Hi Piglet thank you for sharing what you have been through. I also had 5 compression fractures lost over 2 inches from my hight I was only 5.1 I also lost my waistline I have pouched stomach nothing fitted me had to get rid of all my cloths, now I am buying boxed tops and lose dresses, like you I make the effort with my make up and hair to make me feel good about myself, I am also getting fancy trainers with hight in them , I was very depressed initially but like you had to talk to myself in accepting the changes. I am suffering with my back muscles they are very weak, if doing house work after half an hour I have to sit down to rest. Can you please share how you are free of pain i am trying all different exercises but no improvement. Kind regards xx
Dear Piglet, you describe our situation very well. I paid for my mri scans because I was concerned that some of the weight training exercises I was doing (including deadlifts) seemed to be making my spinal symptoms worse - I now have numbness and pins and needles down one leg. So Iām wondering whether I should refer myself to a rheumatologist. It would have to be a private referral because even getting a couple of simple x-rays out of my GP practice was like getting blood out of a stone! What do others think?
I have a painful back at the moment and I appreciate how lonely and isolated you feel. I have been reliant on my husband of 52 years this month to do basic things like shopping and cooking after also breaking my wrist last year leading to the osteoporosis diagnosis. Thank goodness we can have stuff delivered. And Iām afraid I have watched more TV recently which has been comforting. There is another post here where they shared how long it is taking to recover from fractured vertebrae and I hope your GP is supportive. Great you have seen a consultant. With the fractures and diagnosis there is a lot to consider and I appreciate how scared you must be feeling. I think of how brave my mother was to live with an amputation for 32 years when I am feeling down and I try to concentrate what I can do rather what I canāt do. I had another health issue 24 years ago and had to give up badminton and tennis and became isolated at home being off work. I eventually volunteered helping disabled people who had an allotment when I was recovering and enjoyed it so much when I went back to work I became a support worker until I retired. I also joined U3A and took up Bridge. I wish you well - I am taking codeine for the pain which makes me foggy and I have recently purchased a back massager to try and reduce the dose and also to try and do some gardening. There have been times over the last few months I have felt depressed and worried about the future so you are not alone in your thoughts.
Hi there, unfortunately I have no magic answer for the pain. The only reason I am now pain free is purely down to time and sadly for me it was a long time. I truly never thought the pain would go even though the Orthopaedic consultant said it would but it really does eventually. Hope this helps in those darker days when you feel itās never going to end xx
Hi Carole, I was referred to Rheumatology because my DEXA gave a score of -4.4 and I needed a bone building medication. That said my GP had failed to refer me as requested in my DEXA report because likely due to time constraints he hadnāt fully read the narrative in the report. It was only when speaking to one of the ROS nurses and reading out my DEXA scores she asked if Iād been referred to Rheumatology and I said no but it does say in the report I should be. She told me to get on to the GP and request it. We shouldnāt be having to do this in an ideal world, it should have been acted upon when the GP received the report!! In terms of your numbness they are red flag symptoms anyway so you absolutely should see your GP for further investigations for that and I would ask if you can be referred to Rheumatology as well. GPās seem very reticent to do referrals for anything these days which is because they are discouraged to do either too many or unnecessary referrals due to cost but that doesnāt mean to say you canāt ask or that you donāt need to be referred. From speaking to friends with other complaints not related to Osteoporosis it seems to be an issue across the board with being referred but ask anyway and say you really would like a referral to see what your treatment options are going forward but make an appointment asap re the numbness! Good luck xx
Hi Piglet
Thank you for your very helpful reply.
Carole
Hi Panda. I understand what you going throught the feeling of loneliness and in so much pain every day made me so depressed, you not alone, between February 2025 and Oct 2025 I had 5 vertebrae compression fractures lost over 2 and half inches from my hight the feeling of the compression and the cause of the compression is very uncomfortable with the feacrure and muscular spasm I am still in pain and discomfort being on this group has giving me hope and the support from ROSO has been amazing. Thank you for sharing your post good luck.
Thank you Player, for your good wishes.. Although friends and family are sympathetic, nobody really
understands the pain unless they have experienced it.
Have just started new pills- Amitriptyline, on the lowest dose, but so far no improvement with the pain.I think it takes a while to kick in.
Itās a lonely place. The messages I have received do help. Thank you for yours.