods before tiredness kicks in and makes me more likely to take a tumble as happened before. Iām still having fun with lovely people, in the fresh air, and getting my vitamin D to boot.
I really hope this doesnāt sound preachy; just wanted to share that even though I felt this was a major blow, a little younger than I was expecting, there are loads of things you can still do, some adaptations and a little less competitiveness are required, but go out there and enjoy! Good luck!
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I understand and share your concerns. I too was diagnosed 2years ago and went through being really upset about the things I could no longer do and constant worry about getting another fracture. I would say recently Iāve become more settled. I check my height regularly and thankfully thatās not changed. I no longer pick up my grandchildren and they now accept that. My family are good about supporting what I shouldnāt do. I rest much more inbetween tasks like gardening. I do lots of balance exercises to hopefully reduce further falls. Iāve also read books that are either living with pain/ management but also mindfulness books that relate to help living with a chronic health condition. For me itās being clear about things I now wonāt do (the hardest part) and having family around me who wonāt let me either. There are mindfulness sessions around that can help you manage the anxiety and worry - maybe look online to see if there is anything near you. Hope that helps.
Hi Just wandering which exercise regime you use. Is it the ROS ones? and which stage ? 1, 2 or 3?
Thank you for all your comments. I do not have any contact with specialist nurses as I was diagnosed and then case closed, with my GP supplying my meds. Thatās all.
Thank you. Best of luck. You give us motivation to move forward.
You have had lots of good replies already but for a confidence builder id say to try Nordic walking poles. I have a set and I find really useful. We signed up for a six week introductory course many years ago when my husband was needing a hip replacement and was firmly in denial that there wasnāt a problem at all!
His posture when walking was absolutely dreadful so it was my sneaky way of trying to improve it.
Everything we needed was provided for the course but we bought our own poles when we it finished.
I still use my poles - especially when the ground is muddy or there are a lot of leaves on the ground. They really give you confidence and they take pressure off your knees, hips and lower back as well as giving you a good aerobic work out just by walking.
I can definitely recommend them to build your confidence. Some of them fold down really small but I just leave mine and throw them onto the back seat of the car. What I did get and I think is worth the extra is a set with quick release grips.
It is worth trying to find a good Pilates teacher - you want to be in a very small group with someone who understands osteoporosis and will look after you. I do that twice a week with a teacher who is a physio and is a real ātreasureā. I like Margaret Martinās melioguide site and her books and videos.
One of the best pieces of device I was given was from my husband who said that I was still the same person I was the day before I broke my wrist and was given the diagnosis and I wasnāt worried then. Which put things into perspective for me. My Pilates teacher also said to walk confidently at a normal speed as people more likely to trip / fall if they were being āover carefulā.
I am probably more sensible now though. I wear good supportive shoes both indoor and outside, I no longer stand on chairs to reach into high cupboards, Iāve got rid of rugs and things that I could trip over and the one rug that I still have is stuck onto the floor with carpet tape
I was diagnosed almost a month ago. Since then Iāve been down in the dumps, thinking all the things I used to do, like aerobics, Pilates, digging over my allotment. My son and I live together and he says the same as you Lizzie. āMum before you knew you had osteoporosis, you just did all the things you love.ā It does make me think.
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