Osteoporosis diagnosis

I was told at my surgery that I probably had osteoporosis after losing height (3 ins) and was then sent to the hospital for a scan
to confirm the diagnosis
I ve never been given any scores and no idea what FRAX is or means, I was give an infusions which were going to be one every three years then a rest year etc I had the first three infusions first three years and then a scan which showed a 9% improvement ….then Covid hit I had 2 years off ( instead of a year off)
I resumed an infusion last year was expecting another this year but have been told I should only be having one every other year and I’ll get a phone call next July !!!

No idea whether the routine has changed or I was given it wrongly originally I tried asking that question but just got ‘this is how’s it’s done’ in the last phone call with no explanation of any changes !
I ll just wait and see
I fell down on concrete last week but didn’t break anything so fingers crossed I m not as delicate as I might have believed
I m 78 it was one of those embarrassing falls where you jump up almost before you are down making sure no one sees you 😂 just cut my knee and more importantly my dungarees

Sorry I m no help to you as to what you should expect or ask just thought I d share as you had had no response

Thanks for you reply. The FRAX score relates to risk of fracture in next 10 year, I think. I got a full copy of my Dexa scan at the end of it.

I am sorry you had a fall but glad you didn't break anything, hope you are not too sore. A 9% improvement sounds good. Hope you stay fit.

There seems to be a huge push on HRT at the moment, with claims that it prevents/cures osteoporosis, heart disease and dementia. There’s no evidence for that but there is a lot of evidence that weight-bearing exercise strengthens bones. It may be too late but if it was me I would be asking the questions:
Why have you prescribed HRT? (or why haven’t you, if that’s the case)
What is the evidence that HRT will help me?
What is the evidence for weight bearing exercise?
What weight bearing exercise can I safely do to improve my bone density?
How will I know that the treatment is working?
How long will I need to take bisphosponates?
What else can I do to help improve my bones?
What about diet?

Best of luck.

Thanks yes I m pretty tough on the whole I ve had various falls and trips over the years and not broken anything since i did when I was young and fit 😂
No I never got any readouts or any written information are you NHS ? it was all very casual just got a phone call to say there was a small improvement but then I never knew I had it so didn’t notice an improvement 😂😂😂
There’s lots of folks on here with osteoporosis so I m sure
you ll get much more informative posts than mine
( they never even told me I should tell the dentist I was having Zoledronic infusions I read about that on here!!! )

I am 68, have had osteoporosis for 35 years and receive alendronic acid infusions.

I attend a bone mineral clinic, but HRT has never been suggested.

Thanks argymargy. Good list of questions although I thought HRT was supposed to help prevent, I probably need to look into its effect once OP diagnosed. Although I would like HRT for other reasons anyway.

BlueBelle yes scan was private but the results are viewable on the myGP app. My dentist is pretty good about going through medical history and I have an appointment in a couple of weeks so will update them.

Early in 2019, I tripped over something behind me and sat down heavily Lots of severe pain in my back, eventually turned out I had a stress fracture in my spine. I was then approaching my 78th birthday.

In my childhood I had done a lot of dancing and acrobatics, so had strengthened my bones. Only once ever in my life prior to that fall broken a bone, - my collar bone some years earlier following a rather spectacular fall from my loft entry!!

BUT.....my Gp - without any further tests said I had Osteoporosis - his actual words, 'Anyone of my age with a spinal stress fracture MUST have Osteoporosis.

When I moved at the end of the year to a totally different area I again asked my new GP if I could have a Dexa scan, as I really did not feel I had osteoporosis. I had falls indoors and outdoors, and none ever resulted in anything like a broken bone. The application for that scan was refused by my health authority on the grounds that it was unneccessary as 'anyone of my age with a stress spinal fracture.....etc. etc...!!!'

So, I dutifully take Alendronic Acid weekly - fortunately, the only side effect for me has been that my finger nails now grown to decent length.

TBH at 82 hears of age, I cannot be bothered with worrying about non-existent results from non-existent scans/tests. etc/

Franbern In a similar situation to yours: never broken a bone, one very bad fall that I did not take to the doctor.. Like you I have always been physically very active and I also took up Tai Chi 5 years ago.

I received a diagnosis of osteoporosis in January. Mine was discovered after a DEXA scan as part of a UK Biobank research project. I was referred to my GP and she sent me to the local hospital

After the diagnosis I was told I would be put on medication but I am still waiting. I yet to be seen by a doctor. I have had one telephone appoinment (January) and at my instigation have another at the end of August.

I have dyspraxia, so trips and falls have always been part of my life, but I have never ever broken a bone. I went base over apex in the Waitrose car park a couple of months ago but just rolled into the fall and was back on my feet in seconds.

I had a DEXA scan recently as I am taking medication which can lead to osteoporosis. I took Ibandronic Acid tablets for 3 years but they were stopped in March as they said they only work for 3 years. I was told I had osteopenia which can lead to osteoporosis but all I take now are vitamin D and calcium tablets.

argymargy

There seems to be a huge push on HRT at the moment, with claims that it prevents/cures osteoporosis, heart disease and dementia. There’s no evidence for that but there is a lot of evidence that weight-bearing exercise strengthens bones. It may be too late but if it was me I would be asking the questions:
Why have you prescribed HRT? (or why haven’t you, if that’s the case)
What is the evidence that HRT will help me?
What is the evidence for weight bearing exercise?
What weight bearing exercise can I safely do to improve my bone density?
How will I know that the treatment is working?
How long will I need to take bisphosponates?
What else can I do to help improve my bones?
What about diet?

Best of luck.

I’m a bit wary of the claim that it prevents dementia, simply because my mother was on HRT literally for decades, but still succumbed to Alzheimer’s - which she had for about 15 years until she died at 97.

I took HRT for years because of menopausal problems. I stopped taking HRT, fell down 2 steps, dislocated and fractured my ankle so it had to be pinned and plated. I had osteopenia and had to be very careful for 6 months, taking vitamin D and calcium tablets for life now.

I fell 2 years ago and broke my big toe so was in a POP for weeks. I will be 80 next birthday.

My problem is that I have osteoporosis, despite having a high blood calcium level.

Franbern BUT.....my Gp - without any further tests said I had Osteoporosis - his actual words, 'Anyone of my age with a spinal stress fracture MUST have Osteoporosis.

I have severe osteoporosis, bones quite degraded. Only viewed on Dexa scan. I've never broken bones (I've fallen skiing). The tipping point to diagnosis was my top to bottom fractured spine resulting in height loss.

Perhaps ask for another Dexa, if it matters to you? (For the record it is unclear to me if you care one way or the other.)

Thanks for all the contributions. My blood tests showed VitD and calcium were fine. Will see how I get on with GP.

If you expect to need any major dental work (extractions/implants) doing in the next few years, make sure you talk to your GP/Consultant about this BEFORE starting on the bisphosphonates

MOnica, when I had a parathyroid adenoma, the calcium levels in my blood were very high because the calcium was being leached from my bones, putting me at risk of osteoporosis without an operation to remove the offending gland. It may be worth checking this out. After the parathyroidectomy, both my Vitamin D and calcium levels returned to normal.

Calci. Chew and alendronic acid are standard treatments for osteoporosis. I had a severe reaction to the one dose of alendronic acid I took. I have been told by my specialist hrt is not advisable at the same time. HRTis helpful to keep bone mass stable so it slows down losses. Look at your diet do you eat lots of oxalates such as spinach , almonds, rhubarb. These bins to the calcium so it isn’t as absorbable.

Bind

I was put on HRT after a radical hysterectomy in my 40's because of the risk of osteoporosis.

Yes , I was on it to prevent bone loss but it isn’t recommended to be on alendronic acid at same time as HRT. Saw professor last week this was from him . Royal osteoporosis charity are informative

@Rapunzel100 I had the same - only incidentally picked up by my oncologist. I had the op and calcium has returned to normal but I wouldn’t be keen on taking any extra calcium now although I do take vitamin D. I’m relying on exercise and a good diet to keep my bones healthy.

I had a full hysterectomy in my ‘40s and was told I could never go on HRT. Now almost 70 and was with gynae who put me on HRT!

I have a 69 year old friend with osteoporosis who has been on HRT for years and years. Not been a preventative medicine for her.

I was diagnosed 5 years ago with Osteopenia (stage before Osteoporosis) after sustaining a fracture in a fall
They prescribed Alendronic Acid (taken once weekly) which has had some effect in reversing my scores (I am still ostepenic but rather than being half way on the scale to osteoporosis I am now only a quarter of the way. Mo mention of HRT