Hi All, I am a 50 year old woman and was diagnosed with Osteoporosis a week ago. My Dexa scan results were L1-L4 -4.7 and Hip -3.8. It also should lots of compression fractures across my back. I currently have a herniated disc too. I have been referred to Rheumatology but my GP has initially started me on Alendronic Acid and Calcium pills. I am finding this extremely difficult to live with just now , the pain that I am in, but also the fear of falling or bending the wrong way and having another fracture. I am still in shock with the diagnosis. Until I herniated the disc in my spine, I had been walking 4 miles a day, and had a very physical career as an artist. Everything feels very uncertain and frightening and unstable just now. My Rheumotology appointment is in 7 weeks. I am very keen to be offered the daily injections to build some new bone. Please can someone offer me some light today? A good news story please? Will I be able to continue with my career? Will the injections help and are their side effects? Any help and advice welcome and thank you so much for taking the time to read this. Warm wishes, to you all, Alison
Welcome to the group Alison. I’m not sure I can offer you much help other than to say I had a couple of herniated discs many, many years ago - the 1980s in fact. I had a steroid epidural - well I had two, one worked for a couple of years and the next one lasted so well I didn’t need another one.
I also had a lot of physiotherapy at that time eventuality being fortunate enough to find an amazing Dutch physiotherapist who got me sorted out once and for all and who recommended Pilates to strengthen my core which supported my spine and I have done that ever since.
I can see why you want bone building injections, I’m not sure how easy it is to get them as, as you are finding out, bisphosphonates appear to be the first choice in the armoury against osteoporosis but it would definitely be worth finding out.
I have no idea though whether or not steroid epidurals can be given when you have compression fractures but I’m sure you can find out.
Without knowing what your symptoms were and how you came to have your DEXA it is difficult to know what to say. If for example everything felt fine until your herniated disc then I imagine you could get back to that stage - my husband used to tell me I was still the same person I was the day before I was told I had osteoporosis and that is how I look at it now.
The one thing I don’t do is lift heavy weights, I don’t think it is worth doing that. What aspects of your art make your career physically difficult? Hopefully you can find ways round that. Could you speak to an occupational therapist to work out how to continue with your career and how best to move to minimise further damage?
One of my favourite websites in melioguide.com run by a very sensible physiotherapist who has a strong interest in osteoporosis and who does a lot about moving well. Well worth looking her up.
The ROS website has masses of information on osteoporosis drugs, food, exercise, vitamins - I take magnesium, K2-Mk7, boron along with some calcium and vitamin D3 (last two I take separately) and I eat 70-100 dried prunes every day as well as eating a healthy bone friendly diet - no junk food or fizzy drinks and I don’t buy anything I can’t pronounce or my granny wouldn’t recognise the ingredients on the packet. Also at your age - have you thought of looking into body identical HRT to help your bones?
I’m sure if you look after your herniated disc you could be back to walking again soon.
I fractured my sacrum back in 2021 and thought I would end up having to use a mobility scooter for the rest of my life but I’m not. I saw a private physio who specialises in spinal problems, he organised some private MRIs, my back is a mess - all old stuff from back to the time of the herniated discs and probably even before then - I said to him that I couldn’t imagine walking 10000 steps a day ever again - he told me I would and I can although as I’ve got older I’m happy to settle for 7-8 thousand - I’m back to walking for an hour or so every day and doing Pilates for an hour twice a week. So you can get your old life back. Just relax and think about how you want to go about it, I would find a good physio with experience of osteoporosis and go from there bearing in mind if any9ne suggests you do things that hurt - find yourself another teacher.
Good luck, remember you are still the same person you were before you were to,d you had osteoporosis.
Hi Allison, I cannot say about herniated discs as I haven’t had any but I had 7 compressed vertebrae fractures which were so painful I couldn’t walk or managed anything this was terrifying, I thought I would never recover but I have and do most things, although nothing like I could. Life is different but enjoying what I can manage, short walks (used to walk miles); meet friends, family, gardening which is my salvation; club meetings every week, help make tea and cake.
Medication first Alendronate Acid tablets then went onto Denosumab injections every 6 months for 5 years now on Zoledronic Acid infusion once a year, no side effects.
All medication offered helps strengthen the bones and gentle exercises. Slow recovery but you will get there.
Take care, very best wishes, Maryann
Hi Lizzie, Thank you for taking the time to message me. It has given me so much hope as I feel like life is ending right now, I am so scared to lift anything heavy or do anything which causes any more damage. I suppose it is an extra struggle coping with the herniated disc nerve pain as well as the news of the severity of my osteoporosis. I see a Rheumatologist in 7 weeks and I hope I can commence the injection treatment as my tummy is not tolerating the Alendronic acid. I have started taking calcium which is a struggle but managing vitamin D. It is a wonderful piece of advice to get a Physio who specialises in Osteoporosis, I intend to do this . I also am taking Magnesium Glycinate and will buy some prunes ! My diet is very healthy too. I need to increase my calcium intake from food though. It is very true what your husband said, and this offered me reassurance when I read it. Thank you. Also regarding continuing with my painting career. Yes, an OT would be a good plan for me. I am so overwhelmed right now, but in time I now feel like I can cope with this and I hope to get my life back soon. I miss the long walks I was doing prior to the disc issue. Thank you again for being so kind, and so helpful, all warm wishes, Alison
Hi Maryann, thank you so much for offering me some hope and also reassurance. I am sorry you had such a painful experience but that you came through it and have a good quality of life is SO wonderful to hear. I hope to be offered the injections very soon. Glad you have no side effects this is also good to hear. Warm wishes and thank you again, Alison
I’m in the US, I was prescribed Tymlos (daily injection for 18-24 months) because of autoimmune conditions and medications and inability to tolerate the bisophanates (stomach). So far, so good. Yes it’s a PITA to inject daily but have had few to no side effects and it is comforting to know I am building bone. My rheumatologist tests blood markers every three months. I also added weight lifting. I am a big swimmer but as I was told by doctors that’s great for cardio but it is NOT weight bearing. So I still swim daily but added in weights 3X per week. Also ended up having to go gluten free, celiac and NCGI both can cause malabsorption and I likely had that for years per gastro. Really been happy with the Tymlos so far.
My osteoporosis is also in spine. You’ll learn to bend correctly quickly and then it will just become muscle memory, at least that’s what happened to me. I was super careful at first and now bending properly is like second nature. Also had 3 doctors tell me (this is just ME, your docs will help you) lower weight and more reps. So I don’t use heavy weights, light weights and more reps. GOod luck.
Hi Alison - I am 50 and was a fit and healthy active person until i gained an injury running 2 years ago. The pain in my back was horrendous but i couldnt work out what it was, or how i could get ut to heal. Afte4 trying everything, I was diagnosed 18 months ago with two compression fractures on the T7 and L2 - receiving a call from the spinal surgeon to tell me to get to hospital within the hour to get a brace fitted as they didnt know how unstable my spine was… my life fell apart, and I fell into shock.
Thankfully, it wasnt as bad as they thought and there were only two fractures - but with osteoporosis diagnosed, terrified of falling and breaking something else I didnt know which way to turn.
4 months later, having had the brace, I started to get back into.very light exercise, then a little swimming, and bit by bit I have increased over time… Moderating when my body told me i have over done it.
I started off wanting to be natural - no meds - but after 6 months agreed to go back to the Rheumatologist and take Romosumozab /evenity, as the fractures just weren’t healing.
I increased protein intake, take HRT now, as well asvitamin K2 and D and have my calcium and vitamin D levels monitored every 4 months and I feel stronger, more confident and can do more exercise - so mentally feel better.
I am on month 7 of Romosumozab, and the pain has mostly gone except for when I over do it. All I can say is rest, take the time to heal, walk and eat healthily. Increased your protein intake and get your bloods checked. Each one of us is different and our bodies are deficient in different components, so take the advice of experts - but if, like me, you are of peri-menapausal age - look at HRT, and ask about Romosumozab instead if Alendronic acid - although, be aware there are many reasons why they wont prescribe it.
It took me a long while to get my head round it, and I am now suffering with lots of IBS /food intolerance issues which were brought on we believe by the trauma and pain, but life is ok… possibly even good, and I am adapting - and enjoying - the new normal… just more frustrated about not being able yo eat bread and cheese now!!
Please get in contact if you want to chat - as I am more than happy to talk having been there. Dont despair, you aren’t alone and there will be a life on the other side once your fractures heal.
Hi Gail, thank you for sharing your experiences with me and for giving me hope. I feel like my life is collapsing just now and you have given me so much strength by sending your message. At the moment I am waiting for an MRI but my Dexa scan showed severity of Osteoporosis and also fractures across my back. The nerve pain I am experiencing I think is from a herniated disc too . Sometimes I get it in my upper body also which makes life very difficult to manage on my own. I am seeing a Rheumotologist in 6 weeks and hoping so much that she will allow me to start injections as soon as possible. I am unable to tolerate the Alendronic acid, also finding it difficult to increase calcium as due to the stress of all of this I have many gut issues (also had an ulcer caused by painkillers given when I herniated a disc 4 years ago while doing Yoga) I think HRT is a good plan and I wonder if I should start this now or wait until I speak with the Rheumatologist. I am petrified that when we chat my bloods will be done and there will be some delay if I am deficient in anything. My calcium levels were okay in December but never had vitamin D checked. I have started taking vitamin D now. I realise that this is going to take a long time to stabilise. I am a full time artist, it is what I do for a living so at the moment I am very worried about my career too as I am unable to lift a paintbrush far less a heavy canvas. It would be truly appreciated if we could chat more Gail and thank you again for helping me see some light in all of this. I am so happy to hear that you are well , enjoying life and mostly pain free. SO HAPPY to hear that, warm wishes, Alison
I know how you feel - don’t worry, and you aren’t alone. This is the kind of thing none of us can plan for and at the time I couldn’t find anyone to talk to who had gone through something similar at our age… with, what appears to be no real reason except possibly the menapause! 
I spoke to ROS on many occassion as all their information was for the ‘older’ person, not for someone who feels like they are in their prime, like you. They have changed their approach in the last 18 months and there is a huge drive to get the younger generation covered… not just us middle aged menapausal ladies, but men, teenagers and children too…. this is a nasty, nasty disease. And I am grateful for this forum - or its predecessor - as there are so many people out there who are so generous with their time and knowledge… and non-judgemental. All I can say, is steer well clear of the facebook forums as they are horrendous and will only make you feel worse with fear and worry. The one thing that I learnt quite quickly is that every one of us is different and our bodies have not only a different make up, but also react in a different way to medication.
I have always tried to deny that medication / pills / supplements would help - but they have a place i believe. Speak to your family planning doctor in parallel to get things moving along, as you will hopefully find that they will be able to tie things together for you and get you the right balance between them. I had been on the contraceptive implant and although over the years I had been told that I needed to ensure I did weight bearing exercise as it had an increased impact on the bones/osteoporosis, no-one ever said how much. So, when I spoke to the doctor she removed it immediately and put me on HRT…amazingly, it has actually also improved my sleeping and reduced the hot night sweats…. clouds and silver lining 
If you don’t get enough support from your rhuemotologist, I recommend talking to Nick Birch and getting a REMS scan as he is very down to earth and has a huge amount of experience and offers great support and advice. It is private, and does cost - but in my opinion, it was worth it as he helped me put everything in perspective and understand what the NHS should be doing for me.
I don’t know where you are based but I am near Maidenhead and live full time in a motorhome - so love the outdoors and travel alot. I believe that there is a way to private message and will look into this to see if there is any way to talk/meet up, as I know how important that was for me when I got diagnosed… I wanted to have someone I could relate to and talk to and the regional meetings were attended by a slightly older and less active group of people who struggled to understand where I was coming from.
One amazing person on here said something really important to me which I will never forget - you are still the same person you were yesterday. Remember that as it is true. You have the same personality, the same artistic flair, the same ambition, the same passion about life, the same big heart - don’t forget it. You have just had a massive kick in the teeth - or back in your and my case - and you will on occassion feel pretty crap about life, but take a deep breath, close your eyes and count to three and try to start again. I am not going to deny that I don’t have my ‘off’ days, as I still do - but they are few and far between, and I quite like the new ‘norm’ - its made me really think about what is truly important to me and re-focus, I hope that you will get to the same point.
have a look at my blog gailandkeithblog.com … if I can live in a motorhome, you will be picking up a paintbrush and getting inspiration in no time 
Now, I will go and see if I can find out a way to send you a private message!
Hi Alison
Sorry to hear about your osteoporosis.
Please do keep your appointment with Rheumatology.
Also, make a list of the osteoporosis medication so that you have it with you to discuss with the Rheumatologist.
Kind regard
Hi @Alisonlindsay ,
Welcome to the community! Thank you so much for joining and sharing with us here 
It sounds like it has been a very difficult time recently, and receiving a diagnosis can understandably bring up lots of questions and concerns. So we just wanted to drop in to share some information that might feel helpful at this time:
Nutrition for bone health
Osteoporosis medicines
Exercise for bone health
Films about spinal fractures
Osteoporosis FAQ’s
We also wanted to let you know about BoneMed Online which provides tailored information to those starting or changing osteoporosis medicines.
We hope you can keep reaching out here, it’s so important not to feel alone on a health journey
Wishing you the very best,
Lulu
ROS Moderator
Hi Allison
So sorry to hear you are in so much pain. I went through this pain 8 years ago now, the waiting time to be seen is too long, see if you can get a cancellation for an earlier appointment. I was advised by a private doctor to take someone with me to fight my case, this worked got an earlier appointment.
The healing process is very slow, the pain does get better. Just slowly try to do everyday things and rest between, take painkillers if prescribed by your GP, a heat pad also helps the pain.
You will get better but it is a very slow process. Change your lifestyle to suit what you can do. I have done this and found it hard at first but enjoying life to the full. Gardening help me enormously, going out with friends for lunch, enjoying club meetings with my husband.
It will take a few months but don’t give up you will get better with perseverance and will power.
Best wishes. Rita