My reply, ref. Lizzie2, disappeared whilst I was typing so, to continue, my advice is that physiotherapy is essential to guide through rehabilitation. I was horrified at how much muscle I had lost and, nearly a year later, am still trying to regain core strength with a set of simple stretch exercises each day, plus 3 classes a week: Pilates, yoga and Tai Chi. 11 months after the spinal fracture I lost my balance, fell and broke my wrist - so now have an additional set of exercises at least this time provided by an NHS Physio.
There is a real and obvious rationing of resources away from the retired age group so I’ve had to be really determined not to just end up in a wheelchair with carers and so on. The NHS is very much not focused on prevention (nor cure in my experience). Those of us who started full time work at the age of 15 and carried on, throughout childcare years, paying NI contributions to fund the NHS (although these are not ring fenced and just get lumped into general tax revenue) now find that there is no respect for that and a readiness to be viewed as a ‘drain on the system’.
Research as much as you can before starting any treatments (particularly medicines) and concentrate on making daily health improvements, of which there are many within diet, exercise, lifestyle and so on. When possible, educate medical staff that an individual is capable of improving their health - with medical guidance expected.
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So true Janice. I don’t know of anyone who has had physio after a fracture. The nearest I got was the fracture liaison physio who organised a group for rehab exercises - unfortunately Covid came and that was cancelled.
Wonderful person that she was phoned to ask how I was getting on and I told her the fractured wrist was absolutely fine but my hand was trashed - I had developed CRPS and because of Covid I couldn’t get the support I needed. She got me started on desensitisation exercises and got me zoom hand therapy which made a huge difference but to be honest I was very lucky to get that. I don’t think most people get physio. When I asked about physio when I had the plaster removed, a clinic nurse standing in the room while I spoke to the doctor, went to a filing cabinet, got a sheet of paper with some exercises on it, slapped it on the table between the doctor and I and said ‘That’s your physiotherapy’. Fortunately I realise the importance of physiotherapy so I did the exercises diligently.
I think we need to read as much as we can about osteoporosis and be our own advocates. Things like vitamins - I mentioned to the fracture liaison nurse I was taking vitamin D plus magnesium and K2- Mk 7 - he didn’t know anything about K2-Mk7 which surprised me but I didn’t let that put me off.
All I was prescribed was Accrette which was calcium and vitamin D, when that upset my gut I was prescribed Adcal which was pretty much the same - calcium carbonate - cheap and nasty and the nurse said it could affect your gut, in the end i worked out using the ROS calcium calculator that I was getting enough dietary calcium and I was already taking more vitamin D (I check my levels twice a year with home blood tests) than was in either of the two drugs.
You really do need to be proactive - to read as much as you can from sites like this and books and make lifestyle changes if necessary. I always say yu need to take an active part in your treatment not just ‘have it done to you and I agree, as you say, the NHS is not focused on prevention - so many medical conditions can affect your bones, so many drugs can affect your bones but we are not always told about that when we could do something to help ourselves - it’s a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has gone.
It’s not only the NHS though - far more should be done to educate young people about health - especially how to look after their bones - while they are still at an age where they can do something about it.