I know I have harped on my Severe Osteoporosis diagnosis since last September. It struck me very hard and I was stunned to find out that my stupid body had failed me. I did all sorts of tests and a full work up. Heart, lungs, BP, eyes, and blood work came back pretty darned good for an old fart.
But my basic construction was falling apart.
I started to worry about hikes, about the normal things I'd been doing all along. Suddenly they felt like huge issues.
It has messed with my mind to say the least. My osteoporosis score in the low lumbar region was 2/10ths of a percent under a 99 year old frail person. I was nearly off the charts in a bad way.
The consensus was to start taking bone building medications. The first line was a generic form of Fosomax. After three months, the meds and I didn't get along. Fast forward to the second medication, which I didn't do well on.
In the mean time, I went back to the CrossFit gym for some Mobility Classes. I needed the exercise and gentle stretching. The class is geared to any aged person and improves strength and balance. Well, that is, if you stick with it.
Here is a photo from one of the classes. See? CrossFit isn't a bunch of burly dudes running around throwing weights and beating their chests. It can be so much more. I'm on the left and a good friend of mine is on the right. The Mobility Class has teens to elderly adults in it.
Yesterday, I had a phone visit with the Endocrinologist. We discussed medications and the pros and cons of the medication called Prolia. It is an injection once every 6 months. The downside of the medication is that at the end of 10 years of this medication, you have to take another medication to prevent relapse.
It is complicated. Prolia builds the bone and keeps the cells from breaking down. It is a monoclonal antibody.
We discussed the fact that so far, I've had no fractures anywhere in my body. She attributes that to my activity level.
I asked if I could take a reprieve from medications and try a different route for a while:
hiking - low impact - free weights - balance and mobility exercises. Good diet with milk for calcium and foods with vitamins in them.
I explained that the medications worked backwards on me. I had a hard time staying physically active.
She thought this was a good idea and she said she was very open to it.
Note: This doctor listened to me and explained the benefits of the medications along with saying that new meds are being found all of the time that may help. She didn't speak down to me. She didn't get that air of being far superior.
She even said that it was my body and this felt like a good short term plan to see if I could improve things a bit on my own.
So here are a few things to consider. I signed up to go back to the gym for Mobility Classes and some personal training to tailor exercises for my specific needs.
I was asked why would I spend that money like that?
Easy.
The cost of the exercises at the gym are far less than medications cost and far less than physical therapy costs.
The benefits for me are multi faceted. I live with a shut-in who doesn't socialize. I get exercise and social interaction at the same time. Plus I suck at doing exercises at home on my own.
Bonus points: It helps my mental and physical well being.