Those with Vertebral Fractures - Please share your story and advice

No I wanted an MRI to really see. It’s the most accurate as far as I know

@daisy17 many people seem to do fine on Evenity including many who post here. It seems Evenity actually has fewer side effects than some of the other meds. Just my impression!

I am currently 65. I had 3 vertebral fractures in 3 and a half months, but was misdiagnosed as neuropathy. Initially I experienced mild pain that gradually became severe pain. I had been physically active my entire life , so this was a shock. After getting a second opinion, I reluctantly decided to go with Evenity. My t scores of the spine went from -3.7 to -2.9 a year later. I recently had Reclast. I did not have any major issues with either drug, but still worry about the long term affects. I also took vitamin D, vitamin K2 MK7, magnesium, and 2 glasses of milk a day. While I was waiting the 3 months to get in to see a doctor for a second opinion, I purchased a vibration board off Amazon for around $200.00. You might want to read up on them and use them with caution. I have no idea if this helped me or not because there are conflicting studies with this. However, astronauts use some type of vibration machine when they return from space to help their bones. Although I didn’t want to go down this path, I am grateful that I am up, mobile, independent and not wheel chair bound. The most frustrating part of all of this is the confusing and conflicting information concerning osteoporosis.

Hi @daisy17 I’m sorry to hear about your back. I came across your post while doing my own research. I’m 25 and recently slipped down a few steps when my heel missed the edge. I’m in school for ultrasound and have clinical rotations. After about 12 days of walking on it and pushing through the pain and telling myself I’d just strained a muscle, I caved and went to the urgent care. They told me I have a compressed disc and sent me to emergency ortho referral. Ortho said I had a compression fracture at T5/6 and said I looked osteopenic so I went for a bine density scan that confirmed the osteopenia. I’ll admit I’m a little concerned and frustrated due to my age. Unfortunately, I thought things like this would come with age and to be expected at some point if you fall in your later years. I never expected an injury like this in my 20’s smack dab in the middle of my program. It’s been quite frustrating and hard to manage in my clinic days. I will say, my day to day life hasn’t been affected too much. But that’s simply because I have no other option. I live alone with my dog and have things I need to do for school or I’ll flunk out. I’m not supposed to push, pull, twist, bend, or lift anything more than 3-5lbs and sit for 20 minutes of every hour, but that’s simply not feasible for me right now. I do okay until I hit a certain point in the day, usually around 1pm depending on the day, but once I hit that point nothing can make my back feel any better. For now I’m wearing a Velcro type brace but I am being fitted for a custom TCLO brace next week so I hope that will give me some more support and a few extra hours of tolerable discomfort rather than pain I have to choke down. I’m also being sent to an endocrinologist and to have an MRI done but because of school I can only schedule things like this on my one off day a week so it’s taking longer than is ideal, but all in due time. I hope both of us can find some relief and heal as we should as quickly as possible.

@iren229 My compression fracture healed in around eight weeks. I did have a Velcro brace at first, but that was useless. The doctor gave me one that has a hard plastic back. It provides more support, but it's like having a hardcover book taped to your back all day. Not the most comfortable thing.

The first sign that things were improving was when I could get into and out of a car, or bed, without pain.

After it was healed, I did some physical therapy to regain back strength. Then I was able to get back to the gym to continue that process.

@iren229 Haave t7 and t 9 fractures that healed but have chronic pain, sitting against ice pack very helpful! go to pt and get exercises to stretch, keep good posture as much as yu can. I found the brace not helpful, but you can try.

@daisy17 I’m so sorry for what you’re going through. I am 68 and have had five vertebral fractures occurring over what I believe was about a two year period. I am unsure exactly when I first started to fracture. I had two falls during this time, but no back pain whatsoever immediately after those falls. It wasn’t until I had pain in my L-1, about a year ago that my PCP ordered X-ray that found two fractures at L-1, and L-3. When I saw my ortho surgeon I hadn’t related these fractures to those falls which happened months or more than a year earlier, so I would guess in his eyes he thought I was very fragile. The last DXA I had was 2 years prior to this and my lumbar was -2.8. To me, that didn’t seem all that bad. I had a moderately active lifestyle and no chronic conditions, except GERD. I’m small boned and I’ve had the notion that this fact probably skewed my DXA towards a more negative result than was actually reality. My PCP had suggested Reclast to me at that time, but knowing the long term side effects I decided to forgo it.
For treatment the ortho surgeon said no to kyphoplasty because of the risk of fractures occurring above and below the treated vertebra. He prescribed a TLSO brace I was in for 6 months. He also said no bending, lifting or twisting. I followed the advice, wore the brace, but over the next 2-3 months L-2 and L-4 fractured later. About a month after those T-11 fractured.
The brace was cumbersome and I wonder if it really helped? Wearing a brace weakens your muscles and strong muscles are bone protective. The brace was not fitted properly. I live in a rural area which can create challenges to finding or seeing competent providers in some cases. If you’re prescribed a brace, be sure you’re getting it from a knowledgeable and competent medical supply.
My PCP had prescribed Evenity and I have completed 11 doses with no side effects. I will have a DXA after I finish the Evenity and then will probably choose Reclast to lock in my gains. Im not crazy about having the Reclast, but I wouldn’t tolerate an oral biophosphonate because of GERD issues. I don’t believe I want to take Prolia based upon its side effects and long-term unknowns.
I also started using HRT last fall as a compounded topical cream with estrogen with testosterone, and a micronized progesterone pill. I had a late menopause at 58, so was able to begin these bone protective hormones at 68, since they’re now considered safe for most to begin them within ten years of menopause. The exceptions would be history of heart disease or certain cancers.

I came out of my brace in Feb of this year and started PT which I’ve continued on my own at home. There is a good program I follow for guided exercise by Dr. Lisa Moore , PT.
She has free videos on YouTube that start with very beginner level once you’re cleared to exercise. There is also a webinar called Journey to Fracture Proof through her site that has very good, current science based guidance.
I also try to get adequate protein, calcium, vitamin D, preferably from food but I do use some supplements.

My hope is with HRT, proper diet and exercise, I will not only hang onto my bone, but I will build more.

There’s a very current , comprehensive, science based article I found, on Medshadow, The Complicated Reality of Treating Osteoporosis. This site wouldn’t allow me to post the link.

I wish you well on your journey to healing and better health.

@jm007
The article you suggested, “Medshadow, The Complicated Reality of Treating Osteoporosis” is very comprehensive. Really appreciate your recommendation to this
1-26-2026 very long but very good information!
Tomorrow, I’ll research the other two you suggested.
(“There is a good program I follow for guided exercise by Dr. Lisa Moore , PT.
She has free videos on YouTube that start with very beginner level once you’re cleared to exercise. There is also a webinar called Journey to Fracture Proof through her site that has very good, current science based guidance”.)
Thank you very much!!

You’re welcome! It seems there is much to learn about osteoporosis, and no single reliable resource. I just stumbled upon the Medshadow site this week, and yes it is a long read but well worth the time. Best wishes to you.

@jm007 You will be able to post links after doing some non-spam posts here I think. Here is the link:

The Complicated Reality of Treating Osteoporosis
January 26, 2026
https://medshadow.org/conditions-treatments/osteopenia-osteoporosis/osteoporosis-treatment-screening-medications/
Many thanks to Dr. Susan Ott at the University of Washington for all her osteoporosis work.