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• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 23-39 >> Jane - Interview 19 >> Jane’s pain affects much of her day-to-day life and as a result she feels that she is different from her peer group.

Jane’s excruciating back pain that started during labour wasn’t investigated until after six weeks later. Eventually she was diagnosed with osteoporosis through pregnancy but also with Coeliac disease. Jane says that she had coeliac symptoms for many years but again, these were not investigated. She is on Calcichew D3 Forte but not on medication for osteoporosis.

• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 70+ >> James - Interview 36 >> James’s level of activity has been greatly reduced and he said that getting used to that was one of the most difficult aspects of growing old.

James is on alendronic acid once weekly and calcium tablets two a day. He also takes Omeprazole and Domperidone for his acid reflux. For a dysfunctional bladder he takes amitriptyline at bedtime. He had vertebroplasty surgery done three times to repair collapsed vertebraes but the last time it was unsuccessful and is waiting to have it done again.

• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 50-59 >> Rose - Interview 33 >> Rose feels sad about the changes to her body shape but the support from her husband has helped her.

Diagnosed in1989 and on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for fourteen years. Currently on alendronic acid, 70 milligrams once weekly and Calcichew D3 Forte twice daily. Her bone density mass has improved particularly on her hips. She was also diagnosed with mastocytosis.

• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 60-69 >> Ann - Interview 35 >> Ann’s feels irritated that her body shape has changed because she had always looked after her waistline.

Diagnosed in 2001. Ann has had side effects from several of the osteoporosis treatments; problems with swallowing, heartburn and pain. She is currently on Bonviva (ibandronate) once monthly orally, but she is changing to the intravenous injection form administered every three months. She was also diagnosed with coeliac disease.

• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 70+ >> Carol - Interview 15 >> Carol felt very depressed and fearful for the first three months after she was diagnosed.

Following a wrist fracture Carol’s GP sent her for a DXA scan and put her on medication for osteoporosis as a precautionary measure. She is on Bonviva (ibandronic acid) 150 mgs, once a month plus Adcal D3 twice a day. She fasts for six hours before taking Bonviva.

• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 50-59 >> Iris - Interview 24 >> Iris doesn’t want her condition to affect what she wants to do in her retirement so she admits she is in denial about it.

Her diagnosis of osteoporosis was prompted by her being invited by the osteoporosis nurse for a bone density scan. The type of fracture she had was unusually severe for the type of fall she incurred and, her age. She takes Actonel 3mg once weekly and calcium tablets.

• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 40-49 >> Chris - Interview 23 >> When Chris was diagnosed with osteoporosis it was a wake-up call to change her life.

Diagnosed in 1999. She is taking Actonel and Calcichew D3 Forte. Initially she was taking Actonel 5 mg once daily but found it impractical, especially during working days. She now takes 35 mg once weekly. She still experiences back pain but not as severe as before diagnosis.

• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 60-69 >> Christine - Interview 18 >> Christine overcomes her fear of falling because she believes being active is very important in preventing further deterioration of her bones.

Diagnosed in 2004 with what she described as a ‘mild form’ of osteoporosis. Medication since diagnosis: alendronic acid and calcium tablets. A second bone density scan revealed that her condition has improved after two years of treatment. Her mother has osteoporosis.

• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 40-49 >> Robert - Interview 28 >> Robert suffered from severe depression and needed the help of a psychologist to overcome his negative emotions.

Robert was diagnosed with osteoporosis at the age of forty-three. Robert had to wait seven months before been referred to a bone metabolic specialist who sent him without delay to have a bone density scan. Now his osteoporosis is under control but he continues experiencing severe pain due to the damage caused by the condition.

• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 50-59 >> Rose - Interview 33 >> When recovering from her fracture Rose experienced a bout of depression which made her feel helpless and hopeless.

Diagnosed in1989 and on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for fourteen years. Currently on alendronic acid, 70 milligrams once weekly and Calcichew D3 Forte twice daily. Her bone density mass has improved particularly on her hips. She was also diagnosed with mastocytosis.

• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 60-69 >> Sarah - Interview 27 >> Sarah fears that her osteoporosis will get worse in the future which will affect her quality of life.

In 2002 Sarah took part in a clinical trial were she was first diagnosed with osteoporosis. It seems that her diagnosis wasn’t sent to her GP. In 2008 she fell and hurt her back and her GP sent her for an x-ray and it was then that her condition was officially diagnosed. Current treatment: alendronic acid once weekly and calcium tablets.

• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 60-69 >> Valerie - Interview 03 >> Valerie worries about the effect that osteoporosis may have on her ability to be independent and mobile as she gets older.

Diagnosed in 2004 following complains of back and neck pains; on alendronic acid, 70 mg once weekly. She has had three bone density scans and there was improvement on the second but the third revealed a small deterioration of bone density.

• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 50-59 >> Keith - Interview 38 >> Keith feels reassured that any change in his condition will be monitored by regular DXA scans and so he sees no need to worry about it.

His diagnosis came about in 2007 after medical investigation for a lump on his breast. The lump proved to be benign but the blood tests indicated that he had low testosterone levels and a DXA scan revealed mild osteoporosis. He was put on HRT treatment (testogel).

• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 50-59 >> Rose - Interview 33 >> Rose feels positive about the future because of the greater knowledge now available about how to treat osteoporosis.

Diagnosed in1989 and on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for fourteen years. Currently on alendronic acid, 70 milligrams once weekly and Calcichew D3 Forte twice daily. Her bone density mass has improved particularly on her hips. She was also diagnosed with mastocytosis.

• Bones & joints >> Osteoporosis >> Age of diagnosis 50-59 >> Marylin - Interview 12 >> Apart from a few friends at work, Marylin hasn’t told her employers that she has osteoporosis.

Diagnosed in 2005 and currently on alendronic acid 70 mgs once weekly, Calcichew D3 Forte and for her back pain she takes Co-Dytramol one a day. Marilyn’s mother has rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. After her diagnosis she took the decision to retire at sixty and ‘enjoy life’.