Questions to Ask If You’ve Been Diagnosed with Osteoporosis

About 8 million women in the U.S. are living with osteoporosis, and half of all women over 50 with the disease will break a bone because of it. Being diagnosed with osteoporosis can be overwhelming, but it’s important to be informed about the disease. The first step? Talking to your clinician.

Shared decision-making between you and your clinician can help you take steps to reduce the risk for fracture and find treatment options that may help reduce bone loss.

It might be helpful for you to use these questions as a starting point to discuss treatment options — and their benefits, risks and costs — with your clinician to see which options are best for you.

Downloadable Resource: Questions to Ask If You’ve Been Diagnosed with Osteoporosis >>

Before your appointment

It’s important to be prepared and have information ready to present to your clinician. This will help set the tone for the appointment. If you’re comfortable, ask a family member or friend to come with you to help be an advocate. This person can also act as your second set of eyes and ears.

Here’s a suggested list of things to bring with you to make your appointment more productive:

A list of questions and concerns you would like to discuss
A list of all medications you take, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements
Your medical history, including:
- Past bone breaks
- Recent falls
- Any results from bone-density tests you’ve had done

At your appointment

Your clinician is a medical expert, but the two of you are a team, and it’s important to understand what’s going on so you can participate in making decisions. Here are some questions that might help you learn more about your bone health and management moving forward.

Tests

What are the T-score and Z-score from my bone scan? (Ask for a copy of the results for your own files.)
What do these scores mean for me? Which is most useful for assessing my bone health?
Given these findings, what are my risks of breaking a bone?
Would a fracture-risk assessment, such as FRAX, help guide my treatment?
Moving forward, how often should I have a scan?

Possible causes

What might have caused the osteoporosis in my case?
- Could it be a medical condition I have?
- Could it be medications I take or have taken?
Do I need any tests to see what might have caused my osteoporosis?
Will we need to change any of my medications to slow bone loss?

Treatment

What are possible treatment plans that will lower my fracture risk?
When should I start treatment?
What medications are available and appropriate for me?
How long will I be taking this medication?
How will we know if the medication is working?
How will this medication help me? Does it help build bone or slow bone loss?
How is this medication given and how often?
Does this medication interact with ones I already take for other health conditions?
Are there side effects and risks of the medicine I should be aware of?

Costs and access to treatment

Is this medication covered by insurance?
Can your office help me navigate my insurance to see what will be covered?

Supporting me and my bone health

What exercises are recommended and safe for me to do?
Are there dietary changes I should make or specific foods or nutrients I should start eating or avoiding?
Should I take any supplements?
What other types of clinicians might be on my healthcare team to help treat my osteoporosis?
Are there any local support groups that I can join for help?

Biosimilars

Biologics are medications made from living organisms that target specific cells or proteins. Some of these drugs have biosimilars, which are drugs that are very similar to the original biologic. They work the same way but may be less expensive.

Here are some questions to ask if you want to learn more about biosimilars as a possible osteoporosis treatment:

Is there a biosimilar that might be a good treatment for me?
Does it work the same as the reference biologic?
Does it have the same risks and side effects as a biologic?
Would a biosimilar be less expensive than a biologic?
Can your office help me check which options my insurance covers?

This educational resource was created with support from Sandoz, a HealthyWomen Corporate Advisory Council member.

Marijke Vroomen Durning, R.N.

Marijke Vroomen Durning, R.N., is a freelance writer in Montreal, Canada. Her work has been published in many outlets over the years, both online and in print. Marijke often describes her writing as the bedside teaching nurses want to do but rarely have the time for. Her experience working in healthcare has taught her what types of information people need and how to share it. One such need is medication and drug safety, so Marijke wrote the book," Just the Right Dose: Your Smart Guide to Prescription Drugs and How to Take Them Safely."

Marijke is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ), the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), and the Authors Guild. She is also a member of the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) and is registered with the Ordre des infirmiers et infirmières du Québec (Order of Nurses of Quebec).

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