To think osteoporosis is shockingly sidelined by healthcare professionals in the UK

[Pavementworrier]

My mum was recently diagnosed. That in itself isn't such a shock - the bigger shock was that the treatments available are pretty limited with potentially significant side effects. And now I think about it there are things we should all be thinking about to try to limit our own risks. It's easy to forget when young that strength starts with our bones.

More than half of women in the UK will have an osteoporotic fracture and there is risk even if you never have vitamin d deficiency (which almost all of us will at some point). Some medication and food/drinks can put you more at risk but this is never taken into account in prescribing.

Reading today about the plan to give puberty blockers to 200 kids and then follow them for four years. Four years is not enough - osteoporosis is a huge risk of adjusting adolescent hormones and the people conducting the study have a duty to the children for the rest of their lives. What measures will be taken to monitor and protect their future skeletons? I bet none.

Anyway if you are reading this, however old you are, please think about vitamin d supplements, regular exercise and strength training and taking a dexa scan in your forties.

HRT supposedly offers great protection - I am 44 now and not sure when to start for best effect. My periods are irregular but otherwise I feel fine. Would be great if someone would start taking this disease seriously and work out the optimal starting moment!

its a horrific disease, more so for those who have multiple spinal fractures in pregnancy/ post partum and are dismissed as malingers often for many months- check it out.
we need much more awareness both generally and in the medical profession. They say it’s rare but that’s because it’s under diagnosed.
mums are getting older and I think it’s going to get worse

Yeah I think it’s October - March everyone should take it as you’re not getting any noticeable vitamin d
I take this one and it’s a years supply

https://amzn.eu/d/hkOkpDE

Would you be kind enough to advise which one you have bought please.

I agree, osteoporosis stats are shocking. I do think in 10-15 years the NHS will catch up with the fact that strength training is important but right now it's all about weight loss drugs.

I spent my 20s doing tonnes of yoga and very little strength training. I do take vitamin D and K2 religiously and eat a lot of Yoghurt for calcium. I did 6 months of heavy weight lifting in my early 40s, squatting my body weight etc. Just about to get back into it again. My bone density did increase when I was lifting.

Thank you so much.

What does everyone think about taking biphosphonates.

Weightlifting is better. But if you can fit in some jump training in top of that then that’s helpful too. So skipping or box jumps. This was advice from a physio.

Dr Stacey Sims is excellent on this topic.
on all social media channels (I follow her on Instagram)
she advocates jumping and weights to improve bone health. Based on the LIFTMOR study.

https://www.drstacysims.com/newsletters/articles/posts/bone-health

Thing is it is not as simple as that. Vitamin D and "dairy" are not the answer. "Dairy" is such a lazy answer. There is much more calcium in other foods stuffs and it's important to eat those (almonds, brocolli, acid-forming foods etc etc).

I asked GP if I could have a DEXA scan as there is family history of osteoporosis but was told I was too young - I'm early 60s. Surely prevention is better than dealing with the consequences?

Yes, I read that in the specialist books I bought for my own research and was very deflated when the "specialist" wasn't aware of vitamin k2. I used to buy fresh Natto in Australia at that time. Must try and find the books which educated me so I can note them for people on this thread. I learnt a lot from them and practically nothing of value from the so called specialists I saw.

Well yes you are right. And the doctor did briefly touch on diet in general although not in any detail. But I did feel his lead into the conversation was actually a bit patronising.I got the impression he felt the " dairy" aspect was something I would understand. I certainly felt he assumed because I'm in my 70s I somehow didn't have any knowledge about nutrition and health.

Hi OP,

Hope you don't mind us popping our head round the door to flag this guest post from the ROS about their Great British Bone Check - we though it might be of interest to users on the thread.

Thanks,
MNHQ

The books that educated me (bear in mind this was 10 years ago and there may be other very good ones now) were

Better Bones, Better Body. (Beyond Estrogen and Calcium). by Susan E Brown

The Myth of Osteoporosis (What every woman should know about creating bone health) by Gillian Sanson

Osteoporosis (the silent epidemic) by Marily Glenville

Building Bone Vitality (why calcium, estrogen and drugs are not the answer) by Amy Joy Lanou.

Too right you are OP. I have 3 risk factors for osteoporosis. I'm thin boned, I had a relatively early menopause and didn't have HRT and I have rheumatoid arthritis.

I suggested a DEXA after hurting my wrist and my doctor brushed me off saying DEXAs don't do wrists. They can, actually, but it was irrelevant anyway, bone thinning doesn't just affect one bone!

So I took myself off for a private one, £240, and the result is that I have one vertebra in the middle of my back that is minus 3.9 out of 5, so really seriously weakened and osteopenia in my hips.

I do not understand why women with known risk factors are not routinely scanned. The treatment is as cheap as chips, never mind the deaths that are a direct result of a fall and a broken hip!

Related to that, I find it massively shocking that the mini pill has been available for so long, but still nobody seems to know if and how it affects bone density. My theory is that the body has lower estrogen for years than on the combined (or without) pill so there may well be an impact?
I don’t have a choice but to take it for medical reasons, but I do wonder.

I can't. I tried alendronate but my teeth got extremely painful. Millions of people take them with no problem and they work. It's only once a week, it's a very safe drug that works.

I am taking supplements that do the same job, prevent osteoclast formation, Curcumin (not turmeric!), MSM, and liquorice root. I take these to keep my RA in remission but thankfully they work for osteoporosis too.

None of this is a substitute for good diet and exercise but I already had a good diet and got a ton of exercise within the capability of having RA that is triggered by too much stress on joints.

These people.

https://uk.scan.com/?3Aadwords%3Ag%3A20836490144%3A157185311718%3A722421439816&nb_adtype=&nb_kwd=private%20scans&nb_ti=kwd-320607518838&nb_mi=&nb_pc=&nb_pi=&nb_ppi=&nb_placement=&nb_li_ms=&nb_lp_ms=&nb_fii=&nb_ap=&nb_mt=e&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google-ads&utm_campaign=uk_generic_scan_em&utm_agid=157185311718&utm_term=private%20scans&creative=722421439816&device=c&placement=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20836490144&gbraid=0AAAAADKx-tBt2GBtgC_ib9fAN8vBe7cP_&gclid=Cj0KCQiAoZDJBhC0ARIsAERP-F89bpsWDApumLUIUNu_iZPTFc_98gL55pPz4xq6-LBRa4U7C8OMFBcaAj7tEALw_wcB

Does anyone know if long term asthma inhaler use impacts bones?

I've used a full salbutamol (or equiv) once a month since my teens, plus bethametasone (or variations of). I've been taking these drugs for 40 years.

I did ask the asthma nurse and she laughed at me. But there seems to be conflicting info on the Internet. You all seem to know so much I thought I'd ask.

This is not true according to what I'm reading. The whole point of bisphosphonates is that they show remineralisation after 5 years.

Thanks. I was hoping there might be a way to be screened by the nhs before I sustain any fractures!

Those are all at least 2 1/2 hours away and cost £200 or more! Unfortunately out of reach for me.

Just to get things in perspective.
I was diagnosed after a slip and trip (a hard one) and cracked a metatarsal. Referral for dexa was routine.

I took alendronate for about 4/5 months then slipped hard on frozen ground and badly wedged L1. Referred to rheumatology and had three infusions of zolendronate which effected some improvement and i was put on maintenance infusions every 18 months and it deteriorated a bit.

Then had a horrendous fall (wet, slippery, slope). Badly broken wrist requiring surgery and T1 wedged badly.

Went back to rheumatologist who put me on teriparatide, injectible daily, two year course. NOT available on the NHS so you need 2.5k to spend.

Now on zolendronate again annually.

My situation is partly genetic, partly being a recovered anorexic and partly due to undiagnosed graves in my late 20s. I did do weight bearing exercise until my 40s when life and time intervened. Post 20s I have had a good diet and am never degicient in anything. I take 112.5mcg levo, calcium, turmeric, vit d. All bloods are good. I have learnt to slow down - the constant dashing about with a mild dose of dyspraxia caused the falls. I also do pilates which has been fabulous.

But, what I wanted to say is, yes, I have osteoprosis, yes I manage my back carefully, yes I am more cautious re dashing about, but I am not in pain, I still work a professional job, run a house, garden hard, have a great life and fortunately little to no pain. I'm 65.

Sometimes doing the right things doesn't make a difference. I tried to do it right after being terrified about osteoporosis in home economics class 40+ years ago. Then last year I fell and shattered my shoulder. Cue dexa scan and a subsequent diagnosis of severe osteoporosis at 52. It's shit.

Thanks - I thought lifting body weight in running would be super protective. Running since my mid 20s. Have started lifting as well but find it so dull and always default to running.

And I agree dexa scans should be routine post menopause. Fractures and falls and so responsible for ill health and nhs costs in later life.