Let me back up a bit.
It was 1:14 AM as I write this.
The house is quiet, and my bones ache just enough to remind me of the journey I’m on. I’m not a doctor. I’m a 56-year-old woman who was told last year that her hips and spine were crumbling from the inside.
I’m sharing this in case you’re sitting where I was terrified, overwhelmed, and feeling like the only choice was to obey the white coat guys and cross your fingers.
The Pressure to “Fix It” Quickly
In May 2024, after a DXA scan that showed osteoporosis in my lumbar spine and hips, my APRN sat across from me with a concerned face and firm tone.
“You need to start treatment. This is serious. Don’t wait.”
The fear in her voice transferred straight into my chest. I had gone in for answers and left with a prescription for a daily injectable. No one talked to me about food, posture, strength, or even why my bones had weakened. Just the needle.
So I started the meds. I was scared not to.
The Side Effects Nobody Warned Me About
The first few weeks felt okay, mild soreness at the injection site, a few waves of nausea. But by week four, my body felt like it was at war with itself.
- My joints and bones screamed, especially in the mornings.
- My stomach felt like it was digesting gravel.
- I cried constantly and couldn’t tell if it was the medication or just the exhaustion of trying to “do everything right.”
I kept pushing through, telling myself I had to stick it out. I even began physical therapy to strengthen what I could. That’s when I got hit with something new: bilateral labrum tears in my hips and also mild bilateral tendynopathy . Likely pre-existing, who knows, but aggravated by everything happening at once.
When Enough Was Enough
At 2.5 months in, I paused.
I was sitting on my porch after yet another teary night and thought: This can’t be it. This can’t be the only way to fight this.
So I stopped the injections.
I didn’t make that decision lightly. I sat with it for days. But I realized I had been making fear-based decisions from the start. Not informed ones. Not intuitive ones. Just pure panic.
What I’m Doing Instead
I pivoted—hard—toward a self-directed, holistic path. Again, I’m not telling anyone to do what I did. I’m just sharing what’s working for me right now.
🌿 Daily Walks
30-60 minutes in the sun, every single morning. Not fast, not intense, if you are just getting started. Just consistent movement and fresh air. Progressively, increase pace to reach at least 2.5 to 3 miles per hour within that timeframe.
🏋️♀️ Safe Strength Training
I started learning how to safely load my muscles without risking fractures. No crunches, no forward bends, and everything done with slow, controlled form.
Just a resistance band, bodyweight, and sometimes light dumbbells under the guidance of my PT and a few trusted online experts.
🧘♀️ Gentle Movement
Safe, slow stretches with a focus on spinal alignment and posture. No twisting, no high-impact anything.
💬 Affirmations
This felt silly at first, but I repeat them daily:
“I am rebuilding. I am supported. I am strong from within.”
🥗 Food That Loves My Bones Backk
I restructured my meals to include:
- Leafy greens
- Sardines (yes, I had to learn to like them)
- Almonds, sesame seeds, prunes
- High-quality protein at every meal
I also added a few trusted supplements (vitamin D3, K2, magnesium glycinate) after doing a ton of reading and checking in with a functional practitioner.
🧠 Mindfulness
Meditation is my reset button. Even 5 minutes helps bring me out of fear and back into my body.
Fear vs. Intuition: What I’ve Learned
Fear made me rush. Fear told me to inject something into my body before I even asked why my bones were weakening. Fear said, “You’re 56. You’re running out of time.”
But intuition? Intuition is quiet. She doesn’t panic. She nudges. She waits for me to catch up.
And when I did, she said, “You are not broken. You are rebuilding.”
A Word on Medications
There may come a time - mabye - perhaps in my late 70s or 80s, if and if none of what I'm doing helps, when medication makes more sense. For women with extremely low T-scores or repeated fractures, they might be life-saving. I’m not anti-meds.
For now, I’m just pro-choice. Informed, body-listening, strength-from-within kind of choice.
⚠️ Final Thoughts (and a Disclaimer)
This isn’t medical advice. I’m not licensed. I’m a woman who took a different turn and is still walking the path, every day.
If you're scared, you’re not alone.
If you're tired, I get it.
If you're ready to feel strong again—start small, and start within.
— Magnolia
🌼 Let’s get stronger together, from Within