Recently diagnosed with osteoporosis and I am terrified

She did give me the choice which I already knew what I would choose and that’s reclast. I especially like the concept of a drug holiday which is what I’ll get after reclast. Someone I know is even taking Fosamax after Evenity. You are in charge of what you are taking. We are all trying to lock in gains, but there is more than one way to do it.

@daisy17 my dr has done those blood tests and I’m glad that levels are checked. Found out recently that not all do these important checks. Thanks for reminding people to do them.

Hi @drterri, there's lots of information about osteoporosis online.
Carol Micheals, Margaret Martin and Dr. Loren Fishman post exercises and yoga routines that are safe for people with osteoporosis to do. You can gain strength and improve your bone density.
What has your doctor recommended?
Can you talk to your doc or get a referral to a professional who specializes in osteoporosis? You can get help and start a program to manage your osteoporosis.
Referral to a dietician also may help, so you can get appropriate nutrients.
There are things you can do to gain control and confidence.

@tsc thank you so much for your kind and helpful reply!
The only thing my endocrinologist has recommended is Evenity and calcium, don't smoke, keep exercising - the usual things.
My general practitioner gave me a referral to an osteoporosis-specific physical therapist, and I'm anxious to get started with that! A dietician is also a great idea and one I hadn't thought of. Thank you for the suggestion!

Hi @drterri, I freaked out when I got my diagnosis. I did weight training for years, but neglected paying attention to calcium. An autoimmune disorder made me sedentary for a year, and I was diagnosed after that.
I started taking alendronate. I will have to go off it next year.
I read it's better to get calcium from food than pills. I buy three gallons of organic milk every two weeks, plus order non-fat dry milk and make yogurt. I try to get calcium through food daily.
I have fallen a few times, but not broken anything. I took Judo for years so I know how to fall. Try not to tense up, curl into the fall, never stick your hands out to prevent the fall, go with it if you can. In Judo, we also always brought our chins to our chests to protect our heads. Maybe the Physical Therapist can go over safe falling techniques with you.
This is funny. I'm a "drteri" too, but not an MD!
Take care!

@tsc thank you so much for your reply! I have also heard that it's better to get calcium from food and I am pretty good about getting adequate calcium. I have pretty much been living on milk and cheese!
Your suggestions about falling safely are very comforting to me, as is the fact that you have fallen without breaking anything!
I am not an MD either! I have a PhD. Like I often joke, I'm a doctor but not the kind that helps people, hahaha!

@drterri, my PhD is in Sociology. Yours?

Comparative and Molecular Bioscience, specialized in immunology and microbiology!

I hope you’ve done some research on osteoporosis to know what it is. It’s not as bad as you think it is. After all there are approximately 10 million people in the U.S. with an additional 44 million having low bone density. The vast majority of us are living life.

I, too, was in depression after my diagnosis exactly a year ago. I saw a personal trainer who scared the living cr*p out of me. She told me to not bend over, how to change the way I vacuumed…..! I talked to my MD, and my endo and they were, like, she’s nuts!

I have been drinking a lot of milk, avoiding spinach and almonds and foods with calcium blocking oxalates. I take algae cal vitamins, and I MOVE my body. I run, I walk, I am lifting more weights (I stayed with a DIFFERENT PT and learned correct techniques) I don’t do crunches and yoga forward falls and chest flies.

I stated taking fosamax 3 months ago. My Dr knew my upset so agreed to have a follow up DEXA after only a year. I improved! My arm is still bad (-3) but, frankly, I’m super skinny and small boned. Most importantly, my spine improved 5%! My hip is -2.4.

I will warn you that people mean well on this forum but they can be super gloom and doom (otherwise they wouldn’t be on a forum if their meds are great, etc). Don’t be discouraged by reading all that. I have had zero problems with fosamax except impatiently waiting thirty minutes for my coffee.

One year later and I don’t dwell on it it I was super sad a year ago. You’ll be fine! XO