Patient Hints and Tips
"When I first found out I had osteoporosis, I found taking treatment difficult and, as a result, ended up not taking any medication at all. However, without the benefits of treatment, I suffered several vertebral fractures which have had a significant impact on my quality of life. Having experienced the painful effects of osteoporosis first-hand, I now take my treatment as prescribed. Other people should not go through the pain and inconvenience of fracture unnecessarily and I would therefore encourage them to learn from my experience. My advice is to take your treatment as instructed by your doctor or pharmacist."
Sophia Edlinger, Austria
If you have osteoporosis and are finding staying on treatment difficult, it may be worth finding out more before stopping your medication.
1. Understand the risks of not staying on treatment.
2. Speak to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse about any difficulties you are experiencing. They will be able to give you advice on managing your osteoporosis medication and may be able to suggest other treatment options. Use our Checklist to help you think about questions you might want to discuss.
3. Build your osteoporosis treatment into your routine.
4. Contact your local patient society; they can offer you support and put you in touch with other people who are in a similar situation. Click here for a full list of International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) patient groups.
Understand
Having a fracture can lead to pain, loss of independence and can have a serious impact on your life and the lives of those around you. Taking your treatment as recommended by your doctor will allow you to stay active and independent.
• Suffering an initial fracture increases the chances of experiencing another: people who have suffered three or more fractures are 10 times more likely to experience another break.1
• After experiencing a vertebral fracture, less than one third of patients will regain their previous level of mobility and over a third will require constant care.2
• In women over 45, osteoporosis accounts for more days spent in hospital than many other diseases, including diabetes, heart attack and breast cancer.3
• People who have suffered a fracture may be less able to undertake paid employment and have to rely on friends and relatives to provide care and assistance with everyday activities.
Build
Your osteoporosis medication can only reduce your risk of fractures if it is taken regularly. Below are some suggestions on how you can build your osteoporosis treatment into your routine.
1. Think about ways to take your medication in order to minimise the impact on your everyday life. For example, patients taking bisphosphonate treatment cannot eat before and after taking their medication and must remain upright afterwards. Taking your tablet first thing in the morning and then having a shower and getting dressed before breakfast can reduce the impact on your time.
2. If you take regular pills for your osteoporosis, try to take your treatment at the same time each day, week or month.
3. Use your mobile phone or diary to remind yourself to take your medication and collect your prescription, or put a reminder note somewhere you will see it frequently, for example on your fridge door or bathroom mirror.
4. Make a note of the specific actions you need to remember when taking your treatment (for example, if you are on a bisphosphonate, you need to fast before and after taking your medicine, remain upright and take it with tap water), and keep this somewhere memorable such as your wallet, diary or on a notice board at home.
5. Be prepared for changes in your routine that will make it more difficult for you to take your medication such as holidays or special events. Planning in advance can help you incorporate your medication requirements into your day in a way that causes the least amount of disruption.
6. Ask your family and friends to support you to stay on treatment - tell them about osteoporosis and your medication and explain to them why it is important for you to avoid broken bones. If you are finding staying on treatment difficult, they can remind you of the benefits and help keep you motivated. They can also provide practical support, helping you remember when to collect your prescription and how to take your medication.
References
1. Nevitt MC, Ross PD, Palermo L, Musliner T, Genant K and Thompson DE; Fracture intervention trial research group. Association of prevalent vertebral fractures, bone density, and alendronate treatment with incident vertebral fractures: Effect of number and spinal location of fractures. Bone 1999; 25 (5): 613-619
2. Milne HW; International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) Committee of Scientific Advisors. Invest in your bones: make it or break it. How exercise helps to build and maintain strong bones, prevent falls and fractures, and speed rehabilitation. Osteoporosis Australia and International Osteoporosis Foundation. Sydney (Australia): 2005
3. Kanis JA, Delmas P, Burckhardt P, Cooper C and Torgerson D; The European Foundation for Osteoporosis and Bone Disease. Guidelines for diagnosis and management of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis International 1997; 7: 390-406
