No, your body won't collapse like a jellyfish.' How I live with osteoporosis

I was diagnosed in 2022 and am still trying to overcome my fear of falling.

- Sumiko Tan Chief Columnist & Senior Editor, Publications

If you're going down a flight of stairs, you wouldn't want to be behind me. I tread very slowly and carefully, holding on to the railing if there's one, and making sure each foot is firmly planted before the next step.

You see, I have osteoporosis. For me, a small fall can easily cause a serious fracture, and that's something I don't want to risk.

I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in June 2022 during an annual medical screening. My health package included a range of tests and the doctor suggested I do a bone mineral density scan, something I had never done before. I agreed, not realising how it would change the way I thought about my body and my health.

The scan is simple. You slip into a hospital gown and lie on an open, padded table. A small overhead scanner moves slowly over your body, taking images. To check the spine, a box is placed under your legs to prop them up. It's over in minutes.

A few weeks later, my medical report came back. Under bone mineral density, it noted that I was “osteoporotic” and should consult a doctor for further treatment. I didn’t pay much attention to it.

During a followup telephone consultation with a doctor, I was more worried about a blood marker reading that was off, but she assured me it wasn’t a concern. Instead, she kept going back to my bone scan results. Patiently, she advised me to see an endocrinologist and wrote me a referral letter.

At that time, I didn’t know much about osteoporosis — or the term “osteoporotic” — beyond it meaning weakened bones, usually linked to old age. At 58, I didn’t feel old. I was running, doing yoga and staying active. Bone health wasn’t on my radar.