I reversed osteoporosis without drugs

@isabelle7 I do not do exercise bands even 3 years after my fractures (or after my traumatic fractures in 2006). I walk and do tai chi.

HRT is hormone replacement therapy, which some women are doing for bones and menopausal symptoms.

@windyshores

Thanks. I don't know if we have tai chi around here. Walking is something we can all do and is so healthy.

I'm worried about the bands and that the physical therapist will say they're OK. The last time he started using bands he ended up with a fracture. Not sure it was from the bands but always worry about that.

We've been down with COVID and got it the day after he had prostate surgery. Fortunately he recovered quickly from surgery and he was given Paxlovid and had a very mild case of COVID. I cannot take Paxlovid and was given a different antiviral that I reacted to but kept taking for the benefits. I had way too many of the symptoms that come with COVID and was very miserable for over a week. I'm finally starting to feel human again. I hope you've been well.

@isabelle7 there is a lot of COVID around! Hope you both feel better.

I am very cautious about physical therapists. They dont't all understand fractures, even if well trained in osteoporosis, usually prevention of fractures not after the fractures. I would never do the bands. My PT was limited to massage!

Hormone replacement therapy

I'm so glad Windyshores replied and shared her experience with movement after fractures. I'm lucky, it's not something I know about. Best of luck to your husband as he moves forward to better health.

My specialist didn't want me to use weights. I have a small frame and my spine has the most osteo.

Thanks @windyshores . I'll pass this along to my husband and hope he listens. I don't feel good about him doing the bands. Like I said, the first fracture came after he started using the bands again (for a very short time.)

This is great news! Keep up the good work. Exercise is better than drugs. Also makes you feel better.

@isabelle7

Hello again.
I am so glad your husband has been cleared to do a bit more exercise. I TOTALLY understand the anxiety over starting to rebuild strength without risking another fracture.

I am in the same boat .... I have talked with three different therapists and my bone doctor. They can't see how much the bone has improved in such a short time. So, I get vague or contradictory recommendations on how much I can do.

I am worried about a new fracture ... and frustrated that no one can give me much guidance. I do know that my blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol have all gone up, along with my anxiety level. There is a risk to NOT exercising also.

I don't remember if he has started on an anabolic treatment for osteoporosis, but regardless, it is hard to tell how much bone has been rebuilt, and how much risk he still has. After his multiple fractures, it isn't just a matter of the bones healing, but of the bone rebuilding. (At least that's what my doctors and therapists tell me.)

At any rate, I decided to go with doing my resistance exercises in the water. I am not swimming or doing water aerobics because of the torque to the spine, but I can do various leg lifts, arm resistance, stretches and walking frontwards and backwards in the pool. I also make an effort to walk up and downhill, standing and squatting for 2 minutes using hand weights, and work on balance exercises at home. And, of course, normal walking. Those were the only exercises that everyone agreed wouldn't lead to more fracture risk.

Good luck ... let me know what you come up with!! I am open to new exercise suggestions.

@juanitalinda

Thank you for posting this! It was very helpful. I've been trying to talk him into going to the local pool at the high school. I'd like to go with him. I feel that is one of the safest things we can do, and like you said, stick to the exercises that won't hurt his spine even in the water. He's not a swimmer so no worries there. I'm going to copy/paste the exercises you're doing and let him know. I agree that it's too soon to know. Just because the fractures have stabilized doesn't mean he's out of the woods. I also agree with regular walking. I think that's one of the best forms of exercise. It is for me anyway.

He started on Forteo about 3-4 weeks ago so it's way too soon to tell. He's eating healthy (I see to that) and getting 600 mg calcium in the morning and 600 mg in the evening through foods. The doctor says it's better to get it through food than supplements. He's also on vit D. He takes a multi, Omega-3 and meds for his Giant Cell Arteritis which appears to be getting better. He's been on high doses of prednisone for over a year - up to 80 mg per day and three 1200 infusions - which is how he got osteoporosis in the first place. No one told us it would do this to his bones otherwise we would have started using bone meds. They should have. With all he's been through (had his prostate nearly all removed recently, thyroid nodule biopsied which turned out benign which is good, now diagnosed with sleep apnea - the poor guy was never sick other than your regular cold and cough periodically and then last year was hit with PMR then GCA. They discovered the other issues while doing scans for the GCA. So it's been a lot. And we just got over having COVID for the first time.

I will definitely let you know if we come up with any safe exercises. I'm worried about physical therapists, even the guy I really like. His response was since the fractures are stabilizing go ahead and add in exercise. But with no real guidance and a thumbs up on the resistance bands. I'm totally opposed to them. It's hard to find a physical therapist who really gets it. We might keep looking.

Good luck to you too.