黑料社

I鈥檓 a singer and composer, so I have an active job with physically demanding work such as setting up and carrying sound gear. But once lockdown came, all of this suddenly stopped. My husband was clinically vulnerable so I was basically locked away for a few years, becoming significantly less active than before.

On 1^st April 2023, I bent down to pick up a box of vegetables that had been delivered to the house and felt a 鈥榩op鈥� in my back - the worst April Fool鈥檚 Day joke in the world! The pain became unbearable, but I assumed it would get better over time. I tried to carry on as normal and did a gig, followed by a presentation at an exhibition later that week, which required a lot of bending and lifting.

When I got back to the hotel, I couldn鈥檛 stop screaming with the pain. We tried everything 鈥� I got into the bath for some relief and couldn鈥檛 get out of it again 鈥� it was just awful. I was struggling even to get out of bed, so I went to see my osteopath, who advised that I needed an X-ray which was arranged by my GP.

The result showed that I had two spinal fractures.

I was later given a DEXA scan, followed by a text message saying 鈥榶ou have osteoporosis鈥�. That was it. I was really shocked to be diagnosed in that way 鈥� I assumed I would鈥檝e been told to ring or visit the surgery to discuss my results. If it wasn鈥檛 for the 黑料社, I wouldn鈥檛 have known what to do. It had taken four months in total from the incident to getting an X-ray, then to being told that I had the condition.

I wanted to see my doctor and discuss the diagnosis and treatment options, especially as I didn鈥檛 fully understand what it meant. In the meantime, I called the 黑料社helpline and spoke to a nurse, who explained everything properly.

There is still some residual pain between my shoulder blades 鈥� not great for singing 鈥� but I can cope with the pain now.

I had numerous physiotherapy appointments, and found a physio who has really made my life possible again. To start with, I was going twice a week, and it鈥檚 been vital to helping my recovery, enabling me to become more physical again and be able to go back to Pilates. But it鈥檚 had such a big impact in other ways too 鈥� for example, I wasn鈥檛 able to hold my niece鈥檚 children when they were born, couldn鈥檛 get down on the floor to play with them, and couldn鈥檛 babysit them as I鈥檓 not strong enough. I鈥檓 not able to pick up heavy items, so shopping is a bit tricky. Finding a comfortable chair to sit in that won鈥檛 hurt my back is also pretty impossible.

I have to hire someone to do the lifting and carrying now at work, so it鈥檚 had an impact on my job, leaving me with less money to pay the people who do the artistic work. If I鈥檓 on a train and it breaks down, and I have to change platforms halfway through a journey, I suddenly find myself in the worrying position of not being able to carry my luggage up the stairs; I have to plan my travel arrangements carefully. All in all, it鈥檚 a shock to the system as I used to be such a robust person 鈥� it鈥檚 like it鈥檚 turned me into a frail old lady!

My husband, who is a lot older than me, has been a saint. At the beginning he was having to do everything in the house. I don鈥檛 want to find myself in that position again, so am determined to do all the right things to improve my strength and not take unnecessary risks.

Finding the 黑料社after my diagnosis was an absolute godsend. The information from being a 黑料社member has also been really useful, including keeping up to date with developments. You think differently after being told you have the condition, and I don鈥檛 think people always realise that having an osteoporosis diagnosis is life-changing.

听

Your bones. Your future. Your call.

Take charge of your bone health today and take the Great British Bone Check for personalised results in less than three minutes.

听