New Osteoporosis Diagnosis - Where to Start

I was diagnosed with osteoporosis last year at the age of 52. As I’m sure most of you can relate, I was devastated and instantly filled with fear for my future. I’m grateful to have found this forum where so many generous people share their stories and their wisdom. The people here have helped me find the information I need to make informed treatment decisions, and they also helped me to believe that osteoporosis can be managed. I’m starting this post to highlight the initial resources that were most helpful to me as I tried to answer my owns questions about osteoporosis.

What kind of doctor treats osteoporosis?

An endocrinologist or rheumatologist, ideally one who specializes in osteoporosis / metabolic bone disease. If you live near a major medical center, it’s worth checking to see if they have a bone center. These doctors often book out many months in advance, so getting this appointment on the calendar is one of the first steps I recommend. Some good advice I saw on this site is that wait time is okay. Your bones are not changing overnight. You have time to wait to see a good doctor.

What exactly is osteoporosis and what causes it?

Many here recommend the book Great Bones by R. Keith McCormick. It’s a great resource and provides a good deal of information on potential causes of osteoporosis as well as the tests you can expect / should request at your first specialist visit to rule out underlying causes.

What medications are available?

These videos do a nice job of introducing the different medications currently available.

“Osteoporosis Medications – Which drug is right for you?” by Michael Lavacot, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4uXAsnhSaA provides an introduction to osteoporosis, including primary and secondary causes, medications available, and the concept of “treat to target”.

“Strategies for Bone Medications with Dr. Benjamin Leder” by OsteoBoston, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV5maUhAjOA provides information on treatment sequencing, as well as important information to consider before choosing to take prolia. OsteoBoston is an active group and has many other good videos as does Dr. Leder.

“Is Your Osteoporosis Drug Harmful or Beneficial?” by Margaret Martin, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BacEDXXjU2g provides animations illustrating how the different medications actually work.

Exercise Resources

Many on this forum have recommended Margaret Martin as an expert on osteoporosis and exercise. I have also found her videos to be very helpful. I also like Buff Bones / Rebekah Rotstein.

I hope collecting these resources into one post can make your initial research a little less overwhelming. To the wise people I’ve found on this forum, what additional resources do you recommend for the newly diagnosed?