Osteoperosis

[PerkyOchrePeer]

I've\n Got Osteoporosis. And I ve had it for some year, On a scan 5 years ago, my bones had improved Because\n I was taking calcium and alendronic acid. Because of the improvement, they took me off the drag. I had a scout last week and my bones have gone back to square one so I need to go back on the drug.. I was then told that because I didn't take hrt. When I went through the menopause. I have Osteoporosis, and they said that if I had taken hrt, I wouldn't have Osteoporosis now.. I did ask at the time if I should take ht and the doctor at the time said no it can cause breast cancer. I've had 2 falls recently and not broken anything, so I didn't realise that my bones were still very weak. I thought they were stronger because I should have broken bones.\n And the doctor today said you Ve just been extremely lucky, but you might not be lucky next time.. Has anybody else heard of Hrt causing osteoporosis and I honestly think the doctor at the time should have warned me about this

Dm has a twice yearly injection . She couldn’t tolerate alendronic acid and has other medical issues which make managing by diet difficult. She also has fortified yogurt on precription.

It’s incredibly hard for a women to build big muscles. I go to a gym with people aged 16 to 75 and despite regular or even daily gym attendance non of the women (bar a fitness mad 30 year old female coach) have a remotely muscular body. Most are getting stronger and fitter and will therefore retain functional fitness into older age. Some are naturally lean, some shapely, some large.

Try resistance bands if you don’t want to buy weights. If you check out the links posted earlier you’ll find that dancing is not enough

This is so, so wrong! All of it…

(Oh, edit to add that it seems you have some very interesting views on health and examinations in general, which might explain things.)

Prolia works mostly by dampening the activity of the osteoclaststhat would normally break down the old and broken bone. It's unique as the only osteoporosis treatment that can't be just stopped/delayed as the effect of Prolia leaving the body causes those osteoclasts to not just resume their normal function but to 'rebound' ie restart at a ferocious rate that leaves you at high risk of spontaneous spinal fractures. To avoid that you can't ever be late getting your injection and have to go on a relay drug if you ever need to stop Prolia

I have osteoporosis. From what I was told, they diagnose it by the density of your femoral neck only even though they measure two other sites. This is what breaks if you fall and break your hip. It is the most serious fracture you can get with the highest risk of disability or death as a result.

So it is quite possible for the bones where you fell or bashed to be dense/strong enough to not break in a minor fall…wrists, hands, knees etc….but you still have osteoporosis.

The doctor should not be saying things like you should have had HRT. There is no right or wrong choice when it comes to HRT as there are risks with either choice and it’s really down to pure luck whether HRT ends up being better or no HRT is better.

In my case, if I had gone on HRT my breast cancer would have been caught much later than it was because my breast cancer feeds on estrogen and it was caught at my first routine mammogram allowed on NHS schedule. It was also symptomless with no lump, no pain, no discharge…nothing. I was diagnosed last year, and if I had taken HRT from when I was first offered it seven years ago when I started peri symptoms….I shudder to think whether my breast cancer would even have been treatable….

The osteoporosis was diagnosed after active cancer treatment when they did a DEXA scan for a baseline before chemically inducing menopause and putting me on an AI. They had to rid my body of all estrogen to starve the breast cancer…but no estrogen does cause bone density loss. ( HRT prevents bone loss caused by loss of estrogen during peri and menopause)

So I do have osteoporosis but can have NO estrogen in me at all, I also am on alendronic acid and EVCAL D3 calcium tablets for at least next 5 years. The cancer treatment also made me lactose intolerant so can’t eat dairy anymore. :(

So I am doing weight bearing exercises. It doesn’t have to be lifting weights- which I can’t do due to bad joints/old injuries as lifting weights is hard on the joints. So I am doing weight bearing exercises like yoga and isometric calisthenics instead.

I’m 71 and have been weight training with dumbbells for about 6 years, starting off with 3kg dumbbells and working my way up to 10kg, plus occasional use of 12.5 and 15kg.

I'm not muscular but I do have strong muscles - arms, thighs, glutes and abs. I am lean, but my muscles only really show when I flex my biceps. However, as well as being very fit - and no longer suffering from osteopenia - I can still wear sleeveless dresses which, whilst not essential, is a nice bonus.

I am a fervent advocate of weight training for women. It feels good to be fit. Not to mention that I’m still able to ski, ice skate, play tennis, walk 30k+ steps a day, et cetera.

NB: Whilst dumbbells are the mainstay of my training, I also use strong resistance bands, ankle/wrist weights and a weighted vest. Plus regular HIIT/cardio. And a bit of yoga…

I had breast cancer and was told categorically no HRT ever. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in my 30s after the cancer and I tried alendronic acid once, couldn’t tolerate the nausea. The osteoporosis was caused by anorexia in my teens and 20s, when we build bone density, It’s been almost 17 years and my T-scores have slightly improved, so now I have osteoapaenia. I put this down to eating calcium-rich foods, taking calcium supplements and walking.

There are women who go into body building competitions and they are just as muscular as men

I've always been slim. I do not want to develop the type of body where muscles show when being flexed. I am not skinny but slim and within normal weight range.

That's a really strange attitude. Weight training will help you to avoid osteoporosis. It won't give you huge muscles, just lightly toned arms and legs.

No chance of ever getting anything on time in the NHS. I spend my life chasing appointments, prescriptions, treatments. Everything is cancelled, delayed or just not actioned. Anything that HAD to be done on time would be too big a risk.

I started doing weights following Jessica Valant. She focuses on Pilates but is very clear about the absolute need for older women to do weights. Here’sa picture of her - very far from the body builder you’re picturing.

I have now built in some Caroline Girvan, who focuses on weights, and to be fair, she has some real muscles. I’m on my second lap of the iron series. Caroline is lifting 20 kgs and I’m lifting 5kgs. I’m not getting bulky biceps, but I can see a long, lean arm muscle for the first time ever and my bingo wings are vanishing. And three months in, up to five half hour sessions a week, that is all. There is absolutely no way you are going to accidentally turn into Arnold Schwarzenegger.

My sister uses a weighted vest which was suggested at her appt which works well.

I have had osteoporosis for over 15 years. Alendronic Acid gave me stomach pains and my rheumatologist is happy for me to take Ibandronic Acid instead. I was offered Prolia injections but refused after doing my own research. There are lawsuits over it in the USA due to the rebound fractures, and as I recall it can only be given for two years? Happy to be corrected on this, it's a while since I had a consultation. Obviously am still waiting for a new wonder drug, but doubt there'll be one in my life time! I am 75 this year.

The rheumatologist answered my questions about long term use of bisphosphonates. He told me the jaw problems and occasional spontaneous thigh fractures that have been reported are very very rare, and on balance it is better to take my medication than not.

I have a long history of food allergies IBS and chronic fatigue so eating the right diet and doing intense exercise would be a problem for me. I am underweight which does not stress the bones enough. When I am feeling OK I go up and down the stairs many times a day as it jars the bone more than walking on the flat does. I take vitamin D3.

As for HRT I was on it for 5 years before my osteoporosis diagnosis, so I can't see that I'd had any bone benefit from it.

I am also on Levothyroxine, but I take my tablet in the evening, as many do.

This sounds very similar to myself, strong and fit, a little definition but no six pack in sight. I only took up weight lifting a year ago and am slowly increasing the weights I lift. It’s great fun and very social too. The sense of accomplishment from deadlifting, doing weighted squats, thrusters is huge.

I have been a huge fan of weighted vests for a while, and it looks like it’s catching on…

https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2025/aug/04/weighted-vests-fitness-trend

And most of them are taking steroids and lifting all day every day and barely eating so their body fat is less than normal so their muscles show. What they do is a full time occupation NOT exercising with weights to strengthen their bones.

That's not weight bearing exercise.