Some advice

[Angel12345]

Hi am new on here ,what treatment /medication for osteoporosis,I have in my spine ?

[Kaarina]

Hi Angel,

I take it you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis. If you are in the UK it appears that GP's have a ruling that they initially prescribe Alendronic Acid (AA) which is a bisphosphonate. They also prescribe Calceos or similar which is a combination of calcium carbonate and Vit D3.

It is best to read up about the different medications yourself or look at other postings on this forum. You can call the NOS helplines and speak with a nurse there about the different treatments on offer. You can download leaflets on medication, diet, exercise etc from NOS or ask them to send them to you.

You can of course go down the route of not taking a prescribed medication. Diet, exercise are important whether you take a medication or not. I take Vit K2, boron and magnesium.

It is a good idea to get your Vit D levels checked. If you have enough calcium in your daily diet you may only need a Vit D prescription or buy it otc.

Hope some of this helps.

[Angel12345 in reply to Kaarina]

Thank you for your reply Karrina ,I had Vit D def for nearly a year and take prescribed meditation ,I been for a neck ultra scan today was told that looks like osteoporosis in my neck ,I have it in lower spine too ,will discuss with gp ,the hos report and where to go from there.😊

[HeronNS]

One thing you could do, no matter what your decision concerning medication (for the record I think people can usually manage to improve t-scores through diet, supplements and appropriate exercise) is to learn some strategies for protecting your spine. At a "falls clinic" offered at my local hospital we were taught ways to move to avoid bending forward, for example. I have also, over the years, been given exercises by physiotherapists which strengthen the core and muscles which support the spine. As the name of the clinic indicates, falling is actually the greatest risk for fracture, so coupled with strengthening and protecting the spine, there are ways to improve one's sense of balance, like learning tai chi. And I have become very aware of "tripping hazards" both in my home and as I go for my walks!

[Angel12345 in reply to HeronNS]

Hi HeronNS,thank you for your reply ,I was assessed by falls team last year ,as I have falls ,I use a walking stick ,I do daily gentle stretches /exercises ,I have chronic pain condition too just another condition to add too the list .

[HeronNS in reply to Angel12345]

I don't know if you are able to take up this, but I have found it very helpful - Nordic walking. You walk with two poles, and this helps to strengthen the upper body, and in my case has helped with stopping and I think reversing a tendency to bow over, kyphosis. A neighbour of mine, she must be in her 80s now, was very bent over, and took up walking with poles and is now able to stand up very straight again. She can't quite use the poles in the standard way for Nordic walking, but the instructor nevertheless considers her a star pupil as her posture (and by extension mental outlook) has improved immensely! He did tell us to start slowly, just a few minutes to begin, before gradually working up to longer walks, and that was very good advice.

[HeronNS in reply to HeronNS]

Btw I have polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) a chronic pain condition caused by inflammation of unknown origin, treated with steroids. That, in fact, is what launched me on what I not so fondly refer to as my osteoporosis journey!

[seaholme]

good morning, your GP should refer you to a Rheumatologist who will discuss medication, ie Alendronic Acid is their favourite as previous responses, suggest you read up the medications offered by NHS and their side effects and all the info from NOS, I also looked up the medications on Wikipedia and much to the despair of my family just about every site there Is on OP. I agree with Heron and Kaarina, diet and exercise form an important role in OP. I also have an exercise bike but one of those that you sit on a chair to use, had this for broken hip, this really builds up and strengthens your lower torso muscles use it three times a day, and combine this with other chair and weightbearing exercises. kind regards

[Kaarina in reply to seaholme]

Hi seaholme,

I use an exercise bike daily (not the one you use) but I was given to understand that this is not a weight-bearing exercise, unlike walking, unless one pedals without sitting on the seat, which I do not.

I use the bike for cardiovascular exercise rather than exercise for OP. Obviously if you are unable to do walking for one reason or another then of course this exercise will be beneficial as will the chair exercises.

[seaholme]

thanks for reply, I had the chair bike for broken hip where you have to build up lower torso muscles as these are the only things that keep replacement hip joint in place, my OP was properly diagnosed earlier this year, it took that long, so I have continued with that that plus the other hip exercises and have added on weight bearing exercises for the OP, ie exercising with weights etc and I've always walked everywhere. I was discharged by the surgeon 11 months after I broke hip as I was fully mobile and really forget about it most of the time but still mindful of it, all this happened whilst in the middle of renovating my house, but resumed that last summer and just do everything I've always done but taking into consideration the 'bone' situation as I was diagnosed with a -3.9 on the Dexa scan, I have taken the view that it has to live with me, I don't live with it - but is is 'scary' to put it mildly, kind regards

[mars1bar in reply to seaholme]

-3.9 sounds scary(im -3.5 btw). Remember that this only is an indication of bone density not bone strength.

[seaholme]

good morning, thank you for your reply, just hoping that my bones are relatively strong, 2 years before I knew I had OP I had dug up and re-landscaped my garden and had been carting paving slabs around which now fills me with horror but I still garden, kind regards

[JeanneRoed]

I take Forsteo without any problems

[1pam]

Hi Angel. I too am new to this site. I have osteoporosis in my spine and despite medication and vit D and calcium still suffering fractures. Awaiting further tests. Horrid thing to have but good to read others getting on with life etc. Hope you feeling better for communicating - I am. Pam