Early Postmenopause - Developing A Plan Of Action: Osteoporosis

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Early postmenopause

If you are a woman in the early years of menopause, you are probably in the period of your greatest bone loss. All of the suggestions for younger women still apply, and you should do the following as well.

Assess your risk. If you have reason to believe you're at greater risk for osteoporosis (see "Who gets osteoporosis?"), talk to your clinician about having a bone density evaluation — preferably a DXA test (see "Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry").

Discuss preventive medications with your doctor. Consider talking to your doctor about medications — such as alendronate, risedronate, raloxifene, or hormone therapy — that can help prevent osteoporosis. Each medication has its own benefits and risks, and your doctor can help you determine which one may be best suited for you.

Check your calcium and vitamin D. Get at least 1,000–1,200 mg of calcium a day. Also, be sure that you are getting the vitamin D you need (see "Vitamin D").

Re-evaluate your exercise regimen. Exercise not only builds bone, it also increases strength, flexibility, and balance. As you age, it becomes more difficult to maintain muscle mass, so you may need to add more exercise to keep from losing ground. Now may be a good time to incorporate weights into your routine, if you haven't already been using them (see "The importance of exercise"). The poster "Osteoporosis Workout" offers a simple exercise routine to strengthen your bones; for ordering information, see "Help with your exercise routine."

Last updated:	January 23, 2007