Six Do's and Six Don'ts When Talking to Your Doctor about Osteoporosis

Do's:

1. Do Prepare Your Questions: Write down any questions about osteoporosis, symptoms, and treatment options to ensure you cover everything.
2. Do Share Your Full Health History: Mention any previous fractures, medications, and family history of osteoporosis to give your doctor a complete picture.
3. Do Discuss Lifestyle Habits: Talk about your physical activity and supplements, like calcium and vitamin D, to get personalized recommendations. Please know this is what an OP doctor will discuss.
4. Do Ask About Prevention and Exercises: Request advice on osteoporosis-specific exercises, like weight-bearing activities, and ask about fall prevention strategies.
5. Do Ask About Bone Turnover Markers: Ask their opinion on bone turnover markers; CTx and P1NP
6. Do Follow Up: Schedule regular check-ups to monitor your bone density and adjust your treatment plan as needed.

Don'ts:

1. Don't Ask Your Doctor About Dietary Recommendations: That is NOT their specialty.
2. Don’t Downplay Symptoms: Even minor pain, loss of height and balance issues can be relevant. Share all symptoms, even if they don’t seem related to osteoporosis.
3. Don’t Skip Details on Other Medications: Some medications can surprisingly affect bone health, so tell your doctor about everything you’re taking.
4. Don’t Hesitate to Ask for Clarification: If you don’t understand a term or recommendation, ask your doctor to explain it in simpler language.
5. Don’t Ignore Lifestyle Advice: Small changes, like diet adjustments or appropriate exercise, can make a big difference in bone health.
6. Don't Attend your meeting with Google print outs: Or gift your doctor a copy of Dr. McCormick's Book: Great Bones: Taking Control of Your Osteoporosis. This is a great book for your reference library.

Treatment Decisions: 

• Managing osteoporosis is a personal journey that takes time.
• Bones breakdown comes with time; you have time to decide unless you have fractured.
• Developing a working and respectful relationship with your doctor is vital.
• The first step may be to request bone turnover markers to determine if you are losing bone.
• Remember, the decision of, if and when to start medication is ultimately yours.
• If you're not ready to begin treatment, it’s perfectly okay to let your doctor know that you’d like to explore your options further.
• Taking the time to be an informed patient, by doing your research, empowers you to make the best health choices.